Murray to Mountains Rail Trail

The Murray to Mountains Rail Trail is one of Australia’s premier cycling trails, with around 137 km of sealed trail through North East Victoria and the Victorian High Country. The network connects some of the region’s best-known cycling destinations, including Wangaratta, Myrtleford, Bright, Beechworth, Yackandandah, Oxley, Rutherglen and Wahgunyah, taking riders through the Ovens Valley, farmland, vineyards, historic railway country and the foothills of the Victorian Alps. With a sealed surface and predominantly gentle gradients, it’s suitable for road bikes, gravel bikes, hybrids, e-bikes, families and cycle tourers, although the climb towards Beechworth and the route onwards to Yackandandah are noticeably more demanding. The main Wangaratta to Bright section is around 82–83 km, following the former railway through Bowser, Everton, Gapsted, Myrtleford, Ovens, Eurobin and Porepunkah before reaching Bright. This is classic High Country riding, with farmland and vineyards gradually giving way to increasingly impressive mountain scenery as you approach Bright. With cafés, accommodation, wineries, breweries and food stops scattered throughout the corridor, the route works brilliantly as either a long one-day ride or a relaxed multi-day cycling trip. At Everton, riders can branch towards historic Beechworth and Yackandandah. This section includes the trail’s most significant climbing on the way to Beechworth before continuing through bushland, historic railway cuttings and rolling farmland towards Yackandandah. The Beechworth–Yackandandah extension opened in 2024, adding another major cycling connection between two of North East Victoria’s historic gold-rush towns. There are also separate sections further north. Wangaratta to Oxley is around 9 km, providing an easy connection towards the Milawa Gourmet Region, while the Rutherglen to Wahgunyah section is around 8.5 km, taking riders through renowned wine country towards the Murray River. These shorter sections are excellent choices for families or riders wanting a relaxed half-day experience rather than tackling the longer High Country routes. RTS Tip: You definitely don’t need to ride all 137 km to enjoy the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail. Choose a section that suits your day — Wangaratta to Oxley for an easy food-focused ride, Myrtleford to Bright for spectacular mountain scenery, or Beechworth towards Yackandandah for history and a little more climbing. If you’re planning a multi-day trip, the towns along the route make it easy to build a ride around accommodation, cafés and local produce. Just remember that the network has gaps between some branches, so check the current map carefully before assuming every section connects entirely off-road.