Ourimbah State Forest
The Ourimbah state forest is littered with a maze of flowing singletrack, heavy 4wd trails and huge hills. Only 1.5 hours from the heart of Sydney this is an easily accessible area and being in state forest mountain bikers as well as motorcyclists are welcome – hence the myriad or trails in the area. It is also the location of the Central Coast Mountain Bike Club who is largely responsible for the track work and maintenance. Thanks guys, it is this area that will be concentrated on as it contains the best loops and connections. Keep and ear out on the various web sites for their track and race days and be sure to support the crew is you have a chance.
Heading north along the Newcastle freeway take the Wyong exit ( 3nrd left after Gosford ) The immediate left again onto Old Maitland Rd. ( right to Maccas and Westfeild ) After the S bends turn left again onto Yarramalong Rd. Follow this some 2km through the small cluster of houses then at the bottom of a small hill take the left turn in Red Hill road – Ourimbah State forest.
There is reasonable parking about 250 metres up the hill at the intersection with a left hand 4wd track – this is where the XC course starts. Used for the Coastie 6 hour and numerous State series events this is one of the most fun singletrack race courses. Although only 45 mins if done fast connected with the DH track and other roads in the area can make for a very, very long day in the saddle.
XC COURSE:
Total Dist: 9.6k
Tech: 3
Overall: 4
At the start area the main 4wd track heads down the hill. On your right running parrel to the main 4wd track going up the hill is the singletrack. Go this way. Follow uphill till topping out then connecting with a 4wd track going left and steeply back down then hard right at the bottom. The track now meanders up the middle of a open ( well kinda ) valley before doing a sharp kick at the end and back onto 4wd track. Turn right up the hill ( left is possible but you miss some single track ) as you connect again with Red hill rd . Take the single track to the left and double back into some swooping trail exiting about 20mertes from where you came up. Turn right and stick to the 4wd track, through the dipper and after the crest take the singletrack on the left into the world of Jurassic park.
JURASSIC PARK:
Dist: 1.5km
Tech: 2.5
Overall: 5
Dark, wet, smooth, buff and fun, this section of singletrack offers immense amounts of grip and once you get the flow of the corners and short descents it’s a ancient roller coaster ride – Tyranoraptor terrain. Only short lived – unlike the dinosaurs, you get spat out onto the 4wd track heading uphill – take the first left into singletrack and onto a short but sweet connecting trail – back again onto 4wd track. Turn right
This section of trails is a little tricky to describe but nose your way through – after the singletrack right turn on to 4wd track – up hill on the 4wd track for 300 metres then right turn – gentle decline and take the next left and left again onto singletrack heading back across the hill into The Burnt Forest - essentially rather hard to actually get lost in this area as al the trails eventually hit some sort of 4wd track and or another singletrack but try anyway.
You should be on a smooth singetrack at this point weaving your way through young eucalypt forest gradually heading up hill parrel to the 4wd track . Enjoy the ride cause a hard bit is coming up. Hit a 4wd intersection again and turn right up the rather menacing looking hill. This is the 5 ways junction at the base of Demtel hill.
DEMTEL HILL:
Dist: 1.5km
Tech: 2
Overall: -1 (it’s a big hill )
Didn’t figure this out till about halfway up when you get to the sign – But wait there Is more – just as you are suffering like no tomorrow but its worth it. Keep heading up…. And up and up till the top. Just before the final kick there is a small singletrack to the right that follows parrel to the 4wd trail for a more technical ascent. At the top of the climb it finally flattens out so you can catch your breath and follows the ridgeline on a more gradual ascent.
Rather than keep going to the top to the Telecom tower it is preferable to turn left and follow the 4wd track back down the hill. This ends in a singletrack descent that makes the climb almost worth it with sharp turns but flowing lines that allows for high speed descents. Typical of the entire singletrack in the area it is smooth and its technical nature really comes from the steepness and corners rather than extreme drops or ledges.
Follow the well defined singletrack down the ridgeline till it connects with a 4wd track and heads across the hill to the left. A short sharp rise and you are back at the 5 ways intersection at the base of Demtel hill – cool loop aside form the uphill bit.
5 WAYS. TO FINISH:
Dist: 4 km
Tech: 3
Overall: 4.5
From here to your left should be the Demtel hill – immediately to the right of Demtel is the 4wd track back through to Jurassic park – straight ahead following the line of the ridge is to the roller coaster – go this way. There is singletrack to the left that intersects the 4wd again - explore.
From the 5 ways intersection take the first RH singletrack– it’s a well worn trail so follow the most obvious line and look at the map…. The trail takes a number of turns and cut backs before heading more downhill and gaining speed then into a screaming peddling section where you can keep the power down through the corners and hang on for the ride – The roller coaster.
The coaster runs across the hill and down a steep but short pitch then a hard right as it follows across the line of the hill in tight grippy singletrack in between large boulders ( maybe pack the climbing shoes as well ) . In a well worn trail it turn a sharp right up a small ride and then into the Dipper, charge it and then follow your front tyre to the next 4wd intersection.
Once back on the 4wd track turn left and at the next hard left hand turn take the obscure singletrack through the grassy area into singletrack and then into slightly damp area reeking of buff singletrack and tight turns in mossy terrain. It rips to the other side and back onto the main 4wd trail heading back ( right ) to the start finish area – don’t worry if you missed the last turn if you stay on the 4wd track and take the next turn right and you end up back at the start finish area.
The area is littered with like trail s but you will have to explore them yourself – but then that is the fun of mountain biking – finding new dimensions.
RED HILL ROAD:
This is the main trail and 4wd track form where the car is parked and from here leads the way to all other areas in the Ourimbah area. The Road heads up for about 3km before coming to the intersection of Scaddens Ridge road – although Sccaddens ridge is marked as a no through road it does lead to hidden treasures or follow right to another fun DH loop.
TO DH TRACK:
Dist: 6km round trip
Tech: 3.5
Overall: 3 (if shuttling)
Turn left onto the Scaddens ridge rd – a well maintained track to the peak where the new Tecom tower is positioned. Take the left again onto Potters Rd and start heading down – this area is under logging at time of writing so unsure as to how much singletrack is actually left but it continues parrel to the 4wd track until it intersects with the top of Demtel hill – find your own way down from here. But shuttle runs are easily possible.
TO FRANCES PT RD:
Dist: 4km
Tech: 2.5
Overall: 3
From the top of the Red Hill climb turn right and follow the crest briefly till the first main turn right – this is Frances Point road. Downhill for just over a kilometre then a hard right. The road does continue further till a dead end. Save yourself the hassle and climb back up and just turn right onto Condies instead.
Condies is flat 4wd track following the contour of the hill till turning left at the point of the ridge and materialising into singletrack – steep and rutted. Gondies Gully ( no not a spelling mistake ). Its only a brief steep section before following the gully floor to the flatter marshy sections below where the car is parked ( providing you are still at the XC start ) . If it is wet then at the base of the steep descent take the immediate right hand turn up the short painful pinch onto drier trail. Both ways tend to be heaps of fun.
The trails here tend to go for a long while and some overnight epics are possible with the excellent 4wd tracks in the area. Get the topo map for the region if you want to go further but beyond the small section described. The singletrack sections beyond the XC course are few and difficult to discover but worth the exploration if you don’t mid some 4wd roadie sections in between.
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