
Welcome to
Cycling in Central West NSW
Central West NSW is a premium cycling destination located just a few hours west from Sydney or north from Canberra. The region provides a diverse range of cycling experiences, from truly excellent gravel riding, bikepacking and road cycling, to awesome mountain biking trails – all set amongst stunning landscapes, quaint historic villages and sophisticated regional towns.
The six websites below, which detail the glorious riding to be enjoyed throughout the region, aim to make the planning of your trip a whole lot easier.


Cowra, Parkes, Forbes, Grenfell & Condobolin
Lachlan Valley Cycle Trails
Embark on an exhilarating cycling journey and uncover the charm, history, and stunning vistas of the magnificent Lachlan Valley region, famously roamed by bushrangers Ben Hall and Frank Gardiner.
With its rich cultural heritage and hidden gems, the Lachlan Valley presents cyclists with a variety of terrains and trail options for an unforgettable adventure. Enjoy your thrilling ride through this remarkable region!
Riding | Gravel & Bikepacking |
Routes | 25+ (20 to 150km, 2x350km) |
Terrain | Flat / Undulating with some hills |
Drive | 4.5hrs from Sydney 2.5hrs from Canberra |


Orange
Ride Orange
Orange is a cool-climate food and wine region in the heart of the Central West. The town has a population of 40,000 and sits on the northern slopes of Gaanha Bula – Mt Canobolas (1,400m).
The Ride Orange website was built by a local cyclist and details a wide range of road and gravel cycling routes, along with the awesome local MTB trails. The site also provides local information and links to the Orange & Villages Bicycle Trail (OVBT), a 360km bikepacking adventure around the region.
Riding | Road, Gravel, MTB & Bikepacking |
Routes | 35+ (18km to 360km) |
Terrain | Rolling / Hilly |
Drive | 3.5hrs from Sydney 3.5hrs from Canberra |


Mudgee, Gulgong, Dunnedoo, Mendooran, Dubbo & Wellington
Central West Cycle Trail
The Central West CycleTrail (CWCT) creates a loop around the central west of NSW of almost 400km. It is a very generous bike trail designed to give cyclists up to a week long ride and a great, memorable cycling and social experience.
The CWCT weaves through the indigenous Wiradjuri nation area, providing participants the experience the of their landscape. Locations visited also provide an insight into early colonial Australian history.
Riding | Bikepacking |
Routes | 1 main loop, plus various links and smaller loops |
Terrain | Flat to rolling |
Drive | 4.25hrs from Sydney 5hrs from Canberra |


West Wyalong
Biking the Bland
The Bland Shire is a cyclist’s dream come true. If you are a Gravel-Grinder or Bike-Packer, then you’ll love the Bland; it is a must visit place to put at the top of your adventure list. If you’re a Roadie, come too, it’s still good and there are plenty of quiet roads on offer.
A magnitude of uninterrupted space with plenty of interesting sights to entertain the eyes and dirt roads that stretch on for ever. It’s a maze of intertwined dirt roads that link the farms and vast spaces around the central hub of West Wyalong.
Riding | Gravel & Bikepacking |
Routes | 14 (21km to 450km) |
Terrain | Mainly flat (not bland, dull or boring) |
Drive | 5.5hrs from Sydney 3.5hrs from Canberra |


Bathurst
Escapalicious
Escape your glorious mundane to join me in Regional NSW, where we immerse ourselves in nature-based self-propelled experiential adventure and enjoy the delicious home-grown gastronomic delights cultivated by fabulous country people.
Escapalicious combines maps with experienced-based descriptions and inspirational imagery which chronicles the exercise that is done by the locals. It aims to inspire people to step out of their comfort zones and enjoy the best of regional networks at your own pace.
Riding | Road, Gravel, MTB & Bikepacking |
Routes | 30+ |
Terrain | Rolling / Hilly |
Drive | 2.75hrs from Sydney 3.5hrs from Canberra |


Lithgow
Seven Valleys
The Seven Valleys region is the area around Lithgow, the first town over the Blue Mountains from Sydney with a population of about 20,000.
The Seven Valleys website is administered by Lithgow Council with the cycling section providing details of 6 gravel routes covering areas such as Gardens of Stone, Oberon, Tarana and Capertee. An outline of the local mountain bike opportunities is also included.
Riding | Gravel & MTB |
Routes | 6 |
Terrain | Rolling / Hilly |
Drive | 2hrs from Sydney 3.5hrs from Canberra |
More Cycling Options
Both Parkes and Grenfell Councils have engaged consultants to develop cycling routes for their shires, links below. Note: Lachlan Valley Cycle Trails cover these areas as well.
Disclaimer: Cycling is an activity that inherently involves risk, especially when riding on the road. Whilst every care has been taken to collate information to help you to decide where to ride in Central West NSW, ultimately the responsibility for the ride and assessment of the risk involved in that ride is yours alone. The Administrators of this website do not make any representation or warranties about its accuracy, reliability, or completeness. Individual caution must be shown.