Rydal

Rydal MTB Trails are a classic cross-country mountain bike network in Lidsdale State Forest, beside the tiny village of Rydal near Lithgow in the NSW Central Tablelands. The trails start from Rydal Showground and spread north into the surrounding forest, delivering a distinctly old-school mix of natural singletrack, rocky terrain and repurposed 4WD and moto tracks. The network currently has around 22 mapped MTB trails, predominantly green, blue and black-rated cross-country riding. Rather than smooth bike-park flow, expect tight singletrack, rocks, roots, short punchy climbs, natural descents and technical features, with plenty of different trail combinations available. Trails such as Hazzard County add some extra spice, with drops and gap-jump features mixed into the XC terrain. The broader network makes good use of the existing forest tracks, so riders can easily link sections together for anything from a quick lap to a longer session exploring Lidsdale State Forest. Rydal has a particularly strong connection with the Central Tablelands Mountain Bike Club (CTMBC), one of Australia’s long-established MTB clubs, formed in 1984. The club is based around the Lithgow region and regularly hosts racing at Rydal, including its Tuesday night race series. It’s also an established endurance racing venue. Rydal hosted Round 3 of the 2026 NSW Central West XC Mountain Bike Interclub Series, with racing based from Rydal Showground, and has previously hosted major endurance events including the Jetblack 24 Hour. The main trailhead is at Rydal Showground at the top of Market Street. From here, trails head into the forest on either side to the north of the showground, making it a relatively straightforward place to start exploring. For riders searching for Rydal MTB, Lithgow mountain bike trails, Central Tablelands MTB, Lidsdale State Forest cycling or XC mountain biking west of Sydney, Rydal is a great regional network to have on the ride list. RTS Tip: Rydal is best suited to riders who enjoy natural XC rather than manicured bike-park trails. Current mapping is worth having with you because there are plenty of old forest, 4WD and moto tracks intersecting the MTB network. It also pairs brilliantly with the wider Lithgow riding scene if you’re planning a full weekend in the region.