Top Trail Trio

Top Trail Trio

 An epic off-road ride across Tai Lam Chung Country Park, the region’s mountain biking mecca with its extensive network of technical and cross-country trails.

This challenging 30-kilometer route takes in three of them, beginning with the Ho Pui trail, which you enter just off Route Twisk for a flowing descent under dense forest canopies over moderately technical terrain. Steep drop-offs flank some technical sections, so take care.

Next, a long road climb segues into our second trail, Tin Man. An epic downhill through narrow tree-lined sections, gnarly technical bits followed by a rapid descent through hairpin-after-hairpin corners. Steep in areas; if you’re a speed demon, it’s an adrenaline-filled flight that will have you gripping your handlebars in pure joy.

Tin Man exits onto the MacLehose Trail Section 10 for the final trail. A short road ride later, you’re on a cross-country ride down one side of Tai Lam Chung Reservoir. This trail is by far the easiest of the three, with enough challenges to suit most skill levels. The views around the reservoir are beautiful and are worth stopping for. Leaving the MacLehose trail behind and exiting the country park, you hit the tarmac for a 20-minute pedal to the Gold Coast resort for some well-earned post-ride refreshments.  

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DIRECTIONS

  1. Our first of three trails, Ho Pui, begins just off Route Twisk. Well known for its custom-built switchbacks, it descends rapidly under the park’s immense jungle canopy. For sure, it’s not a beginner’s trail, but most medium-level riders will enjoy the challenge.
  2. Carry on across Twisk Nature Trail, where the trail enters a delicious succession of switchbacks that rolls on for nearly 1 kilometer. Take extra care during the rainy season when tree roots and rocks become covered in slippery moss, and the trail is often very muddy.
  3. Go straight on, along a gradual descent of flow trail that’s flanked by terraces of dense forest rolling on with no end in sight. In between are little technical sections, some on the edge of sheer drops. Beyond this, some faster flow sections await where you can get on a good pace.
  4. You leave the Ho Pui trail for a 1.7-kilometer pedal along a contour trail, where technical sections throw up a challenge or two in places.
  5. Reaching the second set of steps on the left, haul your bike up to the top. Tight and steep, these stairs are not biker-friendly.
  6. At the top, a 1.6-kilometer road climb leads up to Tin Fu Tsai bike park entrance.
  7. Looking for a place to stop with a great view? A 40-meter ride up to Tin Fu Tsai Fire Lookout offers 180-degree views across Lam Tsuen Country Park and beyond.
  8. Tin Man, the second trail in our trio, begins with a few twists and turns before hurtling you down tight-winding corridors. The course is crammed full of berms and switchbacks that use up as much of the mountainside as possible. The result is a remarkable 3.5-kilometer-long white-knuckle ride that’s made it one of the most popular, action-packed descents in Hong Kong.
  9. Exiting right onto the MacLehose Trail, you’re en route to our final trail around Tai Lam Chung Reservoir. The path is suitable for beginners wanting to explore cross-country riding while being an excellent course for experienced riders wishing to clock up race times.
  10. Cross the bridge to enter the trail, where this smooth 5.6-kilometer cross-country trail begins. Immediately you’re off to a magical start through a bamboo plant-lined tunnel that winds on for a short while.
  11. The trail is straightforward, with the main obstacle being a set of steep steps at Tai Lam Waterfall. Narrow in places, it’s not entirely biker friendly.
  12. From there, less than 1 kilometer of the trail remains, where you exit onto an asphalt road and end with a 3-kilometer journey to the Gold Coast resort.

GALLERY