Since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in Australia, mountain bike and road bike sales have gone through the roof around Melbourne.
Riding a bike is...just like riding a bike. And whether you've been hitting the trails for years, or looking to start now, you're going to need some tips on the best mountain bike trails you can ride.
Pump up your tires, load up the car, here are the best mountain bikes trails in Victoria.
You Yangs
Distance From Melbourne: 1 hour 10 minutes
Love downhill thrills as much as you love the challenge of an uphill climb, or a cruise along a dirt track?
Head west and you’ll find mountain bike trails at the You Yangs. This custom-designed mountain bike park has something for everyone no matter their skill level.
From dusty tracks to rocky challenges, tree-dodging to gap-jumping, this is one of the best mountain biking areas for riders who want to challenge themselves
There are two areas to ride, Kurrajong which is perfect for beginners with its flatter tracks, and Stockyards for those with a bit more mountain biking experience under their belt.
Read more about the mountain bike trails at the You Yangs here.
Lysterfield Park
Distance From Melbourne: 40 Minutes
If you’re looking for a mountain biking trail that has serious sporting clout, Lysterfield Park is the place to go. The park was used as the venue for mountain biking events during the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
Lysterfield Park is home to 20km of trails designed for all abilities, including the 2006 Commonwealth Games cross-country course, which is perfect if you're into jumps and wet-weather biking.
Check out the trail maps here.
Forrest
Distance From Melbourne: 2 Hours
The Otways has an abundance of natural assets for you to explore. Everything from sight-seeing, bushwalking, and, of course, mountain biking.
The nearby town of Forrest was established as a timber town, and once had a railway into Colac.
The Forrest mountain bike trails are split into the Southern Loop, and the Northern Loop.
Southern Loop trails range from easy to difficult and includes the Red Carpet trail which takes you from Lake Elizabeth to the start of the Barwon River. The Northern Loop trails, also known as Yaugher, has trails for all experience levels and is a five-minute ride from the township.
Read more about Forrest's mountain bike trails here.
Woodend & Mount Macedon
Distance From Melbourne: 1 Hour
The forest surrounding Woodend is home to more than 100km of mountain bike trails. It's heaven for anyone remotely interested in mountain biking.
The New Wombat Loop trail is the newest addition to the network in the area. It will take you around 1 hour, 20 minutes to attack.
If you want to head up the iconic Mount Macedon by mountain bike, you'll want to hit up the trail off Bawden Road. It's a 24.2km trail and will take you around 1 hour, 30 minutes to complete.
There are more trails to explore in the region, head here to find out more about them.
Erica
distance From Melbourne: 2 Hours
The Erica Mountain Bike Park is a bit of a trip from the city, but manages to get visitors from all around to take on its high elevation trails.
There are two mountain bike park areas with around 30km of trails. There are six trails available, Bones, Access Track, Crazy Snack, Silvertop Spur Part 1, and Silvertop Spur Part 2.
If you feel like taking it easy, the Tyers Junction Rail Trail provides an easy run through the middle of the whole mountain bike park.
Plan on checking out some under the radar Victorian towns instead? Check out these must-visit towns in regional Victoria.
Image credit: Visit Victoria