Mawson Trail & Parachilna- 942kms,+8257vm

Come and experience a changing landscape as we leave suburbia through the Adelaide Hills and head into country South Australia travelling to the Outback towns of Blinman & Parachilna in the Flinders Ranges. We will return to Adelaide on a bus service that caters for trail users and the bikes.

The trail includes little-used country roads, state forest and national park fire trails, farm access tracks and unmade or unused road reserves. It avoids traffic and bitumen roads as it passes through South Australia's remote rural areas and the Flinders Ranges.

The trail takes riders through the Adelaide Hills, traversing forests, farmland, and historic towns such as Lobethal and Birdwood. It passes the world-famous Barossa wine region to the mid-north towns of Kapunda, Claire, and Burra; and from here, winds through the towns of Hallett and Spalding, the Bundaleer Forest, Wilmington, Quorn, Hawker into the Flinders Ranges.

This is not an easy ride but spectacular views, abundant wildlife, unique flora, and extensive vistas are the rewards for your hard yakka and determination.

After the ride some us may take a half day or full day historic rail journey on the Pichi Richi Railway. Old steam trains depart regularly from Port Augusta and Quorn.
https://www.pichirichirailway.org.au

The Mawson Trail is designed for mountain/bikepacking/touring bikes with minimum 40mm touring/gravel/knobbly tyres (preferably tubeless).
Bikes to be well maintained and in good working order.
This trail is not suitable for road bikes.

Mawson Trail Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/32075552

This ride is open only to MBTC club members that are known to have previous touring experience, or are willing come out and get the experience before the ride.

We will keep up a reasonable pace according to the conditions on the day with the aim being to cover 60 - 100+kms per day.

Overnight stops will be a combo of roadside campgrounds, caravan parks, and pubs/motels.

Eating will be a combo of takeaway, pub/restaurant, and camp cooking.

You must carry all tools, spares, first aid kit, and any other equipment required for you or your group to be fully self sufficient.