The Murray to Mountains Rail Trail
The Murray to Mountains rail trail is a well-known, popular rail trail in this scenic north eastern part of Victoria. Surrounded by mountains, bushland and farms, the trail follows the old railway lines, linking Bright, Wangaratta, Beechworth and Yackandandah. The rail trail passes through historic towns where you can learn about Gold rush history and sample gourmet foods and wine.
In 2021 a new trail opened between Bright and Harrietville called the Great Valley Bike Path. This is not technically part of the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail but offers a further 27km of sealed off-road cycling along the Ovens river through forests and farmland.
The Murray to Mountains Rail Trail and Great Valley Bike Path are ideal destinations for a family bike riding adventure. They are suitable for all ability levels; the route is reasonably flat except for the section from Everton to Beechworth, and has a smooth, well-maintained surface. The frequent towns along the route mean that food, water and accommodation are plentiful and stops can be planned depending on how far you would like to ride each day.
Ride facts
| Total distance: | 116km (Murray to Mountains Rail Trail) and 27km (Great Valley Bike Path) |
| Number of days: | 2-5 depending on the route and fitness levels |
| Type of trail: | Rail trail, mostly smooth bitumen with sections of gravel and compacted earth |
| Difficulty level: | Easy |
| Highlights: | Mountain scenery, history, including Gold rush history and architecture in Beechworth, gourmet food, wineries, the Ovens river |
Planning and essential information
Accommodation: There are plenty of accommodation options in all the main towns along the route.
Water, supplies and facilities: The trail passes through towns where you can fill up your water bottles and stop for lunch or stock up on snacks. There are also water stations along the trail.
Navigation: The trail is well-marked.
Essential equipment: This bike ride is suitable for most types of bikes. Other essential items are a helmet, basic bike repair and first aid kit.
When to go: Summer can be hot in this area, and the winters are cold. The ideal time would be Spring to early Summer or Autumn. The stunning display of Autumn leaves makes this my favourite time to visit.
More information at:
Suggested Itinerary:
Ideally this ride would start in Yackandandah or Beechworth and finish in Bright or Harrietville. There is a fast 15km downhill section between Beechworth and Everton.
This would be my recommended itinerary aiming for 30-50km a day making it an easy ride.
Day 1: Yackandandah or Osbournes flat to Beechworth (25-32km)
Day 2: Beechworth to Wangaratta (42km)
Day 3: Wangaratta to Myrtleford (50km)
(Alternative option is Beechworth directly to Myrtleford (44km) to make this a 4 day ride)
Day 4: Myrtleford to Bright (30km)
Day 5: Bright to Harrietville (27km)
What we did:
The Murray to Mountains rail trail was our first experience of multi-day bike riding as a family. The children were 5 and 7 years old and we also had grandparents along for the ride! The holiday was planned with a few days in Bright at the start, including day rides from Bright, and 3 days riding from Bright to Beechworth. We were unsure how far the children would want to ride in a day so kept the distances low with plenty of activities and snacks along the way. The short distances allowed us to ride back to get the car each afternoon so we didn’t have to carry our belongings. This was a great introduction to the idea of bike touring and suited everyone; the kids and grandparents could relax at the accommodation in the afternoon, swim or spend time in a park, and we could ride the extra distance back to the car. We also had no restrictions on the amount of luggage as we didn’t have to carry it. Each day we packed snacks, drinking water, swimmers, sunscreen and hats.
Day 1: Bright to Myrtleford (32km)
Bright is a lovely town on the Ovens river. The river is popular for swimming in Summer and there is a splash park and kids playground nearly. Bright is a great base for exploring the surrounding national parks and has a great foodie scene with local produce and excellent cafes and restaurants as well as wineries, a distillery and a brewery.
In Bright we stayed at the High Country Motor Inn which was simple but comfortable. It was perfect for our needs at the time, with family rooms, a pool and play area. The rooms opened up to a grassy, shady garden where the children could play away from the cars, which were parked on the outside of the complex.
The motel was also close to the rail trail to start our ride on day one. With young kids in tow we had many stops along the way including morning tea in Porepunkah with a play in the park, horse patting, tree climbing, and lunch in Ovens, before arriving in Myrtleford.
In Myrtleford we stayed at Motel on Alpine which had comfortable family rooms and a pool.
Day 2: Myrtleford to Everton (25km)
This was another day of easy riding along the lovely rail trail. There are no towns between Myrtleford and Everton so a picnic lunch was necessary. Everton is a small town but does have a pub for lunch/dinner.
We stayed at the Everton Caravan Park which was disappointing.
Day 3: Everton to Beechworth (20km)
The children were tired by day 3 so they didn’t ride this day but my husband and father were keen. This part of the rail trail is mostly uphill but not too steep. We drove to Beechworth and cycled back along the trail to meet them.
At Beechworth we stayed at the Beechworth Carriage Motor Inn.