If you’re a Melbourne local or just visiting, the Yarra Trails mtb network should be on your mtb trail hit list. The trails have been built over many years, largely unsanctioned, but seemingly accepted with trail work and infrastructure built to accommodate riders and other users of the park and surrounds.
Stretching along the Yarra River and nestled between Fairfield, Kew, and Abbotsford within Yarra Bend, this network of tight singletrack delivers technical, yet fun ride with roots, rocks and short climbs — all within a few minutes from the CBD.
The Yarra Trails are Melbourne’s unofficial backyard trail network. There are no detailed maps, trail signage or trail centre café. It’s a case of using Strava or Trailforks and a bit of exploring, to understand the trail options and loops. It is not particularly difficult and once you get into it, there is quite a lot to explore.
What you get is that raw, technical singletrack mixed in with wide shared trails and some short road sections to complete the loop. It is ideal  for squeezing in pre-work laps, to full weekend long loops or point-to-point missions.
Where Are the Yarra Trails?
The mtb Yarra Trails are located within Yarra Bend Park, the largest area of natural bushland near Melbourne’s CBD. The singletrack generally hugs the river on both sides and winds through sections of eucalyptus forest, bushland gullies, and scenic ridgelines. To have these Melbourne mtb trails so close to the city is pretty special.
The Fairfield pipe bridge at Fairfield boathouse and the Hanes Bridge at Studley Park boathouse allow you to cross the Yarra River, with trail on both banks, enabling the loop.
Main trailheads and access points:
- Chandler Highway – popular starting point with roadside parking and easy access to the main loops.
- Studley Park Boathouse – ideal if you want to finish with a coffee or food stop.
- Fairfield Boathouse – Carparking and easy access across the pipe bridge for northern end, entry
- Wurundjeri Spur Lookout – great elevated entry point for linking loops.
Public transport: Fairfield Station or Dennis Station is only a short ride from the trails at the northern end making it easy to access without a car. You can also access the trails via a short ride from both Victoria Park and Collingwood Station.

Trail Overview
The Yarra Trails are natural XC-style singletrack — no formal signage or one-way flow trails here. Instead you’ll find:
- Flowing riverside sections
- Tight corners and rooty sections
- Short, punchy climbs and rolling descents
- A mix of smooth lines and technical pinches
These are a collection of old school, hand built mtb trails that have been modified and amended over the years. They are unsanctioned, but well known to users of the park and rangers with trail work conducted by riders and user groups, periodically.
The entire network runs for around 15–20 km, with plenty of linking paths and trails, if you want to add more distance or explore side loops. You can easily link singletrack sections that roughly follow (or in parallel) with the Main Yarra Trail bike path, all the way north to Templestowe and beyond.
Due to it’s proximity to the city and surrounding suburbs, the Yarra Bend Park is very popular with fellow mtb riders, walkers, gravel riders, off lead dogs and many a road rider, hitting the ‘Boulie’. As a result, certain periods can be busy and general courtesy goes a long way.
Riding character:
- Beginner-friendly at an easy pace, with some intermediate and advanced trail features
- Intermediate riders can push the speed and work on cornering or session drop offs and techy roll overs
- Advanced riders can treat it like an urban XC training loop
Popular Route Options
The best part of the Yarra Trails is their flexibility. You can ride a short 30-minute lap or link sections for a 2-hour + sessions.
Here are a few route options:
1. Short Spin
- Start: Chandler Hwy or Fairfield Boathouse
- Loop downriver to Dight Falls
- Return via singletrack (multiple options to consider) – Perfect for a quick pre-work lap
2. Classic Yarra Loop
- Start: Chandler Hwy and drop in near the Guide Dogs building and under the bridge
- Follow singletrack south toward the Pipe Bridge and Abbotsford
- Loop past Dight Falls and return on the opposite side – Â Ideal for an after-work ride or weekend lap
3. Endurance Ride
- Start: Chandler Hwy
- South to Abbotsford + north link toward Yarra Flats trail in Eaglemont (next the to Main Yarra trail)
- Optional Banyule Flats, Westerfolds Park and Candlebark Park (Hans Loop) detour for a super long ride
Navigation tip: The network isn’t signposted, but apps like Trailforks or Strava make it easy to follow popular lines and trails. If you don’t have a paid version of Strava, the free Trailforks app is useful and shows the key sections with some short road (Yarra Blvd) connecting sections, to finalise the loop.
Terrain & Difficulty
The trails, if they were graded, would be largely technical beginner/intermediate trails, with a collection of random drop offs, rooty, rocky pinches and off-camber exposure. Generally the trails are hard-packed, with some loose gravel. They are fun to ride and
- Surface: Hardpack with scattered roots and sharp loose rocks
- Climbs: Short but punchy.
- Downhills: Fun, flowy, and fast in the dry.
- Skill level: Beginner to intermediate.
- Best bike: XC or trail bike with good rolling tyres.
Facilities & Post-Ride Options
While the Yarra Trails are urban, there are still plenty of facilities nearby:
Parking:
- Chandler Hwy (street parking)
- Fairfield Boathouse (carpark spaces limited, especially when local soccer is on)
- Studley Park Boathouse (limited but scenic)
Toilets:
Available at Studley Park Boathouse, Fairfield Boathouse and near Dights Falls
Cafés & food:
Too many to list, but plenty of options in Abbotsford, Clifton Hill, Fairfield and Kew.
Bike shops nearby:
My Ride Collingwood is the closest and at a stretch is Trek Bikes Richmond
Best Time to Ride
The Yarra Trails are rideable year-round, but Autumn and Spring offer the best combination of cooler temps and drier ground. In the Summer, the trails are great for early morning or late evening spins to avoid the heat.

For Quiet times: Early weekday mornings and evenings are ideal for uninterrupted laps.
Final Thoughts – Yarra Trails MTB
The Yarra Trails aren’t about manicured jump lines, flow trails or enduro descents — and that’s exactly why they’re special. They offer an old school, hand cut trail experience,  and in some cases, technical ride. All within the heart of the city. This makes them the perfect inner Melbourne trails for skill-building, mid-week training rides or a quick escape, without a long drive.
Whether you’re rolling your first lap or clocking fast XC efforts, the Yarra Trails are a cornerstone of Melbourne’s MTB history.
Related Guides
Looking to step things up a notch? Check out these nearby trail networks:
- A Guide to the You Yangs MTB Trails — flowy, purpose-built singletrack an hour from the city
- A Guide to the Lysterfield MTB Trails — XC loops and lake views
For a little further afield, try these:
-  A Guide to the Creswick MTB Trails — ideal for a weekend getaway
- A Guide to Buxton MTB Trails – purpose built trails – perfect for a day trip
Trail Stats – Yarra Trails
- Location: Yarra Bend Park, Melbourne
- Trail type: Handcut, technical singletrack
- Distance: 10–30 km depending on loop
- Difficulty: Beginner → Intermediate
- Ride time: 30–120 min
- Post-ride: Multiple locations including Fairfield Boathouse, Studley Park Boathouse and many cafe’s in and around Kew, Abbotsford and Fairfield.
