Course Info
2024 Course Overview
Who's excited for four days of the best trails and terrain around?
Each day’s stage has its own unique terrain and character to keep things interesting with a mix of fast flowing single tracks, farm trails, groomed downhill runs and fire trails – many through private land that can only be ridden while racing the Reef to Reef.
The 2024 course overview is below! 2024 stages have changed around a little this year, with the addition of a fun new stage in Atherton Forest Mountain Bike Park. Each of the other 3 stages however are similar in nature to previous years, with a few fun new additions and tweaks to keep you on your toes! *Courses are subject to change*, so keep checking back to ensure you know what you're in for.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Reef to Reef courses can only be ridden in their full format at event time. Local heroes open up their gates and allow access to their private land for the R2R riders as the event benefits the community in so many ways. Please respect private property and make sure we are able to continue accessing these tracks by not pre-riding the course.
Terrain Overview
Cycle Trail/Single Track
Cycle Trails are purpose built and are a smaller version of a gravel road, with smooth hard packed riding surface. Single Track are purpose built trails to allow the rider to enjoy berms, with fast and flowy corners. Generally a hard packed dirt surface.
4WD/Farm Track
Typically formed for 4WD vehicles on farm properties, these tracks are largely comfortable surface track with some grass, rocks and ruts.
Sealed Road
A standard road with bitumen seal which creates a smooth and fast low friction surface.
Gravel Road
This is a standard gravel road, generally smooth with small aggregate used on the surface.
2024 Stage Details
* All courses are subject to change up until race morning briefing.
DAY 1 - Prologue
START & FINISH: Smithfield MTB Park
DISTANCE: 4.9km
ELEVATION GAIN: 140m
A world cup mountain bike track seems like as good a place to start as any.
Located just 20 minutes drive north of Cairns Airport, Day 1 - Prologue returns to the iconic Smithfield Mountain Bike Park where you'll tackle a snippet of world class single track, steep climbs and fast, flowing descents, with minimal fire trails. This stage is an opportunity to blow out the cobwebs while also being a nice little intro into what’s to come over the following 3 days.
DAY 2 - Stage 1
Start & Finish: Smithfield Mountain Bike Park
Distance: 30.2km
Elevation Gain: 964m
All the single trailers, all the single trailers…
Stage 2 will return to Cairns' closest and most iconic mountain bike trails - Smithfield Mountain Bike Park. However on this day, you’ll be treated to hard-packed single trail sections that wind through scrubby bushland and granite-lined gullies. Again, Smithfield offers the fun stuff, with minimal fire trails in between = the perfect time for a great adventure out in the forests of Tropical North Queensland. And although we’ve thrown in some punchy climbs, your reward after two laps of this forest's 15.1km route could be an adrenalin pumping Giant Swing or perhaps even a Bungee Jump at AJ Hackett's Sky Park, if you have the energy to launch some more.
Got that? TWO Laps of this course will be on the cards for this stage = 15.1km loop x 2 laps = 30.2km total
DAY 3 - Stage 2
Start & Finish: Atherton Forest Mountain Bike Park
Distance: 62.6km
Elevation Gain: 1592m
Head south-east of Cairns an hour and a half and you'll arrive at some of the most incredible rainforests on the planet in the tableands of Atherton. Creek crossings, stunning views and a slightly longer than last year's loop of 62.6kms. Not unlike the previous day's stage, this 31.3km loop is going to be doubled, but for adventure seekers out there, this one is also largely single track, with minimal fire road in between. Prepare yourself for the significant increase in elevation this day. This one will get the leg and heart muscles pumping, so massage therapists will be at the ready at the finish line to ease those tender aches.
Note: Stay tuned for link to GPX file, coming soon...
DAY 4 - Stage 3
Start: Mount Molloy
Finish: Port Douglas
Distance: 44.4km
Elevation Gain: 292m
Bumpety bump...
It's all about that finish line feeling but getting to the beach at Port Douglas takes you across and down some of the coolest trails. Cattle and cane country give way to a final blast through the fire trailed rainforests. Then it’s down, down, down the famous groomed Bump Track. Popping out on to a few quiet roads, then leads you to the last hard packed sandy stretch up Four Mile Beach, which will live long in your memory (and legs)… and the finish line in front of the Port Douglas Surf Club will cap off an epic four days of riding. Now it’s time to sit back, relax, grab a burger and a beer and celebrate!
Note: Stay tuned for link to GPX File, coming soon...
