Flat unsealed roads & trails near Sydney

[apicius]

Hi all, I used to be a roadie but have since loaded a toddler on the bike (thanks to the great Shotgun seat), touring tyres on the rims, and spending more time on gravel these days, mostly to avoid cars and take it easier.

One issue I'm finding with the regular recommendations is steep gradients. For example taking a ride around the Loftus-Bungoona-Grays Point loop in the RNP, we were fine all the way except for the dip into Temptation Creek, where we had to do some walking.

What are some unsealed roads or firetrails reasonably near Sydney (say, between Heathcote, Katoomba and the start of Ku Ring Gai) which avoid 20%+ gradients and big rocks? Single track is also OK so long as it's not overgrown. Thanks in advance!

My to-try list:
- Long Trail in Terrey Hills (looks a bit rocky)
- Great North Road after Wisemans Ferry until St Albans; Bicentenary Road up there also looks interesting
- Towlers Bay
- Mountain Lagoon Road, Burralow Road near Bilpin
- Linden Ridge Trail
- Faulconridge Point
- Ingar Road, Tablelands Road in Katoomba

[biker jk]

From Wisemans Ferry take Settlers Rd to St Albans then Wollombi Rd (although to avoid a steep climb, turn around after say 40-45km).

Mountain Lagoon Rd is largely sealed until Mountain Lagoon, then east of there is gravel but don't descend to Comleroy Rd because you will have a very steep climb on return.

[apicius]

Thanks! I'll give it a go.

Anything around the Burragorang Lookout/Nattai?

[caneye]

Thanks! I'll give it a go.

Anything around the Burragorang Lookout/Nattai?

Not aware of anything around Burragorang. The closest is probably further south, Wombeyan Caves Road.

Also, not sure what bike you are using but ..

Long Trail/Perimeter Trail (Terrey Hills) - is do-able on gravel bike but it will be slow-going. Full of babyheads, some sand pits. Popular with horse-riding community so watch out for horse poops. Gets rocky towards the end of the Long Trail. Ideally tackled with a tubeless hardtail set-up. You can also add Duck hole Trail to this (just off Mccarrs Creek Rd) and finish off with Chiltern Trail which brings you to Ingleside, but Chiltern is a climb all the way.

Ingar Road/Tablelands Road - now this is probably more hard-packed than the Long Trail. The challenge I had is that Tableland is not frequently used by vehicles. You get lots of debris on it - twigs, branches, leaves piled high - which might hide a nasty sandbar or 2. Tableland leads to Anderson and then Oakes. Oakes does get a bit of traffic so you can pick a line through it. That's not available on Tableland. Also, more suited for a hardtail just because I'm unsure how often it gets graded.

[mikesbytes]

Lady Carrington Drive in Royal National Park. (been a mighty long time since I've done it)

[caneye]

Lady Carrington Drive in Royal National Park. (been a mighty long time since I've done it)

ah yes. did that too. a bit short though. Around 30kms out and back.
I started at the Loftus MTB carpark and rode down RNP. The climb back up was uncomfortable - lack of road shoulder and predominantly SUVs (holiday traffic).

You can also work out a way to link RNP to the Woronora Dam pipeline trail. something like the below (though i've never tried it).

https://biketrail.blog/2018/09/10/the-g ... -pipeline/

[apicius]

Also, not sure what bike you are using but ..

Long Trail/Perimeter Trail (Terrey Hills) - is do-able on gravel bike but it will be slow-going. Full of babyheads, some sand pits. Popular with horse-riding community so watch out for horse poops. Gets rocky towards the end of the Long Trail. Ideally tackled with a tubeless hardtail set-up. You can also add Duck hole Trail to this (just off Mccarrs Creek Rd) and finish off with Chiltern Trail which brings you to Ingleside, but Chiltern is a climb all the way.

Thanks! I had noticed the Centre Track but not Duckholes. Centre Track looks easily doable based on Google Maps parking at the start of Duckholes it could be a loop? I drove through McCarrs Creek Rd today on the way back from Narrabeen, zero shoulder and sleepy fast commuter traffic, not ideal but it's only 200m to connect the two trails. Beautiful area.

My setup... my son didn't like the hardtail (I think the suspension gives it an unpleasant rocking motion) so I took a steel-framed Dutch bike and hardened it with puncture proof tyres, decent brakes, etc. - not the fastest, definitely way too heavy, but keeps him at a lower centre of gravity and easily handles the 110-120kg of our combined weight. I like the steel feel, I used to ride a Reynolds 653 frame which is doing commuter service with my brother now.

The issue on this or the MTB is that with the kid up front, I can't lean forward (he's in the way) so I have to walk and push up steep slopes. OK in small doses! Downhill is a bit better but visibility becomes an issue. We're pretty slow which is not a bad thing.

We did Prospect this week, coming back Ferrers Road which felt like forever with all the traffic. Need to figure out the non-road return leg on the Western side of the reservoir. We haven't been down Lady Carrington Drive for a month, Loftus is 10 minutes earlier and less crowded on weekdays, not to mention much friendlier parking and phone reception. But there is that magpie.

[apicius]

Faulconbridge Ridge Trail was brilliant except a couple sections and almost rolling over a snake. A bit sandy but that made it fun. The rocky parts were flat enough for actual riding. As an added bonus the back roads to get there are car-free and quite smooth but it's uphill on the way back. The place is quite beautiful.