The Forrest Thread

[mtb101]

first up base yourself at the corner store and any questions talk to: Andy at store, great guy knows area well.

next red carpet but you've got to climb to it, so go up via track 2 climb, starting from the dam area - climb is fine at easy pace - when you see Lake Elizabeth sign that's the start of red carpet, go hard man now descend red carpet track 3 all the way back to the corner store, have a break. (this would be 1-2 hours riding).

next you want tracks 4, 5, and 6. easy to access from corner store a bit of climbing and then it's up and down at furious pace for about 8k. (1.5 hours), pretty tough riding but very rewarding.

finally drive to the trail head up Boundary Road, and you can access the Yaugher Trails, go 7 to 9 (mariner's run) to 10, 7, to 13, 14 carpark (about t 2 hours riding).

back to forrest brewery and if that aren't a great day's riding ... well.

 

[Spike-X]

A day? It'd take me three weekends to cover all that!

I really have to get fitter...

 

[sane]

As much as I love 4/5/6 I would say it gets a bit mucky this time of year.

If you ride north to the Yaugher trailhead it handles the wet better I reckon. Try the Superloop, 7, to a lap or 2 of Grasstrees then Marriners into Fox tail, Yoyo & back to the trailhead via Casper Black. That should be good for ~35km. J2 is worth doing while there or head back through town (assuming you have better legs than me) & smashing Red Carpet is a good way to finish the day.

A beer at the brewery is a must

 

[hilo]

I was at the Yaugher trail head from Dec 19 to 26th--in pretty good shape. 15 is a bit more overgrown (the bit where you enter 15 on a hard right off of 7, rather than the shorter version which is heaps more fun through the Xanthorrhoea plants) but every other trail I had was in pretty good nick.

 

[smitho]

I was at the Yaugher trail head from Dec 19 to 26th--in pretty good shape. 15 is a bit more overgrown (the bit where you enter 15 on a hard right off of 7, rather than the shorter version which is heaps more fun through the Xanthorrhoea plants) but every other trail I had was in pretty good nick.

I was out there around that time too, but taking some beginners down Red Carpet and 4/5/6. Also in great condition and worth the trip. Keep an eye out for snakes though - I skidded into a staring match with a very pissed off 1.5m Tiger Snake on Follow the Dog!


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[hilo]

I was out there around that time too, but taking some beginners down Red Carpet and 4/5/6. Also in great condition and worth the trip. Keep an eye out for snakes though - I skidded into a staring match with a very pissed off 1.5m Tiger Snake on Follow the Dog!


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Bumped into a guy who had just finished a run down #10 when I was there, and he had come across a tiger snake as well. We were lucky to not bump into any!

 

[sane]

The bottom half of red carpet, coming in to the reservoir, is known as tiger snake gully according to some locals I was chatting to at the brewery a few years back...after a close encounter

 

[Ezkaton]

Went down Red Carpet yesterday and thankfully didn't have any encounters of the slithering kind... I was by myself too... Not ideal, haha.

 

[hilo]

Forrest was in decent shape this long week-end and was reasonably busy.

However, I will shake my fist at whatever scumf&*^ left a goo wrapper in the bush. I picked it up and the syrupy 1/5 that wasn't consumed decided to ingratiate itself to my bikepack. *shakes fist*

 

[mtb101]

the snakes are bunny hoppable, its the wallaby that stands on the track in the lower half section and takes my PR runs away.

 

[smitho]

Went for a quick morning pedal at Forrest yesterday to suss out the new trails.

Red carpet is still a bit of fun, but no significant changes. There’s a new descending trail that branches off about 3/4 of the way down. The surface has been laid but nil features - I suspect a work in progress.

Tried the new Barwon flow trails. Really nicely designed, cruisy flow trails, nothing particularly challenging - but for the surface they’ve used. Maybe the trail builder has a good reason but the blue chip gravel they’ve used to surface the trails is absolutely treacherous. Carrying any sort of speed and getting any decent flow going is an exercise in riding on the ragged edge. Seems a bizarre decision that’s going to see a whole lot of crashes given they’re pitched at family friendly riding.

Also had a quick loop around the old trails in town which have been redone - again the same blue chip gravel. They have some nice flow, but follow the dog and the other new black trail still closed.

New pump track at the trailhead too which is a bit of fun.

Probably not somewhere that will get repeat visitors for anyone intermediate or above, but definitely somewhere I’ll be going back once the young lad is big enough for a shotgun seat! Almost ideal setup for younger families with kids just getting into riding.


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[Spike-X]

Yeah, it sounds like they've really messed it up with that resurfacing.

 

[ozzybmx]

Forrest was the best MTB destination around 2010, it had ground breaking trails, log rides, the red carpet flow trail, it was bloody awesome but didnt evolve.

IIRC it got zero funding and was looked after by a good team of vollies but it was too big without cash.

We did the Otway Odyssey for about 5-6 years from 2011ish, then a random killer 100 in an unfit state in about 2019.

It could have been and still could be one of the best destinations on the mainland but it needs a massive cash injection and good planning.

 

[Ackland]

Forrest was the best MTB destination around 2010, it had ground breaking trails, log rides, the red carpet flow trail, it was bloody awesome but didnt evolve.

IIRC it got zero funding and was looked after by a good team of vollies but it was too big without cash.

We did the Otway Odyssey for about 5-6 years from 2011ish, then a random killer 100 in an unfit state in about 2019.

It could have been and still could be one of the best destinations on the mainland but it needs a massive cash injection and good planning.

IIRC parks Vic staff had a big part in killing off any momentum or future for the town.

 

[smitho]

From what I understand there has been a pretty solid cash injection. With further work still to come on trails at the Yaugher trail head. It’s not my jam, but I’m sure there’s some merit in having a proper XC trail network. It just seems a bit short sighted to pitch everything else at the family/beginner level (bar the treacherous gravel). It’ll get occasional family visits but is unlikely to generate repeat visits from keen riders.

That said, Follow the Dog and Millers Mongrel, the two allegedly black trails weren’t open yet.


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[smiffy]

I believe they are weather proofing the trails to reduce wear and erosion pro longing the life of the trails. It was designed for 26" bikes and it needed updating to suit longer wheel base 29ers. I guess though when they iron out a crowd favourite track your always going to upset a lot of people.

Red carpet, Barwon Flow and more | The latest on the Forrest, VIC revitalisation project

Trail builders have been busy in the Otway Ranges, here is where the upgrade of the Forrest mountain bike trails is up to.

flowmountainbike.com

Forrest gets a facelift | All-weather trails and new singletrack for the Otways

The Forrest mountain bike trails are being revitalised with work happening to improve sustainability and new singletrack on the menu.

flowmountainbike.com

 

[Ackland]

I believe they are weather proofing the trails to reduce wear and erosion pro longing the life of the trails. It was designed for 26" bikes and it needed updating to suit longer wheel base 29ers. I guess though when they iron out a crowd favourite track your always going to upset a lot of people.

Red carpet, Barwon Flow and more | The latest on the Forrest, VIC revitalisation project

Trail builders have been busy in the Otway Ranges, here is where the upgrade of the Forrest mountain bike trails is up to.

flowmountainbike.com

Forrest gets a facelift | All-weather trails and new singletrack for the Otways

The Forrest mountain bike trails are being revitalised with work happening to improve sustainability and new singletrack on the menu.

flowmountainbike.com

These were terrible excuses for parks Vic making poor trail management decisions.... Optimised for 29ers... Give me a break.

 

[Squidfayce]

do you think any of the gravel surfacing has to do with the adaptive bikes? I dont know enough about them or the mechanics to know

 

[Flow-Rider]

do you think any of the gravel surfacing has to do with the adaptive bikes? I dont know enough about them or the mechanics to know

This guy broke his back years ago on a water bar but shows what happens when the trails are too thin and people stop randomly on the trail., the wider trails are also meant to help the water sheet off easier.

 

[Cardy George]

These were terrible excuses for parks Vic making poor trail management decisions.... Optimised for 29ers... Give me a break.

Exactly. Give me natural terrain any day. 50km thru Sturt Gorge, Craigburn and O'Halloran and my 29er didn't struggle once.

Friend of mine is down there today and knowing the trails she prefers to ride, I'm feeling I won't be missing out on too much.