Grab your bike and check out the awesome trail signage on the Smithfield Trails. For those of you who’ve ridden the trails forever, now you’ll need to learn some of the original names. For those of you who haven’t ridden out there yet, time to get your bike, helmet and accessories and do do a loop of Greenfields, into Wobbegong, follow the ring road to Flat Snake and home again.
Please respect the trails during the wet season and if we do get heavy rain, stay off the trails and give them a chance to dry out. The Tablelands Trails at Atherton and Mareeba are some good alternate options if there is a lot of rain on the coast. Be respectful of trails conditions of trails and remember the IMBA Rules of the Trail,
1. Ride Open Trails -Respect trail and road closures
2. Leave No Trace – Be sensitive to the dirt beneath you
3. Control Your Bicycle: Inattention for even a moment could put yourself and others at risk. Ride within your limits.
4. Respect Wildlife and Livestock: Animals are easily startled by an unannounced approach
5. Plan Ahead: Know your equipment, your ability and the area in which you are riding
The trail gradings follow the IMBA Standard with the categories of;
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Green Circle– Easiest trails suitable for riders of all skill levelsTrails include : green frog, greenfields, ring road and flat snake |
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Blue Square– Intermediate trails with some technical features and a higher level of skill needed. Trails include : vemaas, reservoir, jacobs ladder, caterpillars, moranas, wobbegong, blue marlin, mp39, stumpies |
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Black Diamond– Intermediate to Advanced trails with more technical features. These trails are recommended for experienced and skilled ridersTrails include : black marlin, happys, myndas, whiskers o’flaherty and black snake |
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Double Black Diamond– Advanced trails with very technical features. Only recommended for highly experienced and skilled riders.Trails include : national and world cup dh courses, barramundi, croc slide, rodeo drop, cuss cuss and stingers |
Please note the section beyond myndas, (red ringer, blakey’s bluff and vines) is not signposted, so proceed with caution if you haven’t ridden these trails before.
For a full map of the Smithfield Trails, click this link. Please ride within your own ability and take care whenever you ride the trails.
Additional signage you will come across when riding at Smithfield includes
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Trail crossing ahead, please prepare to slow down and possibly give way to other riders. |
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Caution ahead which may include a trail crossing, trail merge or obstacle |
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Road crossing ahead, please take care. |
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Give way to other riders and possible vehicles. These will generally be with another sign indicating a trail or road crossing is ahead. |
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Give way to other riders at an approaching trail merge. The right of way will generally be to the riders who don’t have a clear line of sight at the trail merge. |
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Wrong way indicates you are riding against the flow of the trail. Nearly all trails at Smithfield are single direction. You are endangering yourself and other riders by riding trails in the wrong direction. |
Big thanks for Bernard from Visual Imaging and Glen Jacobs from World Trail for sorting this one out
