Get Stoked at Thredbo This Summer

Thredbo is known affectionately as a birthplace of Australian downhill mountain biking. 30 years on from the first tyres hitting the slopes of Mt Kosciuszko, Thredbo Mountain Biking remains one of the hottest destinations of summer. 

For the 2025/2026 season, Thredbo have launched a bunch of new trails for the smallest senders and green-trail warriors, to those looking for huge airtime. Thredbo have also announced a brand new partnership with Specialized Bikes, including a rental fleet with Specialized Stumpjumper 15 EVO, Specialized Status 170 and Specialized Status DH bikes on offer. 

With season-long Gravity Passes on offer, a range of off-the-bike activities accessible within the village and cafes and restaurants to keep you fed and caffeinated, we can argue that Thredbo is one of the best mountain biking holiday propositions for the active family. 

Fresh Thredbo Mountain Biking Trails

1. Slayground
2. Ricochet
3. Grasshopper
4. Home Run

The crew at Thredbo are committed to keeping the park fresh and maintained, perfect for the repeat offender year on year to refine their lines on existing trails while exploring some of the newer additions. This year, the trail crew have added a new intermediate jumps trail, realigned a few favourites and even flagged the launch of a brand new, super technical double-black line.

Slayground 

Slayground (yass, queen!) is Thredbo’s newest intermediate jumps trail, following on from the success of the Bobshred jumps trail launched last season. From the Cruiser chairlift, Slayground follows the Playground ski run. When linked from Paparazzi, Slayground will offer some of the park’s most fun-filled lap combos yet. A great option to chill out with some party trains and perfect for those newer to airtime to refine their skills.

Ricochet

The iconic Ricochet trail now drops straight in from the top of Gunbarrel Chair. The new entry packs in fast, flowing features before connecting back with the original line. Ricochet has always been a bit of a sleeper trail, requiring a bit of a traverse across the mountain to ride, so the new alignment allows maximum fun right from the start.

Grasshopper

Intersecting with Paparazzi or Slayground, Grasshopper trail has had a redesign of its upper section, enabling more trail speed and smoother flow. From the Slayground intersection, riders can either keep the airtime rolling into low-intermediate jumps towards Sidewinder or loop back to Cruiser base on a fresh new trail section.

Home Run 

Home Run is back, offering another option to ride from Merritts Gondola mid-station to the Valley Terminal, with a new lower re-route bringing you past the Alpine Coaster. This allows a few options for the return trip to the main village.

Friday Flat Skills & Progression Zone

Friday Flat is soon to launch a new skills-based trail network that links back to Gunbarrel chairlift. This area will be used for all BikeSchool lessons, and a great option for riders to build confidence before hitting the bigger lines.

New Double Black Diamond DH Track

Not fond of flow and craving raw gnar? Thredbo have flagged the construction of Thredbo’s gnarliest line yet, with shovels hitting soil this summer kicking off their gnarliest line yet. 

The new double black downhill track starts at the top of Merritts Gondola and charges down through the rugged terrain under the gondola lift line. This will give the park more depth for those travelling with downhill bikes. Thredbo claims that the trail will be jam-packed with raw rock features and serious tech, making it the ultimate test for advanced riders.

Not Just a Bike Park

Once upon a time, Cannonball was the only Thredbo mountain biking option. Fast forward to 2025 and the mountain features trails for all riders – from beginners to international downhill weapons. What makes Thredbo special, however, is how the park and its surroundings cater for everyone. 

For families with younger kids, a day spent off the trails at Thredbo Leisure centre can tick the box, and is a great option for poor weather. With a pool and waterslide, it’s a great option to burn some energy. For older kids, Thredbo launched the new Alpine Coaster last summer, and is a new way to experience the park while fulfilling the adrenaline junkie’s needs. 

For a slower pace, there are a range of bucket-list hikes in the region, a golf course and even tennis, and a range of cafes and restaurants to keep any non-riding friends and family happy.

Gravity Pass is Back!

The best way to get on the chairlift this year is to book online. As one of the only chairlift-assisted bike parks in the country, it’s something every mountain biker should experience – a world away from a muddy shuttle bus.

You can save up to 35% on your booking by purchasing tickets online, early, but if organisation isn’t your forte, you can still save 10% on adult ticket prices on the same day when you book online compared to the window price. 

If you’re planning a huge summer of sending at Thredbo for the 2025/2026 season, the best option is the Gravity Pass – which is also available with an earlybird discount. Winter Pass 2026 holders can also access a ‘summer upgrade’ saving them up to 25% on their Gravity Pass. 

What’s the value of a day on the chairlift?

While some may baulk at the cost of a week of Thredbo mountain biking chairlift access, but when you consider the value proposition – it makes sense.

Booking a single day pass a month out is $108 – and considering the park is open for 7 hours a day with four chairlift options. We reckon that with quick snacks and no long breaks you could do 20 laps and around 70km of descending goodness in a single day. That equates to less than $5.50 per uplift.

Of course, your body would feel completely broken after 20 laps at Thredbo, but it’s worth it. A great option after a huge day of runs would be to take your sore and tired body for a recovery swim at the Leisure Centre. For a small additional fee with your lift pass, you can get access to the Alpine Coaster, Leisure Centre, Pool, Golf and Tennis Court. All which are accessible with a short walk through the village. 

Overall, we think a day spent on the Thredbo chairlift is good value, especially when compared with many shuttle services around Australia. Sure, the chairlift is marginally more expensive than many of the larger shuttle operators around the high country (by only a few dollars), but with 7 hours of lift time and the four different chairlift options, the world is your oyster when it comes to exploring the mountain. Plus, the chairlift is efficient, fast and adds something special to a mountain bike trip. If you haven’t had a mountain biking holiday on the lifts, it’s a must for any keen mountain biker.

Racing snake? Love to Hike? There’s something for you!

Cannonball Festival remains one of Australia’s premiere mountain bike festivals, with a whole week of racing including the Australian Open Downhill. The week-long festival features a range of gravity-fuelled events from the Specialized All-Mountain Enduro to the Fox Flow Motion Cup and even the Oakley Pump Track Challenge. 

Race one or contend for the King and Queen of Cannonball by racing them all!

Thredbo has a range of events across summer, including hikes, fitness festivals, women’s rides, and gravity events – for more information, head to their website.