Blue
Mountains mtb rides
Terrace Falls
This short ride has several variations, having three main entrances and exits, with an important point to remember- although you get a big downhill in, it's a big uphill out - whichever way you go.
The entrances and exits are from Lower Valley Road and Terrace Falls Road, Hazelbrook, and Honour Avenue, Lawson. My fave is the Lower Valley Road entrance, as the surface is in better condition and the jumps can be huge. The track from the Lawson entrance generally has a much looser surface making it harder and more dangerous to go fast.
Both Victor and Terrace Falls are well worth a look, especially after heavy rain when the flow is high. Unfortunately, prolonged drought has been keeping water flow low in recent years. It still gets quite rainforesty deep in the valleys, with some very pretty spots.
Terrace Falls |
Victor Falls |
Terrace Falls after rain |
Victor Falls after rain |
LawsonHead down Honour Avenue (which is the road on the southern side of the station) for about a km and cross the two causeways - if you're fast enough, you may get unexpected air over these - be warned. Up a slight hill and turn right onto the dirt. Follow the main trail along the ridge until you start to drop down into the valley. There are several large waterbars here for jumping when the surface isn't too loose. As always, be careful. I was having altogther too much fun until I hit the deck over one waterbar, breaking ribs, and keeping me off bikes for over a month! Where the track starts to flatten again, you'll see a steep track leading deeper into the valley on the left. This track also has a few waterbars to jump, but there is very little room for error. At the bottom of this hill, you splash through the creek and come out into a sort of picnic area. This is where the other tracks into the area join together. Instead of turning left at the top, you could have also followed the main trail straight ahead - this goes to a dead end, while another branch goes further down towards Bedford Creek (but doesn't get there). |
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at the creek crossing
Terrace Falls Road Hazelbrook
Turn right into Railway Parade after heading south across the bridge over the railway line, and then take the second left, at the antiques shop. Turn left at the bottom of the hill (at the fire station) and follow Terrace Falls road. It turns into dirt pretty quickly and plunges into the valley. At the moment there's a rough patch near the top, but after that, the track is pretty smooth and fast. On this route your creek crossing is usually dry, and you turn to follow the creek down a small hill to the picnic area.
Valley Road Hazelbrook
This time you need to turn left into Railway Parade after crossing the bridge over the line at Hazelbrook, and take a right into Valley Road (second street on right). Stay on the main road and after it turns to dirt, take the first road on the right. head down the valley, over a few lovely big waterbars, past a picnic area and then the downhill is all but finished. You climb up a small ridge for a while before slowly dropping to the picnic area where the tracks meet.
Getting out is simply a matter of choosing which uphill to take.
There are quite a few singletracks in the area that are worth exploring - depends on how much time you have.
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Cars and motorbikes legally travel some of these tracks. Cars and motorbikes illegally travel some of these tracks - watch out! Unfortunately, some 4WDs are going through the normally locked gate at the creek crossing, or driving over the fence at the other end, and are damaging the track as this picture (23/12/2007) shows. Since taking this photo, the damage has become worse, and a (pre-existing) diversion around this new bog hole has since been dug up quite a bit by 4WDs. Mind you, the track did stand up quite well to even 4WD traffic until it was poorly graded a year or so ago. There's much more silt in the creek now.. |
Well, that describes the track OK, why not get a real picture in your mind by trying it out? After you've done that, do it again at night... YeeEHAAAAA!
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| Distance | <10 km for the main tracks |
| Difficulty | Medium - may need to walk some uphills, depending on route. Surface may be loose. |
| Type | Sandy firetrail, cars allowed some parts |
| Time | Varies - can be done in less than an hour |
| Trains | Lawson or Hazelbrook - timetable |
| See also... | The Oaks Fire Trail, some singletracks |
| Interest | Victor Falls, Terrace Falls |
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