You Yangs – Stockyards

The Stockyards Mountain Bike Area, in You Yangs Regional Park between Melbourne and Geelong, is the more technical and gravity-focused half of the You Yangs MTB network. While nearby Kurrajong provides flatter beginner-friendly riding, Stockyards makes use of the park’s dramatic granite outcrops and former quarry landscape to deliver challenging cross-country, all-mountain and downhill trails. Expect rock gardens, natural rock ramps, steep drops, berms, jumps and fast technical descents. The Inner Loop provides a useful backbone through the network and can be used to access many of Stockyards’ individual trails. It’s best ridden anti-clockwise and connects with more technical options including Lactic Acid, Dam View and Turbulence. Rockwell Run provides a gentler climbing route back towards the upper network, making it useful for riders putting together pedal-powered laps. Intermediate riders can tackle trails such as Quarry Pit, a tight and twisting singletrack through gums, wattles and rocky outcrops. As confidence builds, Stockyards quickly steps things up: Travs Diamond features technical rock sections, boardwalks, berms, obstacles and challenging climbs, while other well-known trails include Cressy Descent and Lactic Acid. At the top end, Stockyards contains some seriously demanding gravity terrain. Turbulence and Bandages or Glory are double-black options aimed at highly experienced riders. Bandages or Glory combines rock gardens, logs, jumps, bridges, berms and steep drops, and is firmly in advanced downhill territory. Stockyards and Kurrajong can also be linked via the 4.5 km Junction Track, giving stronger riders the option of exploring both You Yangs MTB areas in one ride. Junction itself isn't simply a transfer trail — it includes rock gardens, flowing berms and jumps, with a solid climb when ridden from Kurrajong towards Stockyards. Across the two riding areas, You Yangs Regional Park contains more than 50 km of purpose-built MTB trails. The easiest direct access to Stockyards is from the Drysdale Road car park on the northern side of the park. There are limited facilities at Stockyards itself, with the nearest toilets and drinking water located elsewhere within the main park, so arrive prepared if you're planning a longer session. RTS Tip: If you're new to Stockyards, start with Inner Loop, Rockwell Run and Quarry Pit before progressing onto the harder technical descents. Stockyards is a substantial step up from Kurrajong, and the black and double-black trails contain serious rock features, drops and committing lines, so sight unfamiliar trails before riding them at speed. Stay off muddy trails after rain and check current Parks Victoria conditions before heading out.