NSW is relatively late to the party on the potential offered by Rail Trails. But wow – the Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail sets a very high standard. This trail provides a sensational reason to visit the Snowy Valleys area for a weekend, and can be used both for a trail-based ride and as a foundation for exploring other parts of the region.

The routes and recommendations below are based upon a trip in February 2022. I look forward to visiting again in future. Wouldn’t it be amazing to ride Canberra to Tumut, then connect to the Batlow – Tumut Rail trail, before cycling the final climb and descent into Tumbarumba and onto the rail trail?

Other recommendations to go with the cycling

Winery – Courabyra Wines

Offering beautiful views across the vineyard to neighbouring berry and cattle farms, Courabyra also offers great meals and wine tasting. Highly recommended – book a table on the North Verandah for the best views.

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Today’s arboretum single track, in awesome Canberra spring-like weather, is brought to you from the Tumbleweed. Molonglo gravel cycling. Nice escape from the city, if you are happy to navigate quite a few livestock gates…. Escaped the Canberra chill to New Caledonia for the week. Well worth taking the bike for exploring the great Deva Domain near Bourail. How about some of these views! Spent the last 2 days at Finch Hatton @finchhattonmtb. Fantastic flowy single track throughout the park. Highly recommended - can’t wait for stage 2A. After flying to Mackay, cycling to @finchhattonmtb for some mountain biking fun. Had the chance to checkout the Pioneer Valley Rail Trail and connecting back roads from Gargett. Great scenery and so much potential with some more investment in the trail and connecting routes @glenkellymp @nigeldaltonmp @railtrailsaustralia Mystic. Yes, #mysticbikepark - one of my favourite places to cycle. Hero, Shred Kelly, Down DJ and Flowmingo all super fun, and really enjoyed the new Marcus’ Mayhem track. Go mid-week without the shuttle and you’ll have the place almost to yourself. Cobbles with the gravel this time. Looking forward to seeing what the pros do on Sunday More fat bike beach exploration. Beautiful day for it at @mysticbikepark - good fun on Stairway to Shreddin, Flowmingo, Lemon Squeeze and the old favourites of Tombstone and Lower Shred Kelly. Angle Crossing gravel cycle today. Beautiful weather for it. Back to the beach. Time for more Australians to embrace fat bike cycles I reckon. Clare Valley gravel. Super hot, but beer-supported cool off at @pikesbeercompany. Apparently Molesworth station is the largest farm in NZ. I can believe it, although what it clearly should be known for is the epic views - across all parts of the Molesworth Muster trail Staying on the #WestCoastNZ, the Old Ghost Road was mind blowing. A bit of #hikeabike but so worth it. The Heaphy Track is an amazing cycle. I’m already plotting a return. Special highlight other than the trail was seeing a rare Takahe!! The weather was challenging but the scenery is unbelievable. Another Gears and Beers Dirty130 done. Epic as usual. Thanks to the Rotary folk for organising an amazing day out, and to the breweries that came. Particularly @tumutriverbrewingco for the Hitchhikers, @kr.brewing for Kolsch and Pilsner and @brightbrewery for the top of the class Japanese dark lager. Took some time to bikepack around Cootamundra, Jugiong, Tumut and Gundagai on way to Gears & Beers. Epic canola, particularly after storm! Swiss alpine climbs and descents. Blow your mind kind of stuff. Just completed the Route des Grandes Alpes from Lake Geneva to Nice - what has to be one of the most epic bike trips in the world. Blessed with clear weather and the company of a great mate. One of the most epic rides I’ve done - Swiss Route 9 from Zurich to Lausanne. The Grosse Scheidegg detour is out of this world. Lots of backroads, unsealed farm roads and even a bit of single track. Cycling up one of my favourite valleys - Eurobodalla Road. Single track and mountain views Moreton Island (Mulgumpin) is a fantastic place to fat bikepack. Epic beaches, great camp sites and only a short ferry ride from Brisbane. Bali bikepack complete. More details and routes to come on cyclinggravel.com in coming weeks. First week cycling up and down and around and through Bali is done. Epic. Time for the next CyclingGravel adventure. Warm up around Ubud. There’s dairy in them thar hills… Beach time…. Time for another bikepacking adventure. I think Bob would have been into fat biking.