Best cycling routes around Wollongong
At What’s On in Wollongong, we know cyclists are spoilt for choice in our city. From flat coastal tracks to challenging mountain terrain, Wollongong truly offers something for everyone – from learner riders right through to seasoned pros.
With more than 42km of shared cycle pathways stretching between Sandon Point and Lake Illawarra, Wollongong has earned its place as one of Australia’s most cycle-friendly destinations. Whether you’re planning a relaxed family ride to a new beach or gearing up for a full day in the saddle, our team has pulled together the best local routes to help you make the most of cycling in Wollongong. So when it comes to discovering where to ride, trust What’s On in Wollongong to guide your next two-wheeled adventure!
Wollongong to Thirroul Bike Track
Cringila Hills Mountain Bike Park
Entry is off Lackawanna Street, Cringila. It has an exciting mix of almost 12 kilometres of trails for riders from beginners to advanced, giving you more ways to enjoy our Bike City. The tracks have a mix of gradients, surfaces and obstacles to make your ride fun or challenge your skills. For beginners and intermediate riders, it has a jumps park too. It also has an asphalt pump track and bike skills playground.
MTB Trails
If you are a fan of rugged biking with plenty of undulations and thrills, the Illawarra has a great selection of trails to offer. Entry level MTB-ers will love the Lady Carrington Drive trail which is located inside the Royal National Park and runs 12km one way alongside the Hacking River. A few lumps and bumps mark this scenic route out as unsuitable for road bikes, but the going is simple until the last steep section. Helensburgh MTB Park is another great destination (see more below!) and offers trails suitable for all the family with different challenges, from jumps and bridges to boardwalks and woodland. There are also plenty of informal mountain bike routes on the escarpment – use at your own risk!
If you prefer bike trails that offer more of a challenge, check out our MTB Wollongong & Illawarra – Best Mountain Bike Trails & Rides Guide here.
Mount Kembla Mountain Bike Trails now open!
Photo c/o NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
The brand-new Kembla Mountain Bike Trails are officially open and ready for the community to hit! Spanning nearly 20 km of fresh trails, these runs are set to put our region on the map for mountain biking enthusiasts from near and far. With a mix of green, blue, and black trails, there’s something for riders of all skill levels — whether you’re just starting out or looking for a challenge. Get ready to explore, ride, and enjoy the great outdoors like never before! For more information about these new bike trails and access, click here.
Greenvalleys Mountain Bike Trails
Australia’s Boutique Mountain Bike Park located in the foothills of the Macquarie Pass National Park, Tongarra, NSW. Greenvalleys Mountain Bike Park is a must go destination for mountain bikers offering: Progressive Trail Structure, Clinics and Coaching, Competitive Race Days, Airbag, Skills Park, Private Hire and Downhill / Freeride / Slopestyle / All-Mountain Trails. They also run (for more advanced-riders only) Skills Clinics and Development Days as well as Gravity Days (open days for the public/non members to check out their trails and bike paths). This park is typically for more confident and adventurous riders – under 16s are welcome but best you give the park a call first as they can give you some tips how to best navigate the park for your younger rider.
Minnamurra Bike Skills Track
Photo c/o The Illawara Mercury
To finish our Kid-friendly cycling trails in Illawarra, is The Minnamurra Bike Skills Track, located at the old Sanctuary Place Quarry. This cool new track includes two downhill tracks, two pump tracks and a junior/toddler track. There are also picnic shelters, park benches, amenities and a carpark.
10B Bike Trail – Dharawal National Park
10B Bike Trail in Dharawal National Park offers excellent easy cycling for enthusiastic bike riders, with a picturesque picnic spot along the way. At 15km long, it starts near the Appin Road entrance of Dharawal National Park and follows an unsealed road through open forest and woodlands along a sandstone ridge. This is a great bike ride for small groups and families with older children.
The last three kilometres present more of a challenge, when the trail descends into Stokes Creek Gorge, leading to a good slog back up to the park’s northern entrance at Wedderburn.
Pack a picnic and your binoculars because at the creek crossing, there’s a broad rock platform where you can stop for a break. Birds, including the raucous yellow-tailed black cockatoo, inhabit the area.
Helensburgh Mountain Bike Park
Photo c/o The Illawarra Flame
Helensburgh Mountain Bike Park is back open and ready for action! Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned rider, you’ll find trails to challenge and inspire. With rugged terrain, scenic bushland, and adrenaline-fuelled tracks, it’s the perfect spot for a day of adventure in nature.
Grand Pacific Walk / Wollongong Coastal Cycleway
Following the route of the Grand Pacific Drive, the proposed share path will link existing sections of coastal trails into one 60km stretch allowing walkers and cyclists to roam the coast from Royal National Park to Lake Illawarra. The work will span many years and tackles some complex terrain but when it is finished it will surely become one of the best things to do in Wollongong and an asset for residents of the area. The Coalcliff to Stanwell Park section is already finished and open for use, watch this space for news of the next completed sections of the route.
North Lake Illawarra & surrounds
For the best family friendly cycling on the shores of Lake Illawarra, the north of the lake is best. Setting off from the Illawarra Sports stadium you can ride through beautiful scenery in Hooka Point Park and onwards through Holborn Park right on the lakeshore. There are refreshment stops along the way, and if a swim in the lake doesn’t appeal, carry on into Port Kembla where the beach stretches miles to the south with loads of space for everyone. There is also a pool at the northern end of the beach and lots of lunch places in the town itself.
Illawarra Criterium Track and Velodrome
Entry is off Factory Road, Unanderra. This is a closed-loop track, and great for all ability riders. Non-motorised wheels are all welcome including rollerblades or skates, scooters, and bikes. Safe, enclosed riding for less experienced riders too.
For older and more advanced riders – Join the MS Sydney to Gong Ride
In November every year, (this year, the MS Gong Ride will be held on Sunday Sunday 2 November, 2025) the charity fundraiser MS Sydney to Gong ride raises funds for multiple sclerosis. This spectacular community ride through 90km of wonderful scenery includes stretches that run through the Royal National Park, along the Grand Pacific Drive and over the Sea Cliff Bridge. The event will accept young riders between the ages of 12 and 17, as long as they are accompanied by a guardian or parent during the ride. A great ride for a fantastic cause, what’s not to love? Register now/learn more here.
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These lands, waters and skies are a true paradise, and a gift to experience. We offer deep respect and gratitude to the traditional custodians, the Dharawal nation, whose sovereignty was never ceded. We pay our respect to elders past and present.