There are many places to venture on your MTB within an hour from the Brisbane CBD. A few of the more popular places are Parklands, Daisy Hill and Bunyaville Conservation Park. One area that should be on your list to visit is Hidden Vale Adventure Park (HVAP), which is well known as the home of the famous Flight Centre EPIC, an annual mountain biking and trail running event.
This MTB mecca is a short 60-minute drive west of Brisbane. Located in the Lockyer Valley, just off Grandchester-MT Mort Rd, it is situated within the property of Spicers Hidden Vale Retreat. It comprises over 100km of world class trails, which vary from smooth, groomed fire trails to large rocky outcrops. There are a lot of raw trails where the rough rocks appear, which can make the ride challenging. It caters for all types of mountain biker, from cross country riders to the air-seeking downhiller. There is a small fee to ride, but at only $10 per rider it's a very reasonable request, bearing in mind that all funds are going towards the trail care required to keep these trails fun. At the Hidden Vale Adventure Park office there are bikes to hire, private shuttles for the ultimate first class experience (bookings essential), and a bike wash station. Hayden Brooks and his team are in attendance from 7am to 5:30pm seven days a week (riding hours are between 7am until dusk) with tonnes of advice and help on directions.
When first arriving it can be a little bit of a hike to some of the newest trails, so I would be prepared to ride between 20 to 25km for the best experience. It is definitely recommended to take the usual bicycle ride requirements such as water, spare tubes and pump, otherwise it could be a long walk back.
The best time of the year to ride is around April to September as it gets quite warm in the Summer months by midday, but that just means you should arrive earlier in the day to avoid the worst of the heat.
Your day of riding can be perfectly topped off by sitting under the big old fig tree adjacent to the rustic old barn, sharing the day’s stories whilst filling yourself up on a burger, chips and a cold beer at the Spicers Hidden Vale Homestead or Barn.
More information can be found at their website, or follow them on Facebook for news on upcoming events hosted by HVAP.
Authored by Mark Brockwell - MTB Masters Rider, Pushys Sponsored Athlete