Barnicoat Range Walkway runs along the top of Barnicoat Range between Marsden Valley and Richmond. The walkway allows half-day walks or 2-3 hour MTB rides, though most people only use part of the walkway to form shorter loops with other tracks at each of the respective Marsden Valley and Richmond ends.
| Details | |
| Distances (from Marsden Valley) | 3.1 km Marsden Valley car park to paragliding area; 6.1 km paragliding area to Richmond Fire Lookout; 3.3 km Richmond Fire Lookout to Easby Park |
| Time Required | 1 hr 15 min Marsden Valley car park to paragliding area; 2 hr paragliding area to Richmond Fire Lookout; 1 hr 15 min Richmond Fire Lookout to Easby Park |
| Trail Type | 4WD road/Walking track |
| Physical Difficulty | Moderate |
| Uses | Walking, trail running and MTB |
| Direction | Either |
| Start Elevation | 150 m (Marsden Valley) or 50 m (Easby Park) |
| Max Elevation | 605 m |
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Marsden Valley and Barnicoat Range
Barnicoat Road
Trail running and MTB
Glider Road
Walking, trail running and MTB
Jenkins Hill 4WD Road
Walking, trail running and MTB
Kingsland Forest
Walking, trail running and MTB
Silvan MTB Park
Trail running and MTB
Widdershins
Walking, trail running and MTB
5 min from Stoke
Barnicoat Walkway is a 5 minute drive from Stoke up Marsden Valley Rd. At the end of Marsden Valley Rd there is a car park on the right, just before the quarry. Here you will find an information panel with a map and details on trail times and distances.
Logging and high fire risk will close access.
From the car park, cross the footbridge over Poorman Stream and follow Piwakawaka Track as it connects to Glider Road. Follow Glider Road for 800 m to the signpost indicating the turnoff to Barnicoat Range Walkway, which climbs steeply from the left side of the road. The track climbs through pine forest then onto the crest of a spur, where it follows a powerline firebreak to a skid site near the top of the range (where Widdershins begins), at 580 m elevation. This section of the walkway between Glider Road and Widdershins is very steep and not really suited to uphill riding (use Glider Road instead). You can create a 9 km return circuit back to Marsden Valley car park from here by heading left along Widdershins, which connects to the uphill end of Involution.
To continue along Barnicoat Range Walkway, head right from the skid site along the forestry road to the paragliding area at the top of Glider Road. Climb over the stile on the fence on the left and follow the walkway as it descends, initially steeply, along the top of the range. The radiata pine on the western slopes of the range have grown to a height that prevents any view of the city, though there are good opportunities for views east toward Mt Malita and Mt Starveall on the Bryant Range. The road gradually descends to a saddle just east of Saxton Hill, then climbs gently to a turnoff that connects to the top of Silvan Trail Area. Richmond Fire Lookout is on the right 2.5 km from the saddle.
Descend into the saddle below the lookout and follow Heatons Road to a skid site, where Park Road drops steeply on the right to Big Skid. From Big Skid, follow Lookout Road all the way back to Easby Park.
Given the extensive track network on Barnicoat Range immediately behind Richmond, there area numerous other ways you can descend to Easby Park (refer to map).
Barnicoat Range Walkway runs along the top of Barnicoat Range between Marsden Valley and Richmond. The walkway allows half-day walks or 2-3 hour MTB rides, though most people only use part of the walkway to form shorter loops with other tracks at each of the respective Marsden Valley and Richmond ends.
| Details | |
| Distances (from Marsden Valley) | 3.1 km Marsden Valley car park to paragliding area; 6.1 km paragliding area to Richmond Fire Lookout; 3.3 km Richmond Fire Lookout to Easby Park |
| Time Required | 1 hr 15 min Marsden Valley car park to paragliding area; 2 hr paragliding area to Richmond Fire Lookout; 1 hr 15 min Richmond Fire Lookout to Easby Park |
| Trail Type | 4WD road/Walking track |
| Physical Difficulty | Moderate |
| Uses | Walking, trail running and MTB |
| Direction | Either |
| Start Elevation | 150 m (Marsden Valley) or 50 m (Easby Park) |
| Max Elevation | 605 m |
5 min from Stoke
Barnicoat Walkway is a 5 minute drive from Stoke up Marsden Valley Rd. At the end of Marsden Valley Rd there is a car park on the right, just before the quarry. Here you will find an information panel with a map and details on trail times and distances.
Logging and high fire risk will close access.
From the car park, cross the footbridge over Poorman Stream and follow Piwakawaka Track as it connects to Glider Road. Follow Glider Road for 800 m to the signpost indicating the turnoff to Barnicoat Range Walkway, which climbs steeply from the left side of the road. The track climbs through pine forest then onto the crest of a spur, where it follows a powerline firebreak to a skid site near the top of the range (where Widdershins begins), at 580 m elevation. This section of the walkway between Glider Road and Widdershins is very steep and not really suited to uphill riding (use Glider Road instead). You can create a 9 km return circuit back to Marsden Valley car park from here by heading left along Widdershins, which connects to the uphill end of Involution.
To continue along Barnicoat Range Walkway, head right from the skid site along the forestry road to the paragliding area at the top of Glider Road. Climb over the stile on the fence on the left and follow the walkway as it descends, initially steeply, along the top of the range. The radiata pine on the western slopes of the range have grown to a height that prevents any view of the city, though there are good opportunities for views east toward Mt Malita and Mt Starveall on the Bryant Range. The road gradually descends to a saddle just east of Saxton Hill, then climbs gently to a turnoff that connects to the top of Silvan Trail Area. Richmond Fire Lookout is on the right 2.5 km from the saddle.
Descend into the saddle below the lookout and follow Heatons Road to a skid site, where Park Road drops steeply on the right to Big Skid. From Big Skid, follow Lookout Road all the way back to Easby Park.
Given the extensive track network on Barnicoat Range immediately behind Richmond, there area numerous other ways you can descend to Easby Park (refer to map).
Marsden Valley and Barnicoat Range
Barnicoat Road
Trail running and MTB
Glider Road
Walking, trail running and MTB
Jenkins Hill 4WD Road
Walking, trail running and MTB
Kingsland Forest
Walking, trail running and MTB
Silvan MTB Park
Trail running and MTB
Widdershins
Walking, trail running and MTB
Updated 14 August 2021