Last updated February 25, 2022
Ride Profile
A short loop north of Orange. Includes a few punchy climbs and scenic, quiet eucalypt lined roads. Heads out towards Clergate then East to Ophir Road before heading back in to town passing Suma Park Dam and Banjo Paterson park.
The road condition is rough in places, particularly the flat section on Ophir Rd after the downhill. The climb up Mill Hill towards presents stunning views to the South East (see hero image at top).
Note: this route starts from the Botanic Gardens in North Orange rather than Elephant Park.
Watch for traffic between the Orange Tip and Northern Distributor (the top section of Mill Hill, after the climb), there is no shoulder on this section and it can be busy.
Watch Out For
Road Condition: As with most Orange roads, the condition varies. There is quite a lot of patching on this route. Ophir Road is quite rough in places with bitumen sprayed over a potholed surface without repair. The rest of the route is OK.
Traffic: A quiet-ish route for the most part, but it does get busier close to town (see note above).
Variations / Extensions
Banjo Paterson Way Climb: Turn left at the 17km mark up Banjo Paterson way to add on a roughly 8min (3.7km at 2.3%) out-and-back climb to the loop, turn at the top and descend back down to Ophir Road.
