Saturday 10/02 - 8:30 a.m. at the Royal National Park

Dude, its mostly fire trail these days...some singletrack...its still a nice ride, some ok climbs...but nothing overly technical...anymore....alot of it got bulldozed a year a go thanks to Rural Fire brigade and got turned from superb singletrack, to firetrails...

still not a bad place for a hit out...handy for me being just across the road

Greetings earthlings,

Yes, I am more than keen to check these trails out. Even if it turned out to just be firetrails. But you never know if you'll come across a side trail that goes somewhere really good. If you don't try, you'll never know.

I had not heard too much about anyone here being a veteran of these trails. It could be posted somewhere, but I am not recalling anything. But if anyone out there knows - we would love to hear from you!!

I may also still get some other mates to come along too. We'll see how that goes. Also, I would be travelling down from Hornsby, so if anyone wanted a lift, let me know.

Caro, "Happy Tuesday" - WT?

also alot of people are avoiding menai, due to the amount of sand...

trailbike riders have chewed it up big time

I'll have to reiterate the above comments about firetrail. All of the non-firetrail is either signposted as illegal or illegal by default because it's a national park, I think.

There is definitely awareness of mountain bikers within RNP. A few visits ago, we got stopped to do a survey.

It's not a bad spot, though. Much of it is like Terrey Hills but a bit rougher. Somehow I've also had my worst stacks in there (despite it being mostly nontechnical), but I think that was general noob-ism and trying to ride with a nonfunctional rear brake.

If you just want some nontechnical enduro training, there's plenty of it. And the train lines and shops are close by if you want to bail early.

I'd like to explore around Menai too, but hadn't heard about it being sandy. The last report that I got said there was a lot of smooth, flowing singletrack. Just consider it training for the DW100!

I have the Hugh Flower book at home somewhere, so when I get home I might scan a bit in. There's also a 'cycling in RNP' brochure floating around (which I also have at home), but it just covers the major trails (Lady Carrington Drive and along the train line).

I started my MTB'ing down there a few years back and there were some great rides and some good single track. But as mentioned above, anything other than the firetrails is pretty much off limits to MTB'ers these days. Have seen rangers there a few times hiding in the bushes handing out tickets!
Will look forward to a write up!

C.

He mentions the RNP and says a trail starts at Loftus ovals on the Princess Highway in the car park. It goes about 3km on firetrail to the ranger's station then there is a bit of single track through acacias which is more fun but only 800m, then cross over some tram tracks and more tight dense scrub until reaching the "railway trail" which is another 3km of mostly firetrail, some open grassy field, riding next to railway lines (funny that) and some water bars. Then have to go past a locked gate and down hill to an intersection of two trails: "4WD Connector" and "Groove Train". Hugh says Groove train is single track, smooth and flowing trail and he highly recommends it but says it's too short (1.2km). 4WD connector is 2km of firetrail taking you to a rocky intersection called the "rock tea party" at the top of a climb where the "Heathcote track" starts. This is 1.5kms a bit of single track, bit of 4WD, some fun dips and gullies to jump but interspersed are lots of walking tracks upon which is it apparently illegal to ride.

Hugh's overall rating of most of the trails is they are easy (grade 2.5 technical out of 5) was the highest rating and 4 out of 5 for fun was the Groove train, the rest is rated as 2: off road but not a lot of excitement.

Bear in mind, the book was published in 2002, so what Andrew J said about the trails is probably more up to date. Maybe with the description Andrew can comment on whether these trails have been razed flat for the firetrucks??

up until very recently all i did was the RNP..so hes my reccomendation....park at loftus oval,(mainly because you can be a cheap ass and park without paying park entry ) then ride along the freeway and turn left into RNP entrance. up about 100m or so youll see a fire trail entrance with a gate..take note of this area because directly accross the road (on the left)youll find a gap that is an entrance to awesome single trail that youll come back to later ..(marked with a post and a picture of a bike on it)
now.. go up the fire trail and follow it all the way, it follows the freeway a bit, and keeps going windy, hilly, till you come to a 4 way junction.. left is a downhill firetrail (dont go that way) dont go straight either..look to diagnal leftish and youll see an uphill single track..take that until you come to a cross roads with signs to engadine, audley etc.. take the path to audley (pretty much straight on) and follow more nice single track past a train station (i think engadine) and then goes through some more single track, keep going you get to a fire trail that goes left and right..turn left and follow till u get to some houses and stuff, keep going left and follow the road till you come to another firetrail entrance on the left.. this is some awesome downhill firetrail action with sandbars, and a bit of tech stuff (think downhill fun manly damn pre bulldozer).. and you will eventually come back out at that first crossroads (where i said dont go left down the firetrail so go right, and follow back the way you came till you come out at the gate on the road (entrance to RNP bit)..
now cross the road and follow that single track i mentioned.. this is the best bit imho..follow the windy singletrack all the way to the train line..cross the train tracks, and youll see the trail continuing directly acrross the track (with another bike picture on a post) now follow the trail all the way till you get to the bottom creeky bit (there are several jumps throughout too) and continue up..you will come to a left right junction..go right, then follow down, youll come out at a fire trail, keep going and there will be a right hand turn with a sign around there saying "have you got the balls" (if its still there!) so, turn right, this is steep windy firetrail downhill, with sand bars all the way, and gravely rocky business thats totally awesome...then, go up..and up, and up, then turn right at the fire trail u come out at and follow it all the way to the rangers station..

then right, right again at the trail to "loftus oval" which basically follows the train line all the way back..dont forget to cross the tracks at the end of the line before the freeway to get back to the oval...
Thats my favourite way to go so far and makes a nice loop (prob about 2 hours ish)
hope it helps! Its not a majorly technical area in general, but well worth the trip!
Oh and BTW., the RNP has opened up alot of single trails to mountain biking on a trial basis to see how it goes, you will see a bike picture on a stump on all the trails your allowed on (there are alot too) and a distinct no biking sign where you cant...Enjoy

Okay,

For anyone that was interested, I will be parking at Loftus oval for the ride into the RNP at 8:30 a.m.

Thanks.

Hi All,

You can get a map of the MTB trails in ther RNP from the Visitor Information centre which is not far from Loftus Oval, just head in to the National Park going towards Audley and you will see it on your left. It's only a couple of kms from Loftus Oval. It's worth getting the map as the trails can be very confusing.

When Justin and I did Sutherland, we started at Loftus Oval, did the fire trails on the northern side of Loftus oval, went down to Audley on the road, back up to Waterfall also on the road, along the railway line to Heathcote, and then back through the single trail on the western side of the road, across the road again for some more firetrail and then back to the carpark. It was about 34 km in total and took about 3 hours. A good fitness ride

Liz

Yes it is. I will be there at Loftus oval somewhere around 8:30 a.m. Or very close to it! I will be in a blue Mazda2. See all comers there.

(nb - thanks for the note about the tourist maps. I will do a drive by and check it out)

Yes it was a pretty good ride. As I didn't know what to expect going in, everything exceeded my expectations! : ) I found the single trails the most enjoyable, followed by the speedy downhill waterbars. Waterbars = Fun.

It would have been nice to know what the individual places were called, as I have already forgotten the names of the fire trails. Plus, once you complete some turns and switchbacks, it is impossible to remember exactly where we were. Not sure if I could point it out on a map. : (

Thanks to all that went along, and to our "guides" for the day. We will need to organise another ride down there in the next few months. It makes for a fun new ride.

Cheers,

Liam.

(Ian, I could not get any info to display on that hotlink)

And if we find more cool places, possibly add another track or two on top of those. I think you would like these trails. There are no crazy technical sections to get past.

The big section in the middle that's not on the main road is Lady Carrington Drive - a common mums & kids route now.

Worth seeing once, but there's nothing technically challenging.

Certainly a good fitness route if you're looking to build confidence. Assuming they haven't changed it around, too.