Mountaineer Loop

 
 

Mountaineer Loop

Rating: Medium

Ride with GPS:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29319785

Distance: 57.4km

Surface: 10% tar

Description:

A strenuous 57.4km ride on bush tracks around the upper Telegherry River. This ride involves 1,500m of ascents and descents over rough tracks. Suitable for fit and experienced riders.

The Jerusalem Falls walk is worth a look. It is a wonderful example of the World Heritage Gondwana forest. Keep an eye out for the shiny, black Land Mullet, a harmless skink and the largest in Australia. At the carpark you can view Coachwood ( collected from this area and used in the Opera House), Tallow wood and Turpintine trees.

NOTE: The State Forests are logged irregularly. So be careful to stay on the main track and don’t be tempted to follow a fresh logging track. They usually lead to dead end, but could mean a bit of extra climbing to get back onto the forest road.

 

  1. Park your car at Bandon Grove Park on the Williams River at Bandon Grove on Chichester Dam Road.

  2. Ride up Chichester Dam Road for 4.1 km before turning on to Wangat Road.

  3. Turn right into Middle Ridge Rd. Enjoy a fast down hill to Telegherry Forest Park and follow the road over the hill towards Frying Pan Forest Park.

  4. Then continue on Middle Ridge rd by taking the left fork at the Frying Pan Rd Intersection. Follow Middle Ridge Rd up and up (it is a long, challenging climb) past

  5. Kanungra Rd, Dixie Tops Lookout (with its lovely view of the Monkerai ‘valley) and

  6. Karuah River Rd until at the very top of Middle Ridge Rd changes into Wangat Rd. Look for a sign pointing up the hill to the Mountaineer campsite (1000m asl). Just past the Mountaineer sign look for

  7. some remnant Antartic Beech trees on the left. These trees are left over from Gondwana, when Australia was joined with Antartica in one of the 2 super continents that made up the Earth of Millions of years ago. Wangat Rd winds through State forests on the left and World Heritage National Park on the right.

  8. About 3kms down Wangat Rd on your left is Dundungra Falls. It is worth the short walk. Wangat Rd has some fast down hill (remember to keep left and watch out for log trucks and 4WD’s).

  9. Ride down Wangat Rd and then return to Bandon Grove Park.

Download Printable Directions Here

Mountaineer Loop
Mountaineer Loop Elevation - Advanced

Mountaineer Loop Elevation - Advanced