A taste of the best mountain bike riding locations across South Australia and Broken Hill while driving on an outback adventure.
Where: Includes Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley and Broken Hill with options to include Melrose and the Flinders Ranges (we drive between mountain biking locations).
Start: Departs Adelaide or Broken Hill.
Duration: 6 days and 5 nights with extensions available.
Size: Up to 7 people (contact us if you are a large group of more than 10).
Fitness: Good level of fitness required (regular mountain bike rider), average technical skills required.
Bikes: Bikes are included or bring your own.
We have: Recent model dual suspension or electric (E-bikes) mountain bikes, helmet and water bottle.
Variations: Final ride location will depend on level of experience, type of riding you like doing and if you want to combine your ride with other activities such as visiting wineries, craft breweries or wildlife parks.
Best time to ride: All year round in the southern areas. Autumn, winter and spring in the northern areas.
NOTE: If you are commencing the tour in Broken Hill, the activities are the same but you will be starting as per Day 4 on the itinerary below in the afternoon and finishing in the Clare Valley. From Clare Valley we can either return to Broken Hill or end the trip in Adelaide.
The Adelaide Hills are host to many great mountain biking destinations that are all easily accessed from Adelaide. There are mountain bike riding parks to suit all riding levels and all riding styles. But wherever you go you will be riding through great landscapes, native and plantation forests and vineyards. If you need to refuel, the Adelaide Hills are home to South Australia’s cool climate wines, and you are surrounded by many food and wine options, often with stunning views, or try the craft beer at a classic stone hotel.
The reputation of Adelaide Hills as one of Australia’s premier mountain biking destinations is growing fast and for good reason. So much to choose from. O’Halloran Hill, Craigburn Farm (Sturt Gorge Recreation Park), Eagle Mountain bike park, Mt Lofty and Cleland Conservation Park, Shepherd’s Hill and many more including South Australia’s mountain bike mecca at Cuddlee Creek (Fox Creek). The Adelaide Hills and wine regions are also host to the annual UCI World Tour and Australia’s greatest cycling race, the Tour Down Under.
We’ll use our local knowledge to help you optimise your visit to the Adelaide Hills and to get the best out of this mountain biking heaven without you needing to worry about the logistics. For the best Adelaide Hills experience combine your activities with morning mountain biking and an afternoon of visiting the wineries, breweries, wildlife parks or simply have a swim at the beaches of McLaren Vale.
The Riesling Trail and adjoining Rattler Trail contours through the picturesque Clare Valley wine region along a former railway line. It travels 35km from Riverton through Auburn to Clare. The Riesling Trail is a relatively easy trail but with its brilliant mix of great food and wine experiences, pastoral vineyard scenery and a rich heritage, there is something here for every rider.
With around 30 cellar doors – some operating out of stone cottages, heritage buildings, state-of-the-art structures and farm sheds, the Clare Valley provides a compact wine tasting experience. Several wineries are located close to the Riesling Trail so you can simply ride your bike directly to the cellar door. At Sevenhill we will visit the church and crypt and former monastery of St Aloysius. The vines were first planted at Sevenhill by Jesuit priests in 1851. Several wineries now operate small breweries, also worth investigating.
The Trail has a couple of additional riding loops that take you off the main rail trail and through the hills. The 10km Father Rogalksi loop is a good one. It takes you over the Hill and into the Polish Valley (the region attracted many German and Polish immigrants) home of the very lovely Pikes Winery, micro brewery and Slate restaurant.
Broken Hill (or the Silver City) is a great little city in the NSW outback literally hundreds of kilometres from the next town. It was once the world’s richest mining area for silver, lead and zinc and the mines are still very active today. The whole town has been heritage listed, the only complete city to be listed to date in Australia. It has great architecture, huge landscapes, interesting museums and is the home to a very active artistic community. The annual Broken Heel Festival, a spin off of the film “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” which was in part filmed in Broken Hill, is a colourful and extremely popular event in September, The annual St Pat’s Racing Carnival is also another good weekend to be in the Silver City in March.
Despite the isolation and small population, it has a very impressive mountain bike park, a tribute to the small mountain bike club that has built and maintains the park. There has also been work on the old tram line between Broken Hill and the nearby ghost town of Silverton 30 km away. This is also a rewarding and challenging ride. Both riding areas will require at least moderate levels of fitness and skills. The annual Broken Hill Mountain Bike Club’s Poker Race in May is a lot of fun and a must if you are are considering an Outback Beds Tours Mountain Bike Tour around this time.
Whilst we will tailor your riding to your level of fitness and ability you should still be able to ride around 4-5 hours on any day on sometimes rough dirt and hilly terrain.
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