The National Trail, although primarily designed for horse treks, is an ideal mountain biking trail. It lends itself to any particular length of ride - from day rides to half year trekking journeys. Most of the population residing on the east coast of Australia are within about two hours drive of the trail.

Outlined in the table below are sections of the trail that I would recommend for different length rides. They are the most obvious selections. Assuming that you have the correct equipment and attempt these at the most suitable time of year, most riders should have little trouble getting from A to B within the suggested time frame (riding about 30km a day).

RATINGS : 1=hard; 2= medium; 3=easy; 4 = a bit of everything.

DURATION        STATE        RATING        START/FINISH

1 Day                VIC                1                Mt Terrible circuit

BEST: It will end

WORST: A constant struggle

1 Day                NSW            2                Tom Groggin to Thredbo circuit

BEST: The ride down

WORST: The ride up

1 Day                QLD            3                Killarney and the 3 Falls circuit

BEST: The falls

WORST: QLD heat

2-3 Days            VIC                2                Licola to Dargo

BEST: The Pinnacles

WORST: The first hill (15km)

2-3 Days            VIC                2                Dargo to Omeo

BEST: Dargo River

WORST: Climbing Mt Birregun

2-3 Days            NSW            3                Thredbo to Khancoban

BEST: Camping spots

WORST: Lots of bitumen to start

2-3 Days            NSW            2                Wombeyan Caves to Oberon

BEST: The stone huts

WORST: Grazing land

2-3 Days            NSW            2                Wallerawang to Glen Alice

BEST: Wolgan Gorge

WORST: Private property

2-3 Days            NSW            2                Wallerawang to Gardens of Stone N.P. return

BEST: Gorges and valleys

WORST: Going home

2-3 Days            NSW            3                Bald Rock to Boonoo Boonoo Falls return

BEST: South Bald Rock

WORST: Camping fees

2-3 Days            QLD            3                Killarney to Lake Moogerah

BEST: Variety, more down than up

WORST: Traffic at speed on gravel parts

4-7 Days            NSW            2                Khancoban to Adaminaby

BEST: You learn lots

WORST: Getting around Lake Eucumbene

4-7 Days            ACT            2                Adaminaby to Canberra (via Tidbinbilla)

BEST: Decent gravel roads, easy progress

WORST: Fast traffic

4-7 Days            NSW            3                Gundaroo to Wombeyan Caves

BEST: Towns and people

WORST: Some boring grazing land

4-7 Days            NSW            1                Bellbrook to Ebor via 3 National Parks return

BEST: What goes up must come down

WORST: Narrow roads and traffic

4-7 Days            NSW            2                Ebor to Glen Innes

BEST: Mann River

WORST: Washed out in parts, I was uncomfortable

4-7 Days            NSW            2                Tenterfield to Killarney

BEST: The national parks , the heritage

WORST: Camping spots can be crowded

7-14 Days            NSW            2                Wallerawang to Scone

BEST: Variety of terrain, the people

WORST: Private property transversing

7-14 Days            NSW            1                Walcha to Armidale via Bellbrook

BEST: Plenty to see, very unique, the people

WORST: Traffic, isolated (but that's good!)

7-14 Days            NSW            2                Kempsey to Tenterfield via Bellbrook/Glen Elgin

BEST: Terrain, camping spots

WORST: 2 big climbs

1 Month            VIC            1                Healsville to Jindabyne

BEST: It's long and wicked

WORST: It's long and wicked, but I'd do it again

1 Month            NSW            2                Canberra to Scone (via Lithgow)

BEST: History, diversity of land use and leaving Canberra

WORST: A lot of riding not in national parks

1 Month            NSW            2                Lithgow to Armidale

BEST: The big climbs are well spaced

WORST: It's a bloody long way on the map.

1 Month            NSW            4                Walcha to Boonah

BEST: The national parks

WORST: Doing your last big descent at Teviot

1 Month            NSW            2                Armidale to Brisbane or Toowoomba

BEST: The places and people

WORST: Some long similar stretches

3 Months            ALL            4                Healsville to Brisbane or Toowoomba

BEST: A well rounded trek

WORST: Distance between supplies

3 Months            QLD            4                Toowoomba to Cooktown

BEST: It's all in the best state of OZ!

WORST: Heat and water availability

6 Months            ALL            4                Healsville to Cooktown (the full trail)

BEST: Your life changes

WORST: Having to finish.

Note the suggested start/finish locations - go the opposite direction if you choose, but remember the other worst may become the best ...and the new worst may not be mentioned!

For information on traveling in the opposite direction (North to South) you may wish to read about/contact others who will have completed the whole trail from Cape York to Melbourne.

MY FAVOURITE SPOTS

This collection of locations deserve a special mention. They are the places that I found to be absolutely unreal for one reason or the other. Some are places to just simply be/visit - whether it be for the scenery, the locals, or the the feel of the place. Some are actual rides.  (Listed from south to north.)

1. Mt Terrible and Lazarini's Spur (VIC) - You wanna learn to push your bike? Go here. Feel the pain. Taste the lactate.

2. Kelly's Hut (N of Licola, VIC) - Mind the rats, but take a trip back 150 years and feel like a free settler.

3. The Pinnacles (SW of Dargo, VIC) - Hang about on top of the world then ride down Billy Goats Track (you'll need a new tyre and brake pads after this 10km rocky descent).

4. Dargo (VIC) - Country hospitality at its best. Stay in a cabin at the pub and have some meals there. Megan's soup is just the best.

5. Tom Groggin (SW of Thredbo, NSW/VIC border) - A multitude of tracks to ride around. Ride to Thredbo and back - a killer of a climb, and then avoid the loose gravel on the fast descent.

6. Tolbar Rd to Providence Portal (Lake Eucumbene, NSW) - I want you to suffer too.

7. Gundaroo (NSW) -  A unique little town. Have a pizza, check out Wayne's bike shed and read the street signs.

8. Wombeyan Caves (NE of Taralga, NSW) - A top tourist spot. Great caves. Tranquil surrounds. Not crowded.

9. Wolgan Gorge/Gardens of Stone N.P. (N of Wallerawang, NSW) -  B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L. Super MTBing and views to boot. Private property at the north end though.

10. Glenbawn Dam (E of Scone, NSW) - Set up camp for a while, bring all your tools of fun. Apparently there are fish there too.

11. Aspley Falls (E of Walcha, NSW) - Big falls, big gorge, big rocks. Top camping spot. It does get cold however. Limited bike riding unless you have a parachute.

12. Werrikimbe N.P. (NW of Port Macquarie, NSW) - Anywhere in this N.P. is worth a good look. The water's clear, fresh, divine to drink and cold. The riding's unreal and safe.

13. New England and Cathedral Rock N.P. (E of Armidale, NSW) - Well worth exploring. Tranquillity at altitude with variety in vegetation.

14. Bald Rock N.P. (N of Tenterfield, NSW) -  I can say nothing negative about this place. Go out of the way to see South Bald Rock. Nature at its best everywhere you look. 

15. Browns Falls (NE of Killarney, QLD) - Don't miss it. It's in there. Keep walking up the creek.

16. Teviot Brook (SW of Aratula, QLD) - A really nice place to hang about and camp near. There's not a lot there - it's just simple and tranquil.