1130 Buxton Road, Marysville Victoria, 3779
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Three riding areas sit near Marysville. They are Buxton Mountain Bike Park, the Lake Mountain trails, and Bowden Spur in Kinglake National Park. The Lake Mountain trails include the Cascades Trail, which drops into Marysville. They open at different times of year, so the month matters as much as the map. They differ in shape: a network of flowing loops, one long one-way descent, one short steep run.
What is riding at Buxton Mountain Bike Park like?
Buxton Mountain Bike Park holds 23 km of singletrack in Black Range State Forest. Singletrack is trail about one bike wide. Murrindindi Shire’s visitor site lists nine trails: one green, six blue and two black, signed as loops.
All of it is pedal access. You ride up what you ride down, with no lift to the top. The shire describes gentle climbs and fast flowing descents, mostly on blue trails, with shaped berms and good rollers. A berm is a banked corner you lean into instead of braking.
The longest loop is Acheron Ridge, 13.3 km and graded intermediate. The shire calls it an extended tour of the park, with climbs and winding descents. It names one stretch spider gully, which snakes through tree ferns.
The shire gives Buxton as open from the September school holidays to the King’s Birthday. So it is open now and shuts in June, the opposite way round to Lake Mountain.
There are toilets and water at the trailhead, and the shire says to bring your own bike. It gives Buxton as 100 km from Melbourne, and names Marysville as the closest town.
How long is the Cascades Trail from Lake Mountain?
The Cascades Trail runs 30 km, one way, from the top of Lake Mountain down into Marysville. Murrindindi Shire’s visitor site grades the whole run advanced. Lake Mountain Alpine Resort lists the route as eight sections, each graded beginner or intermediate.
The shire’s record carries the figures that decide whether you are ready. It gives a 1,550 m drop, 500 m of climbing and a three to five hour ride. The resort publishes none of them.
It is a directional trail, ridden one way only. There is no shuttle service this season. The resort says so, and that riders can still self-shuttle. That takes two cars: leave one at the bottom and drive the second to the top. Ride down, then drive back up for the car you left. The resort gives the drive up from Marysville as 30 minutes. So the shuffle costs about an hour of somebody’s morning.
The network is planned to open from the start of November, Cup Weekend. The resort makes that subject to conditions and final trail checks, so the date is planned rather than fixed.
Bring your own water: the resort says there is none to drink on the trail. It also asks for high-energy food, a puncture kit and warm waterproof outerwear. Its minimum bike is working front and rear disc brakes with front suspension. It strongly recommends dual suspension for this trail. That last line is a gate, not a preference.
Which shorter trails are at the Lake Mountain end?
Four shorter trails sit at the resort end, for a rider with children or an hour to spare. The lengths and grades are the resort’s own.
Entry to Lake Mountain is free in the summer season, which the resort gives as November to April. It is open seven days.
- Lenny’s Loop, 0.9 km, beginner. The resort calls it ideal for school groups and families.
- Trigger Track, 2.2 km, beginner. A flow trail with minor rock features, and the easier start to Cascades.
- Lower Granite Grind, 4.5 km, beginner. It drops to a river crossing, then climbs 2 km back to the resort. The resort lists it as a section of the Cascades Trail.
- Ski Run 21, 0.2 km, advanced. A technical downhill stretch on a 1910s ski run, inside Granite Grind. Leave it alone if you are new to this.
The resort also says there will be no toilets on the resort this summer. The closest are at the gate entry. If the rest of the area is on your list, our Marysville and more pages cover it.
What is Bowden Spur Mountain Bike Area?
Bowden Spur Mountain Bike Area is a downhill run in Kinglake National Park, and the most demanding of the three. Parks Victoria publishes the detail.
Shepherds Track, built in 2012, descends 233 m along a 2 km stretch of the spur. Parks Victoria rates it double black diamond, which it defines as extremely difficult. The surface is dirt jumps, rock gardens, earth berms and off-camber riding. Off-camber means the trail tilts away from the turn.
Parks Victoria says the track suits downhill and enduro bikes only, and that trail bikes are not permitted. Full face helmets and body armour should be worn at all times. It also says the trail is best tackled by experienced riders.
You drive to this one, to the carpark at the top of the spur, then ride down. The area sits on Bowden Spur Road, about 200 m from the Kinglake-Whittlesea Road intersection at Kinglake Central. It is a national park, so pet dogs are not permitted.
Which ride suits you?
All three are Victorian mountain bike parks, on state forest, resort and national park land. The table carries what each operator publishes.
Want to ride all day and climb your own hills? Buxton. Want one long descent and can organise a second car? The Cascades Trail. Riding with children? The short trails at the resort end. Already ride double black and own the armour? Shepherds Track.
| Area | Distance | Loop or one way | Grade | Season | Getting to the top |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buxton Mountain Bike Park | 23 km, nine trails | Signed loops | 1 green, 6 blue, 2 black | September school holidays to King’s Birthday | Pedal |
| Cascades Trail, Lake Mountain | 30 km | One way | Advanced | Planned from the start of November | Self-shuttle |
| Shorter Lake Mountain trails | 0.2 km to 4.5 km | Loops and links | Beginner, one advanced | Planned from the start of November | Drive up, then pedal |
| Shepherds Track, Bowden Spur | 2 km | One way, downhill | Double black diamond | Not published | Drive to the carpark |
What to sort out before you ride
The resort publishes a mountain bike safety page.
Its mandatory kit is an Australian Standard approved helmet and enclosed footwear. It recommends eyewear, gloves, elbow and knee protection, and a full face helmet. Its useful list adds a snake bandage, snacks, water, a multi tool, a trail map and a phone. It names 000.
Its pre-ride check covers the chain, tyre pressure, bolts, wheels running straight, handlebars, both brakes, and an e-bike battery.
Conditions belong to the operator, on the day. The resort’s trail crew check trails every Friday, and it posts current conditions on each activity page. Buxton’s sit with the shire’s listing, and Bowden Spur’s with Parks Victoria. Check the page for the place you are riding. For the park’s own notes on riding here, see our mountain biking page.
There is no camping on the resort for the general public, apart from a self-contained van in a car park.
When both areas are open at once
The two seasons do not match, and the overlap is the part worth planning around. Buxton runs to the King’s Birthday in June, and Lake Mountain is planned to open in November. So from November to April you can ride both from one base.
The Cascades Trail finishes in Marysville, not at a trailhead an hour from anywhere. Marysville Holiday Park sits on the Steavenson River, in the middle of the town that descent ends in.
Riding with mates or children, browse the cabins and book the night before you ride up. Arriving with a van or a caravan instead, the powered riverside sites are the ones to look at. A couple riding the short loops can take one of the three glamping tents, which are couples only.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Cascades Trail?
Thirty kilometres, on the resort’s own figure, from the top of Lake Mountain down to Marysville. The shire’s record puts a rider on it for three to five hours.
Is there a shuttle for the Cascades Trail?
No. The resort states there will not be a shuttle service this season, and that riders can self-shuttle. That means a second car, and a drive back up the mountain.
How far is Buxton Mountain Bike Park from Marysville?
No operator or land manager publishes that distance. The shire names Marysville as the park’s closest town, and gives Buxton as 100 km from Melbourne.
When do the trails open?
Buxton runs from the September school holidays to the King’s Birthday. The Lake Mountain network is planned to open from the start of November, subject to conditions and final trail checks.