Cotter Pines MTB Trails

Overview

Cotter Pines (also known locally as "Hyles Block") is a cross-country mountain bike network laid into a 360-hectare Pinus radiata plantation about 30 minutes northwest of Canberra's CBD, past Mt Stromlo on the way to the Cotter Dam. The plantation sits between Brindabella Road and the Murrumbidgee–Cotter river junction, sandwiched between Stromlo Forest Park and the Lower Cotter Catchment Reserve.

The vibe is quiet, flowy, semi-shaded XC — predominantly blue (intermediate) and green (beginner) singletrack, with a mix of old-school hand-tooled benched track and modern machine-built flow. Riders describe it as "one of the nicest flow trails in Canberra hidden amongst the trees", and locals consistently report having the place almost to themselves on weekday rides. No gravity / jump-line / chairlift terrain — that's what Stromlo next door is for. The network is dog-friendly (off-lead) and e-bike legal under standard ACT pedelec rules.

Long-term tenure is reasonable: the plantation isn't scheduled for clearfall until 2036, so the trails have roughly another decade of life in their current footprint before harvesting forces a rebuild.

Location & Access

• Address: Brindabella Road, Coree, ACT (carpark on north side of Brindabella Road, ~3 km west of the Cotter Bridge).
• GPS (trailhead): -35.2988, 148.9349 (DB); singletracks notes -35.30344, 148.94754 for the centre of the network.
• Drive from Canberra CBD: ~30 min via Cotter Road then right onto Brindabella Road after crossing the Cotter Bridge.
• Drive from Mt Stromlo: ~15 min — Cotter Pines is the next major MTB venue west of Stromlo.
• Public transport: none practical; private vehicle required.
• Parking: gravel carpark at the trailhead; trail map signboard at the start of "The Spine" trail near the main carpark.
• Mobile reception: limited — Visit Canberra notes "cellular reception is limited in the area; plan ahead before your trip".

Best Season & Conditions

• Open year-round — no seasonal MTB closures noted by ACT Parks or CORC.
• Summer fire-danger closures: like all ACT plantation/reserve trails, the network can close on declared Total Fire Ban / Extreme or Catastrophic fire danger days. Check ACT ESA before riding Nov–Mar.
• Wet weather: pine-needle base drains well; trails generally rideable shortly after rain, but expect slippery roots on the older hand-built sections.
• Trailforks region status (Feb 2026): "Caution" — check current trail-by-trail status before riding, especially after the Jan 2024 construction-period closures of some sections.
• Active forestry: ACT Forests operations run weekdays year-round across the plantation estate; obey signage and avoid the area on harvest days if signed.

Managing Body & Trail Builders

• Land manager: ACT Parks and Conservation Service (ACT PCS) — sits inside the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate. Plantation managed under the ACT Strategic Plantation Management Plan.
• Trail builders / advocates:
• Kowalski Brothers Trailworks (KBT) — volunteer-led; led by Alan Vogt; built the original First Loop of seven trails over 18 months from July 2018, officially launched 22 Dec 2019.
• Iconic Trails — contributed to 2021 expansion (Eagle Rock, Sneaky Pete, Start Me Up, Dazed and Confused).
• Pedal Power ACT — advocacy and funding partner.
• CORC (Canberra Off-Road Cyclists) — Australia's largest MTB club; hosts the CORC XC race series at Cotter Pines (e.g. 2024 CORC XC #1 was held here).
• Funding: $50,000 ACT Government grant funded the 2021 four-trail expansion; further