Bay of Fires MTB

Location

About This Trail

Coastal mountain bike network linking St Helens to the white-sand beaches of the Bay of Fires, with 100+ km of purpose-built trails on Tasmania's east coast. The Bay of Fires Trail network, centred on the seaside town of St Helens on Tasmania's east coast, is the second leg of the state's east-coast MTB strategy and the natural complement to Blue Derby roughly an hour to the north-west. Built by World Trail and opened progressively from 2020, it now totals more than 100 kilometres of purpose-built single-track that descends from the dry-sclerophyll ridges of the St Helens hinterland to the orange-lichen granite headlands and white-sand beaches of the Bay of Fires. The network is split across three main hubs. The St Helens MTB Trail Network (above town) offers 65+ kilometres of all-mountain riding with green to black-diamond grades, hero trails like Town Link, Bay of Fires Descent and Sidewinder, and stacked-loop layouts radiating from the trailhead at the top of the climb. The flagship Bay of Fires Trail itself is a 42-kilometre point-to-point epic descending from the Blue Tier through to Swimcart Beach on the coast — one of the longest purpose-built point-to-point MTB rides in the country, requiring shuttle support. A separate Stacked Loops trailhead at the coast end services riders who want shorter coastal rides. The terrain is markedly different from Derby — drier, faster, more flowy, with granite slabs, coastal heath, fern gullies and ocean views rather than dense rainforest. The trails are widely considered to be the best flow trails in Australia, with long sustained descents that reward intermediate riders. Less technical than Maydena, less rooty than Derby, the Bay of Fires network has carved out a reputation as the ride that everyone in the family can enjoy. St Helens functions as the basecamp, with bike shops, hire (including e-MTB), coaching, multiple shuttle operators (Gravity Isle, Vertigo, Maxx Adventures), cafes, breweries and a wide range of accommodation from waterfront apartments to caravan parks. Trails are free to ride. The Bay of Fires Trail point-to-point requires a paid shuttle to the start at the Blue Tier. Best ridden September through May, with the cooler months actually ideal here as the east coast is one of the driest, sunniest parts of Tasmania. Combined with Derby and Maydena, it forms the backbone of the now-famous "Tassie MTB triangle" that draws international riders for one to two-week trips.

Highlights

Facilities