MTB Rides

The Tangara Trail is an almost invisible web of interconnecting trails between Seven Mile Beach and South Arm.  It often weaves between property boundaries and heads along quiet roads, beaches and bush trails.  There is good tangara trail signage all over the area, so with a bit of help from the website and a sense of adventure you really could just go trail chasing.

The route described here knits together some of the best sections of the trail, but throws in a few extra bits as well to make a nice figure of eight ride that will give even the most experienced cyclist a good day out.

The Dmoain XC track is a pleasant little 2.5km shared used trail, constructed by Dirt Art in 2016 with mountain bikers in mind.  It provides a fantastic reason to head up to the Queens Domain for a quick burst with your friends when the trails call and the Meehan or Mt Wellington is too far away.  While all levels of riders will enjoy this trail, it makes for a great introductory ride with friends and family who are new to mountain biking.  You can just drive up and enjoy this short trail or you can combine it with Soldiers Walk and many other trails around the Domain for an hour or more of exploration.  

This 20km circuit will interest both those who like to leisurely explore new areas on their bike as well as those who like their biking to have a bit of adventure and challenge.  The circuit follows old 4wd tracks and is pretty flat the whole way around.  Any reasonably fit cyclist could tackle the ride, but there's a few tricky sections (and lots of mud) so be careful on this one.

Trip Hill is not a ride for everyone, in fact I think it would best be described as a ride for the crazy ones.  For a start it’s a ride up a hill from which you get no view, several of the best sections are currently so overgrown (April 2014) that I found myself pushing my bike downhill, a lot of the riding is through recently harvested forests and yet … if you’re in the area, you've ridden all the other rides and you’re looking for some good old fashioned bush tracks that and don’t mind the odd hike-a-bike … well you could just enjoy this little ride.

Heading up the Upper Forth valley, this track takes you on a journey into the World Heritage Area along what was, up until the mid 1980's, a road to the Oakleigh Creek Wolfram Mines.  The first section is still regularly used by kayakers seeking to paddle the Forth river and as such is fairly reasonably well maintained, but as you make your way further up the valley the track deteriorates and you find yourself in a beautiful and seldom visited area of Tasmania.  This is a true gem of a ride for those who like to explore remote places on two wheels, but is not for the inexperienced, unprepared or those looking for groomed single track.

The Youngtown Regional Park is a pleasant little park on the outskirts of Launceston.  Although the ride is only a short 2.6km loop, the track has a good surface and makes for a nice ride if you're in the area.  It is mainly easy riding with a spot or two that will challenge beginner riders, but nothing technical.  The circuit would also make for a pleasant hour or so with young kids able to ride the distance.

This mountain bike route starts and finishes in Zeehan, and in between it manages to combine the fun of cycling a  100 metre tunnel, some great riding along an old tramway line and some awesome, though technical, riding out along old gravel 4WD trails along the foothills of  Mt Heemskirk.   Experienced riders will love the challenge this route provides, however even moderate riders who are prepared to walk a few sections will really enjoy this ride.