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Gravel Riding Around Adelaide Adelaide is a brilliant base for gravel riding, with everything from relaxed urban trails and rolling vineyard country to challenging climbs and big days exploring the Adelaide Hills. From the city, riders can quickly escape onto a mix of gravel roads, shared trails, fire tracks and quieter back roads. Easier adventures can be found through the Adelaide Park Lands and surrounding suburbs, while riders looking for more climbing and adventure can head into the Mount Lofty Ranges and Adelaide Hills, where an extensive network of gravel roads and trails opens up plenty of possibilities. For a bigger challenge, routes around Cleland Conservation Park and sections of the iconic Mawson Trail take riders deeper into the hills, combining sustained climbing, changing surfaces and some spectacular South Australian scenery. One of the great things about gravel riding around Adelaide is the variety. You can squeeze in a shorter ride close to the city, build a full-day loop through the hills or use Adelaide as the starting point for a much bigger multi-day adventure. With city access, hills, vineyards, conservation parks and an enormous network of unsealed roads within reach, Adelaide offers plenty to explore — whether you're new to gravel or looking for your next big day on the bike. RTS Tip: Adelaide has a huge variety of gravel riding to explore, and Ride The State will be working to add the routes from this area as individual Ride Cards over time. Until then, check out the mapping link to browse the Ride with GPS collection and find a route that suits your distance, climbing and adventure level.

The Amy Gillett Bikeway is a beautiful 23 km sealed rail trail through the Adelaide Hills, running from Oakbank to Birdwood via Woodside, Charleston and Mount Torrens. Following a former railway corridor, the route combines gentle gradients, rural scenery and charming Hills townships, with almost the entire journey on dedicated traffic-free shared paths. The trail is fully sealed and generally easy-going, making it a great option for families, beginners and recreational riders as well as touring, hybrid and mountain bikes. The route changes character as you travel, from open farmland and vineyards to shady railway cuttings, wooded corridors and elevated sections with views across the surrounding Adelaide Hills. There are plenty of reasons to make a day of the ride. Woodside offers cafés, bakeries and easy access to Melba's Chocolate Factory, while Charleston and Mount Torrens provide further opportunities to stop and explore. At the northern end, Birdwood is home to the National Motor Museum. Toilets and picnic facilities are available at several points along the route. The final 6 km Mount Torrens to Birdwood section adds a particularly scenic finish, descending through woodland, vineyards and grazing country alongside Angas Creek and crossing the restored heritage-listed Burford's Hill Railway Bridge. Named in honour of Australian cyclist Amy Gillett, the bikeway has become one of the Adelaide Hills' standout recreational cycling routes and is an excellent way to combine riding with the region's food, wine, history and country scenery. Distance: Approx. 23 km one way Surface: Sealed Difficulty: Easy Best for: Families, recreational riding, touring, hybrid & MTB Route: Oakbank – Woodside – Charleston – Mount Torrens – Birdwood Location: Adelaide Hills, SA

Belair National Park brings mountain biking into the beautiful bushland of the Mount Lofty Ranges, just 25 minutes from Adelaide’s CBD. Riders can explore designated cycling and shared-use trails through woodland, valleys and historic sections of South Australia’s oldest national park. For an easier ride, the 4km Microcarpa Loop combines relatively gentle riding with some intermediate sections, while experienced riders can tackle the 13km Adventure Loop, featuring sustained climbing, steep fire roads and tight, technical singletrack descents. With picnic areas, toilets, a café and plenty to explore beyond the bike, Belair is an easy place to turn a ride into a full day out. RTS Tip: If it’s your first visit, start with Microcarpa Loop before stepping up to the Adventure Loop — the latter packs in considerably more climbing and technical terrain. Many of Belair’s trails are shared with walkers and horse riders, so watch your speed, follow the give-way rules and stick to designated cycling trails. Avoid riding in wet or muddy conditions to help protect the trails.

Bells Gully, also known as Prospect Hill, is a designated mountain bike network tucked among the pine plantations of Kuitpo Forest in the southern Adelaide Hills. The area is particularly popular with intermediate riders, with a collection of fun, flowing singletrack, cross-country trails and faster descending lines woven through the forest. Trails range from easier options through to blue, black and more technical lines, making Prospect Hill a great place to build skills and explore different trail combinations. A popular introduction is the roughly 7km Prospect Hill Loop, which links together intermediate singletrack for a good taste of what the network has to offer. RTS Tip: Navigation is worth having sorted before you start — the network isn't extensively signposted and forestry operations can occasionally affect trail access. Download or save the Trailforks map before your ride and check current trail reports and ForestrySA information for closures. The main MTB access is from the small car park on Brookman Connor Road opposite Gate BG9.

Cleland National Park, just 22km south-east of Adelaide, offers a scenic network of mountain biking and shared-use trails through the Adelaide Hills, with native woodland, cool gullies and some brilliant views across the city and surrounding ranges. Rather than a purpose-built MTB park, Cleland is about linking established trails and fire tracks into longer adventures. Popular riding options include the 4km Measdays Loop, 7km return Steub Trail, 12km one-way Chambers Gully to Crafers Link and the more challenging 10km Wine Shanty Trail. With everything from gentler fire-road riding to steeper intermediate climbs and descents, it’s a great place to build a bigger exploratory ride around Mount Lofty and Crafers. RTS Tip: For a bigger ride, use the Chambers Gully to Crafers Link and add the Steub Trail spur up to Mount Lofty Summit for another 2.6km. Many trails are shared with walkers, so keep your speed under control and give way appropriately. Download the park bike map before setting off as mobile reception can be patchy, and check current park alerts — Cleland can close during high fire danger and has some scheduled closures during 2026–27.

Eagle Mountain Bike Park, just 12km south-east of Adelaide’s CBD at Leawood Gardens, is one of South Australia’s best-known purpose-built MTB destinations. The park offers approximately 21km of cross-country trails catering for a range of abilities, alongside a dedicated downhill trail, skills development area, jumps park and trials zone. The network ranges from intermediate trails such as Fledgling, Hawkeye, North Face, Southside, Top Deck, Valley Trail and Blue Gums, through to more demanding technical options including Get Pitted, Hills Hoist, Jammin and Sunset Boulevard. Advanced riders can also tackle extreme-rated lines including The Mixer, Eagle 4X and On the Verge, making Eagle a compact but seriously varied place to ride within easy reach of the city. RTS Tip: Eagle’s rocky terrain can be tougher than the distances suggest, so use the easier trails and Pump and Skills Zone to warm up before progressing onto the harder lines. The park is open sunrise to sunset and closes during Total Fire Bans and catastrophic fire danger, so check conditions before heading out. Parking and toilets are available, but take your own drinking water and plenty of spares — Eagle’s rocks can be pretty unforgiving on tyres.

Fox Creek Bike Park, at Cudlee Creek in the Adelaide Hills, is one of South Australia’s premier mountain biking destinations, with more than 50km of singletrack spread across over 800 hectares. The huge network caters for everyone from beginners through to experienced gravity riders, combining cross-country, flow, downhill and technical trails with 180m of vertical elevation, plus a dedicated jumps park and skills area. Trails range from the beginner-friendly Green Goblin Guts and flowing Blue Groove through to black and double-black gravity runs including Fox Long, Patterson’s Curse, F.A.M.E. and Fox Fast. There’s even adaptive riding, with Allen’s Orange Whip recognised as South Australia’s first adaptive MTB flow trail. Entry to the park is free. RTS Tip: Start from the main Trail Hub and use the easier flow trails and skills area to get a feel for Fox Creek before progressing onto the harder gravity lines. Download Trailforks and check the live trail status before heading out, as individual trails can close for maintenance or forestry operations. The park also closes on Total Fire Ban days, and riders should avoid the trails when they're wet or muddy.

The Kangarilla MTB Tracks, south of Adelaide in South Australia’s southern Mount Lofty Ranges, offer a collection of informal-style mountain bike, gravel and multi-use trails around Kangarilla. Riders can explore a mixture of dirt and gravel roads, fire tracks and bush trails through rolling countryside, with connections towards the wider Kuitpo Forest, Mount Bold and Tom Roberts Trail areas. The terrain varies from relatively easy gravel riding to steeper and rougher off-road sections, making Kangarilla a useful starting point for riders wanting to piece together a longer MTB or gravel adventure through the Adelaide Hills. The broader Kangarilla trail network includes routes suitable for mountain bikes, e-bikes and gravel bikes, while the nearby Tom Roberts Trail network also permits cycling on sections depending on terrain. RTS Tip: Kangarilla is more of an explore-and-link riding area than a formal signed MTB park, so having a current trail map or downloaded route makes a big difference. Check exactly where cycling is permitted before linking trails towards Mount Bold, Kuitpo or surrounding reserves, and be prepared for changing surfaces and some surprisingly steep sections. For a shorter skills session, Kangarilla Recreation Ground also has a small set of beginner-friendly rolling bike jumps.

The Kersbrook MTB Trails, around 40 km north-east of Adelaide in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, offer a rugged network of mountain bike trails within Mount Gawler Forest Reserve near Kersbrook. Managed on ForestrySA land and supported by the local Kersbrook Trail Krew, the area is known for its more natural, gravity-focused style of riding, with singletrack, steep descents, technical rock sections, berms, drops and jump features alongside forest roads used for climbing and linking trails. Popular trails include Kersy Koasta, Senduro, Jumps Revamp, North of the Wall and Dead Man’s Climb, with options ranging from intermediate trail riding through to considerably more technical downhill terrain. Surrounded by pine plantation and native bushland, Kersbrook provides a distinctly different experience from the larger Fox Creek Bike Park nearby and is a great option for experienced riders wanting to explore more of the Adelaide Hills MTB scene. The wider Kersbrook area also contains shared-use forest trails and the Old Kersbrook Loop, a 7.5 km route through Mount Crawford Forest Reserve that is open to mountain bikers, providing additional options for riders looking for a less gravity-focused adventure. RTS Tip: Kersbrook has a rawer, more technical feel than a manicured bike park, so check the grading and features of each trail before committing — some lines include sizeable jumps, drops, gaps and rock gardens. Download a current trail map, check ForestrySA access conditions before travelling and remember that forest operations or fire restrictions can affect access.

Morialta Conservation Park, at Woodforde in the Adelaide Hills foothills just 10 km east of Adelaide CBD, offers scenic mountain biking through rugged gorge country, native bushland and the steep hills surrounding Morialta Falls. Unlike a purpose-built MTB park, cycling at Morialta is restricted to designated vehicle tracks, which are shared with walkers and other park users. These tracks provide opportunities for cross-country and adventure-style riding, with sustained climbing, fast fire-road descents and impressive views across the park and towards Adelaide. Morialta is best known for its dramatic quartzite cliffs, waterfalls and deep wooded gorges, providing a spectacular backdrop for a ride close to the city. The wider park contains an extensive walking network around First, Second and Third Falls, although these walking trails should not be confused with the cycling routes — bikes are permitted only on the vehicle tracks specifically designated for riding. There are no MTB-only trails within Morialta Conservation Park. With toilets, picnic facilities and parking available within the park, Morialta can work well for riders looking to combine a shorter off-road ride with exploring one of Adelaide’s best-known conservation parks. It also sits within the broader Adelaide Hills cycling and mountain biking region, making it another option for riders searching for MTB and gravel-style riding close to Adelaide. RTS Tip: Download the Morialta Shared Use Trail Map before riding and pay close attention to signage. Many of Morialta’s best-known trails are walking-only, and mountain bikes are permitted only on designated vehicle tracks. These are shared trails, so control your speed, give way appropriately and avoid riding in wet or muddy conditions.

The Mount Barker District MTB Trails, in the Adelaide Hills around 35 km south-east of Adelaide, South Australia, provide a growing collection of mountain bike and cycling options around Mount Barker, Hahndorf and the surrounding district. One of the key purpose-built riding areas is Aston Hills Mountain Bike Park, featuring trails designed for a range of ages and abilities, including an easy climbing trail, flowing descents, a pump track and dedicated skills zone. Trails such as Aston Flow, Easy Climb and Lower Path make it particularly well suited to families, beginners and riders looking to practise their MTB skills. The wider Mount Barker district provides plenty of opportunities to extend the ride beyond the bike park. Riders can explore cycling connections around Laratinga Wetlands, the Mount Barker Linear Trail, Newenham Linear Park and the Mount Barker Rail Trail, creating longer recreational and mixed-surface rides through wetlands, farmland and the growing Adelaide Hills township. The Mount Barker Rail Trail also connects towards Laratinga Wetlands and the Summit Sport and Recreation Park, making it possible to combine several local cycling routes into one bigger outing. Nearby Hahndorf adds another MTB option at Tara-Illa Bike Park, which contains mountain bike and walking trails of varying difficulty. Combined with Mount Barker’s growing trail network, this makes the district a handy cycling base for riders wanting to explore more of the Adelaide Hills rather than visiting a single standalone bike park. RTS Tip: If you’re new to the Mount Barker MTB scene, start at Aston Hills Mountain Bike Park and use the Easy Climb, pump track and skills zone to warm up before exploring the flow trails. For more kilometres, link your ride into the Mount Barker Linear Trail and Laratinga Wetlands network. Download your route before setting out and pay attention to signage, as the wider district includes a mixture of MTB trails, shared paths and walking trails rather than one continuous mountain bike network.

The Mount Barker Rail Trail is an easy 5 km cycling and shared-use trail through Mount Barker and Littlehampton in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, around 33 km south-east of Adelaide. Running alongside the historic railway corridor used by the SteamRanger Heritage Railway, the trail provides a mostly off-road connection from Childs Road in Littlehampton through Mount Barker to Bluestone Linear Park. The predominantly smooth, sealed surface and gentle gradients make it particularly suitable for families, beginner cyclists, e-bikes, hybrids and recreational riders, although there are a couple of short gravel sections along the way. Starting in Littlehampton, riders pass beneath the South Eastern Freeway before following the railway towards Mount Barker. The route travels beside Purtinga Wetlands, follows creek-side paths into the town centre and passes close to Mount Barker Railway Station and the SteamRanger depot. Continuing south, the trail crosses Alexandrina Road and Wellington Road before finishing at Bluestone Linear Park, where additional paths, playgrounds and picnic facilities provide an easy extension to the ride. One of the best features of the Mount Barker Rail Trail is the number of connecting cycling routes. A 2 km link leads to Laratinga Wetlands, while riders can continue another 3.5 km towards Summit Sport and Recreation Park. The Newenham Linear Park Trail adds another 3.6 km of riding along Western Flat Creek, making it easy to turn the relatively short rail trail into a much longer exploration of Mount Barker. More adventurous riders can also investigate connections north towards the Amy Gillett Bikeway at Oakbank. The railway itself dates back to 1884, when the line connected Adelaide with the railway towards Strathalbyn, Goolwa and Victor Harbor. Regular passenger services ended in 1984, but the corridor remains active today through the volunteer-run SteamRanger Heritage Railway, so riders may even have the bonus of seeing a historic steam or diesel train while exploring the trail. RTS Tip: The Mount Barker Rail Trail is only around 5 km on its own, so make the most of the excellent connecting paths. Add Laratinga Wetlands for an easy scenic detour or link into Newenham Linear Park and the Summit Sport and Recreation Park for more kilometres. There are several road crossings along the route, including busy Alexandrina and Wellington Roads, so use the designated crossings and take extra care with younger riders.

The Pewsey Vale MTB Trails, between the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley in South Australia, offer an extensive network of natural mountain bike trails around Pewsey Vale and the Mount Crawford forest area. The network has around 68 mapped MTB trails covering roughly 50 km, ranging from easier green singletrack through blue intermediate riding to black and double-black terrain. Unlike a heavily developed bike park, Pewsey Vale has a distinctly natural, old-school trail feel, with rocky singletrack, forest tracks, technical features, jumps, drops and plenty of interconnected lines to explore. Popular trails include Poppin’ Pimples, Sack & Back, Bi-Way, The Gauntlet, Across the Vale, Flow On and Boulders Bypass. Easier trails such as Bi-Way and Flow On provide options for developing riders, while The Gauntlet introduces features including berms, rock gardens and bridge features. Poppin’ Pimples adds a more gravity-focused experience with old-school jumps and rock drops, while the wider network contains increasingly technical terrain for confident riders. Pewsey Vale is particularly suited to intermediate and advanced trail, XC and all-mountain riders who enjoy exploring a less formal trail network. The landscape mixes forest, open grassland and farmland, and its relatively remote setting gives the riding a very different feel from Adelaide’s more developed metropolitan MTB parks. Local riding groups describe Pewsey Vale as one of South Australia’s lesser-known MTB gems, with natural terrain and rocky features forming a big part of its character. The network also sits within a much larger riding region around Mount Crawford, making it possible to build substantial loops using singletrack, gravel roads and access trails. Routes through nearby Kaiserstuhl Native Forest Reserve can add around 20 km of riding and incorporate trails such as Retrenchment, Potty Mouth and Can of Rings. RTS Tip: Download a current trail map before heading to Pewsey Vale — the large number of intersecting natural trails can make navigation surprisingly tricky on a first visit. Start with the green and blue trails to get a feel for the terrain before moving onto the harder rocky lines, and inspect unfamiliar jumps and drops before committing. The area is forest land and conditions or access can change, so check current trail reports before travelling and be self-sufficient with water, food, tools and spares.

Tara Illa MTB Trails is a small community-focused mountain bike park on the edge of Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills, just a short ride from the town’s main street. Built on a former landfill site, the network was designed by Destination Trails to provide an accessible place for locals, families and visiting riders to enjoy purpose-built mountain biking close to town. The network currently features three main trails: Round the Outside, a green easy descending trail; Climbing Trail, a green shared-use climbing route; and Blueberry Thrill, a blue flow trail offering a faster and more challenging descent. The trails were designed to IMBA standards, with the green options providing a good introduction for newer riders while Blueberry Thrill adds flow and progression for more confident riders. RTS Tip: Park at Blueberry Hill Lookout on Fairview Road and follow the short link trail into Tara Illa. The network is compact, so it’s perfect for a quick session or a few repeated laps, and its location close to Hahndorf makes it easy to combine your ride with a coffee, meal or wander through town afterwards. Be mindful that some access trails are shared with walkers and neighbouring Yantaringa Reserve includes sensitive Bush for Life vegetation.

Adelaide is a fantastic base for gravel riding, with an enormous variety of routes stretching from easy-going urban gravel through to challenging adventures deep into the Adelaide Hills. Close to the city, riders can explore the Adelaide Park Lands and surrounding trail networks before heading higher into the hills, where quiet back roads, gravel roads, fire trails and forest tracks create seemingly endless opportunities to put together an adventure. For riders looking for something more challenging, the riding around Cleland Conservation Park and the Adelaide Hills brings plenty of climbing into the mix, while sections of the iconic Mawson Trail provide opportunities to venture further afield and link Adelaide into much bigger gravel and bikepacking adventures. One of the best things about gravel riding around Adelaide is the sheer variety. You can head out for a shorter spin, build a solid day in the hills or use the city as the starting point for a much bigger adventure. With the hills sitting remarkably close to Adelaide, it doesn't take long to leave the city behind and find yourself surrounded by classic South Australian landscapes. RTS Tip: There are loads of individual gravel routes to discover around Adelaide, and Ride The State will be working on getting these added as individual Ride Cards over time. Until then, check out the mapping link to explore the Ride with GPS collection, choose a route that suits your distance and ability, and start planning your next Adelaide gravel adventure.

Bennett’s MTB Tracks – Chain of Ponds Bennett’s MTB Tracks is a local mountain bike trail network at Chain of Ponds in South Australia, offering riders another place to explore off-road riding within easy reach of Adelaide and the Adelaide Hills. The trail area has a recognised MTB car park at Chain of Ponds. The network is best suited to riders looking for a more natural, local mountain biking experience, with bush trails and changing terrain rather than the highly developed feel of a major purpose-built bike park. Expect a mix of MTB singletrack, natural surfaces, climbs and descents, with opportunities to link different tracks together and explore the surrounding area. It’s a good option for riders who enjoy discovering smaller local trail networks and adding something different to their Adelaide mountain biking list. Its location around Chain of Ponds also puts riders within reach of the wider Adelaide Hills, where there are plenty more mountain bike, gravel and cycling adventures to combine into a bigger day or weekend on the bike. Whether you're searching for mountain biking in the Adelaide Hills, MTB trails near Adelaide or riding around Chain of Ponds, Bennett’s MTB Tracks is another local network worth discovering. RTS Tip: Bennett’s is a local trail network and detailed official information is limited, so check current mapping, access and trail conditions before heading out. Respect any signage or closures and ride within your ability on unfamiliar trails.

Lynton Reserve, in Adelaide’s southern foothills near Belair and Windy Point, South Australia, offers a surprisingly varied mountain bike network only a short distance from the Adelaide CBD. Developed across former quarry land and Grey Box grassy woodland, the reserve features a mixture of MTB-only trails, shared-use trails, vehicle tracks and connecting singletrack, with steep terrain and excellent views across the Adelaide Plains. The riding ranges from easier links through to technical descending, rocky and loose sections and the Mitcham 4X Track, giving more experienced riders plenty to explore. One of Lynton’s strengths is its connection with the wider Mitcham foothills trail network. Riders can link Lynton Reserve with Sleeps Hill, Randell Park, Saddle Hill, O’Deas Reserve and Shepherds Hill, creating much longer MTB rides through Adelaide’s southern suburbs. The area is also accessible by train, making it an unusually convenient option for riders looking for mountain biking close to Adelaide without needing to travel deep into the Adelaide Hills. RTS Tip: Lynton packs a lot of elevation and technical riding into a relatively small area, so check the trail grading rather than judging a trail by its length. Some tracks are designated for walkers only while others are MTB-only or shared, so follow the trail signage and current City of Mitcham map. The terrain can also become loose and rocky when dry and muddy after rain, so check conditions before riding.

The Mawson Trail is one of Australia's most iconic bikepacking adventures, stretching almost 900 kilometres from the Adelaide Hills to the historic outback town of Blinman in the Flinders Ranges. Designed primarily for mountain bikes and sturdy adventure bikes, it weaves through forests, vineyards, farming country and rugged outback landscapes, delivering an unforgettable journey across the very best of South Australia. The route passes through many of South Australia's most recognised cycling destinations, including the Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Bundaleer Forest, Melrose, Quorn and the spectacular Flinders Ranges. Along the way you'll encounter quiet back roads, forest fire trails, rocky four-wheel-drive tracks and remote station tracks, with scenery changing dramatically as you head north into the ancient red ranges. While many riders tackle the trail over 10–14 days, the Mawson Trail is also commonly ridden in sections, making it accessible for long weekends or shorter bikepacking adventures. Towns along the route provide plenty of accommodation, food and resupply options, while a number of local operators offer shuttle services and rider logistics. Melrose is a particularly popular base, with options including cycling-specific accommodation at Under the Mount and shuttle services from Beyond the Mount. The trail is well signposted with green and white Mawson Trail markers, but riders should still carry official maps or offline navigation. A good level of fitness, mechanical knowledge and self-sufficiency is recommended, particularly through the Flinders Ranges where water, phone reception and services become limited. Whether you're chasing the challenge of completing Australia's premier long-distance off-road trail or simply exploring one of its many incredible sections, the Mawson Trail is a true bucket-list ride that showcases the diversity and beauty of South Australia. Ride Highlights: Nearly 900 km of epic bikepacking from the Adelaide Hills to Blinman. Ride through the Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Bundaleer Forest, Melrose and the Flinders Ranges. Mix of forest trails, gravel roads, station tracks and remote outback riding. Plenty of accommodation, food and resupply options along the route, with local shuttle operators available to assist with transport and section riding. Suitable for full end-to-end adventures or shorter sectional rides. One of Australia's premier long-distance mountain bike and adventure cycling experiences.

Mount Lofty, rising above Adelaide in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, offers a fantastic mix of mountain biking, shared-use trails and challenging road cycling within and around Cleland National Park. Rather than being a single MTB park, Mount Lofty forms part of a much larger network of fire tracks and designated cycling trails connecting Crafers, Cleland Wildlife Park, Chambers Gully and Mount Lofty Summit. Riders can expect sustained climbing, fast fire-road descents, natural surfaces, creek crossings, stringybark and blue gum forest and spectacular views across Adelaide and the surrounding Mount Lofty Ranges. Popular MTB options include the Crafers to Mount Lofty Link Trail, Wine Shanty Trail, Chambers Gully to Crafers Link, Measdays Loop and Adventure Loop. The Steub Trail provides a gentler 7 km return route between Cleland Wildlife Park and Mount Lofty Summit, while the 12 km one-way Chambers Gully to Crafers Link can be extended with a 2.6 km spur to the summit. Riders looking for a longer adventure can combine several of these shared-use trails into a substantial loop through Cleland National Park. Mount Lofty is also one of Adelaide’s iconic road cycling climbs. The Old Freeway/Crafers Bikeway provides roughly 9 km of climbing from near the Glen Osmond Tollgate towards Crafers, with riders able to continue to Mount Lofty Summit. The surrounding Adelaide Hills roads then open up numerous longer cycling routes through Stirling, Uraidla, Basket Range and Mount George. RTS Tip: Mount Lofty is a shared-trail riding area, not an unrestricted MTB network. Bikes are permitted on public roads and specifically designated cycling and shared-use tracks within Cleland National Park, while many of the famous walking trails are not open to bikes. Download the current Cleland bike trail map before riding and pay attention to signage. If you’re heading for the summit, be prepared for plenty of climbing — but the views across Adelaide make a pretty good reward.

Mt Osmond, only around 8 km south-east of the Adelaide CBD, offers steep and rocky mountain biking across the slopes of Mount Osmond Reserve, with connections into Cleland National Park, Chambers Gully and Eagle on the Hill. Rather than a purpose-built bike park, the area combines shared-use tracks, fire trails and designated MTB lines across Adelaide’s Hills Face. Expect sustained climbing, loose and rocky terrain, fast natural descents and some technical sections, all backed by impressive views across Adelaide and the plains towards the coast. One of the key routes through the area is the historic Old Bullock Track, which links Mount Osmond with Eagle on the Hill near Measday’s Lookout and provides access towards the wider Cleland trail network. The Mount Osmond Reserve tracks are officially classified as Grade 3 shared-use walking and cycling trails, with some sections becoming particularly steep and rocky. Riders can use the network to build larger loops incorporating nearby Chambers Gully, Wine Shanty Track and Cleland National Park, making Mt Osmond a useful gateway into a much bigger Adelaide Hills MTB adventure. For riders looking for more gravity-focused terrain, the wider Mt Osmond riding area also contains established MTB descents such as Bullock Track DH, a blue-rated downhill-only trail, and WC Downhill, which features jumps, drops, rock gardens and steep technical sections. These trails are a significant step up from the reserve’s easier shared-use riding and are better suited to confident mountain bikers with good technical skills. RTS Tip: Mt Osmond is a mixture of shared-use tracks, designated cycling routes and trails where cycling may not be permitted, so download a current map and follow local signage rather than assuming every visible singletrack is bike legal. Be prepared for steep climbing and loose rock, give walkers plenty of space on shared trails, and if you’re chasing a bigger ride, link Old Bullock Track into Chambers Gully and Cleland for a brilliant Adelaide Hills loop.