DoAirport and East

Sparrow Hill & East Kowen Forest Trails

Tucked inside a sprawling 4,670-hectare working commercial pine plantation, this area is widely celebrated as one of Canberra's flagship mountain biking networks. It features between 50km and 80km of fast, flowy, and impeccably maintained cross-country singletrack trails optimized to run smoothly along natural mountain contours. Signposted loops range from a family-friendly 5km track up to a demanding 40km endurance run. The thick pine canopy offers great year-round protection from light rain and wind. While the wider forest tracks are locked to public vehicles, any standard two-wheel-drive vehicle can easily access the main highway trailhead parking area. There is no mobile phone coverage inside the forest; ensure you download offline maps before setting out.

Address: Kings Highway, Kowen ACT
Getting there: the main trailhead and unsealed car park are signposted directly off the northern side of the Kings Highway, roughly 11 km east of Queanbeyan
Hours: Open 24 hours daily (Daylight riding highly recommended; closed during Total Fire Ban days)
Price: Free
Website: parks.act.gov.au (opens in a new tab)

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Listing from Wikivoyage: Canberra/Airport and East, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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