Stromlo Forest Park (SFP) has long been a popular venue for trail and endurance riders. With over 1200 hectares of land to explore, choose from a selection of designated equestrian and shared trails. If you’re after a longer ride on quieter undulating trails, west SFP is ideal with plenty of interconnected trails and water available for horses. From an hour loop through to a full day out, there are trails suitable for all levels of users and plenty of bike-free areas. The West Stromlo trails are easily accessible from the horse float parking at the Uriarra Road car park.
The Park’s trails are integrated into the Bicentennial National Trail (BNT), the longest marked non-motorised, multi-use trekking route in the world, stretching an extraordinary 5,330kms from Cooktown in North Queensland, to Healesville in Victoria. The BNT links up with the ACT equestrian trail system to provide access from SFP to riding areas in north and south Canberra.
On shared use trails, please be aware of your surroundings and look out for other users. Equestrian users have right of way, however inexperienced users may not be familiar with horses so please be assertive. SFP is primarily bushland so please be aware of wildlife (especially snakes in the warmer months and unpredictable kangaroos). Carrying a personal first aid kit is highly recommended.
For those who are riding their horse to SFP, there are multiple entry points where you can access the Park on horseback. For more information, please see our park maps. For more information on horse riding in the ACT, please visit the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate website.
Horse float parking areas are located at the following locations:
These entrance gates are locked, but the combination is available through Access Canberra on 13 22 81. These are the only car parks to be used by horse floats.
Ongoing maintenance, trail improvements, events, and severe weather or environmental factors means that certain trails will periodically be closed.
The trails within the Park are used by mountain bikers, walkers and other users, and most of the fire trails are also designated equestrian trails for horse riding. Horse riders have right of way on the equestrian trails but we ask riders to remain aware, cautious and courteous at all times, particularly when crossing other trails. If you are new to the Park or it has been a while since your last visit, please familiarise yourself with our park safety and trail etiquette to ensure the safety of all users of the Park.
Distance: 4.5-5km
Loop 1 commences at the cavaletti from the Cotter Road or from Mount Stromlo Road. This short loop takes riders through the Blue Gums picnic area where there is a water trough, tie rails, picnic tables and a toilet block. The trail then ascends the eastern face of Mount Stromlo...
Distance: 10.8-11.8km
Loop 2 can start from either the western car park off Uriarra Road or from the cavaletti on Mount Stromlo Road and can be ridden in either direction. The western car park is ideal for riders bringing their horses into Stromlo Forest Park by float...
Distance: 5.8-7km
Loop 3 takes in most of the eastern side of Stromlo Forest Park. The trail enters the Park from either the Stromlo Road cavaletti or the Cotter Road cavaletti and takes you through the Blue Gums picnic area where there is a water trough, tie rails and toilets...