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Railway Reserves Heritage Trail, Perth Hills Railway Reserves Heritage Trail, Perth Hills

Bush Walk

(+4)
Equestrian, Gravel, Rail Trail, Touring
 in Perth & Surrounds

Part of John Forrest National Park network
  • Full day
  • 41 km
    • Bush Walk Class 4

      Difficult trail with rough surface that may have very steep hills or extensive rock hopping. Directional signage may be limited. Bushwalking experience, navigation and emergency first aid skills, and good fitness required.

The Railway Reserves Heritage Trail traces the path of the old Eastern Railway, offering a unique 41km loop entirely on railway formations. This scenic trail winds through charming hills communities like Mundaring, Darlington, and Parkerville, showcasing a variety of terrains and providing stunning views, along with numerous historical and natural points of interest.

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The Railway Reserves Heritage Trail begins at Sculpture Park in Mundaring, 30km northeast of Perth, but can be accessed from multiple points along the way.

Stretching 41km from Bellevue in the west to Wooroloo in the east, the trail is perfect for walkers, cyclists, and horse riders (note: animals are excluded from the section passing through John Forrest National Park). You can also enjoy shorter half-day sections if preferred.

Key highlights along the trail include the Swan View Railway Tunnel, Mundaring Sculpture Park, the Goldfields Pipeline, picnic areas, historic taverns and cafes, as well as stunning scenery and seasonal waterfalls.

Most points along the trail are accessible by road and the track is signposted with distances, interpretive trailheads and traffic crossings. The Railway Reserves Heritage Trail brochure, available from Perth Hills Mundaring Visitor Centre, contains a map, as well as distance and elevation charts making it easy to plan your journey.

Additional information is available on the Railway Reserves Heritage Trail website.

Mundaring Parks and Wildlife Office

(08) 9290 6100

Perth Hills Mundaring Visitor Centre

(08) 9290 6645

National Parks

Other Links

Expand your trip and enjoy great businesses nearby

Parkerville Tavern

Situated in the Perth Hills, on the doorstep of John Forrest National Park, The Parkerville Tavern is a great Western Australian favourite. Enjoy the ambience of Perth's best beer garden.

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Off The Beaten Track WA

Off The Beaten Track WA (OTBT) is Perth’s leading premier Hiking Experience & Adventure Tour operator, providing guests with over 70 safe, fun, inclusive experiences in a fully supported environment.

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Be trail ready for Railway Reserves Heritage Trail, Perth Hills

Here is everything you need to know before visiting this trail.

Time / Duration

Time depends on mode of transport and length of section chosen

Length

41km loop

Elevation

Gentle hills

Trail Start

Multiple entry points on trail. Recommend start point at Sculpture Park, Mundaring (ample parking), 30km (45 minutes) north east of Perth

Get directions

Trail End

Bush Walk

Class 4

Difficult trail with rough surface that may have very steep hills or extensive rock hopping. Directional signage may be limited. Bushwalking experience, navigation and emergency first aid skills, and good fitness required.

Visit Trail Tips for further information.

Additional information

The rating of Grade 4 for hikers is due to the length of the trail

What To Pack

Hazards & Warnings

Slow down when approaching roads.

Safety

Group C items if cycling.

Facilities

Maps and trail information available from the Perth Hills Mundaring Visitor Centre.

  • BBQ Facilities
  • Cafe
  • Picnic Area
  • Public Toilet
  • Shop
  • Water Access Points
  • Dog Friendly
  • Child Activities
  • Shaded Area
  • Sheltered Area
  • All accessible toilet facilities
  • Accessible BBQ facilities

Best time of year

April to November

Trail Access

Road or Bus

Prohibited Items

Dogs on a lead and horses permitted except in John Forrest National Park.

More tips for being Trail Ready
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16 trail goers have rated Railway Reserves Heritage Trail, Perth Hills as 4.31 out of 5!

We love to hear from people who've been on our Western Australian trails, so it would be most appreciated it if you wanted to leave a review.

Mark Law-Davis

Reviewed 27 Jan 2023, 8:06am

Great bike trail, not too steep and plenty of places for a stop, even a drink. So many things to see along the way and plenty of room for walkers and bikes. Completed 3 times now looking forward to doing it again.
Erin Glew

Reviewed 17 Jan 2021, 10:12am

My husband and I really love walking these trails, they are great for all fitness levels. The only thing you need to look out for are cyclists who by large, unfortunately seem to lack the courtesy of slowing down or using their bells for trail hikers, which can really detract from the experience.
Mohamed Ghonem

Reviewed 10 Aug 2019, 8:11pm

My first time to do it today, amazing trail, took me 3.5 hours, the up hill was a bit hard but enjoyed every moment.
David Harrowfield

Reviewed 2 Jun 2019, 11:55am

This is a great trail for walkers and riders. It's always in excellent condition and there is plenty to see along the way. The best part in my opinion is the section between Swanview and Parkerville, overlooking Jane Brook and its waterfalls.
Rebecca Velkoski

Reviewed 30 Oct 2017, 10:20am

Such a beautiful ride! Did the whole loop which took me roughly 3.5hrs by bike with a couple of pit stops for photos and snacks. Started at Swanview and rode in a clockwise direction. Incline is ever so slight, but was knackered by the end so will probably start in Bellevue next time to avoid that last little climb! Took a map with me but the track is easy to follow, with plenty of markers along the way. Plenty of water fountains along the way too which surprised me.
Suzie Griffith

Reviewed 14 Oct 2017, 2:30pm

The BIKE: Did this anti-clockwise as hills first. Started at Swan View. Took 2.5 hours and was my first proper MTB trail so if I can do this at that "speed" then anyone can!!! Such an awesome trail.

PS. I meant to give the walk a 5* but didn't change the automatic 3*
Suzie Griffith

Reviewed 14 Oct 2017, 2:28pm

The Hike: We started at John Forrest with the intention of having a well deserved pint at the Tavern at the end!! (great idea except the park entry fee was $12)They do brekkie apparently. We started at 7.30am clockwise and stopped for coffee at Mount Helena, lunch (20km / half way mark) at Mundaring (and blister fix from chemist as well as Coles, etc. Few places for a bought lunch). Coffee at Glen Forrest (30km) and home run to the tavern. Was the most amazing day. Great scenery. Lovely people to chat to enroute. Lots of bikes come soaring past you so be careful. Not many toilets. Water refills at start but not much else unless through towns. I bought a 1L bottle and was fine. Not much incline or decline. Very easy walk with gravel underfoot. It was the length that is the challenge. An hour's car ride. Longer than a marathon (we clocked 44.3km) and the length of time. We finished at 7.20pm which included stops so 12 hours in total. But the actual walk took 8.5 hours. I would absolutely recommend it but my friend had only walked 15km max so was very tough for him. In fact he lost a toenail! I am a big walker and walk 6-18km regularly so 44km whilst a challenge, was no big deal the next day except for a couple of blisters. I would do this again at the drop of a hat. Absolutely not in summer / heat due to the length you are on the trail. You must start early to be back before dark. We walked a good pace. I think 8-10 hours would be reasonable. I still have yet to meet anyone who has walked this far in one day. It truly is an amazing thing to do. Oh and another tip: Do it with someone who won't whine about length of time and someone who has good conversation!!!!
Alex Lowe

Reviewed 28 May 2017, 6:37pm

This trail is a great beginner trail. Mostly flat gravel through the entire 50 km's. I started in Bellevue and worked my to north of the trail. I believe this is best way as you get good practice and speed on the return trip. A great place to get used to gravel riding and learning to control your bike at higher speeds. Also - look for 4 - 5 smaller skill trackers on the side of this trail, they are great to play on as well. Very fun trail, just remember the food because the gradual incline of the ride will wear on your quickly!
Robert Daniell

Reviewed 20 Feb 2017, 12:55am

Whats happening about the dog problem around Darlington ? On a few occasions I have encountered dogs off leads and not in contol by owners ?
Bree Smolinski

Reviewed 16 Feb 2017, 4:08pm

Wonderful ride through the Perth Hills! There's easy vehicle access points along the entire trail, so it's easy to pick and choose where to start and finish.
There's a wonderful variety of scenery - I particularly loved the old railway tunnels and bridges, as well as the sweeping views in Boya. Whether you complete it all at once or break it into smaller sections, the Railway Reserves Heritage Trail is excellent ride for nature lovers of all skill levels.
Leanne Pearce

Reviewed 25 Sep 2016, 7:58pm

Fantastic bush trail close to the city with plenty of options to complete the sections and cafe as well as a pub stop along the way! Part of the trail goes through John Forest National Park and there's scenic views, an old rail tunnel, bridges and waterfalls in winter. Parking at Swan View and Mundaring sculpture park is good. This trail is a good introduction to off road cycling and also because of the loop it makes for good cross country training. Keep an eye out and you may see the odd Kangaroo. No singletrack action, just a mellow social relaxing chance to ride your bike! The trail also acts a nature corridor for the local wildlife to coexist in an urban area - this is special!
Nick Stenhouse

Reviewed 20 Apr 2016, 4:29pm

I really enjoyed this trail, we rode it in a clockwise direction it wasn't very technical, on wide rail trail gradually sloping up so it wasn't a difficult climb. Make sure you take a light if you want to ride through the tunnel! Got a bit lost going to Sawyers Valley but was easy enough to find the way back onto the trail. Great time of the year to ride it, saw lots of walkers and parks in the towns are full of kids! Pullled in for a coffee in Mundaring before a great descent back to the Bellevue RSL. A very leisurely 40+km with great scenery.
Colleen Smith

Reviewed 24 Aug 2015, 8:26pm

This is a lovely half day ride on a mostly gently trail. The southern side of the loop has some looshish pea gravel and a few washouts on it, but they are very manageable. I rode this in a clockwise direction which made for a gentle and steady up hill climb (north side), followed by an enjoyable downhill coast (south side). It is reasonably popular with walkers and the odd horse rider, so please expect to see them and be respectful and share the trail.
Chris C

Reviewed 14 Dec 2014, 5:23am

I have to disagree with the indication that this trail is somewhat lacking in excitement, or challenges for that matter. Im a firm believer that your experience of anything changes with both your skill level and what you are willing to get out of your ride. However, a cross country or downhill track this is not. It is simply a very enjoyable, long distance ride over mostly smooth and low grade gravel. But it is certainly not devoid of excitement. On my maiden run yesterday I did find an assortment of jumps, technical drops, lots of fast, 30-35 km/h downgrades, and even some scary out of control corners. They are there if you have the skill level and are willing to keep your eye open for them. Enjoy this for what it is - a fun day out on the bike rolling through lots of scenery.

Just as a side tip if you are not fully experienced in long distance rides make sure you are well prepared. Take at least 2 litres of water, puncture repairs, and chocoloate bars or energy gels. Know when to take your rest stops.
Tim Villa

Reviewed 24 Jul 2014, 2:56pm

40km of very basic low gradient rail trail is what you should expect here. Nothing technical, nothing challenging, but with many moments of breathtaking scenery (Hovea Falls in particular) and opportunities to stop for a coffee, lunch or a pint at John Forrest Tavern and Mounties (Mt Helena) on the north side or sundry other locations along the southern section. When ridden clockwise you have a nice long descent from Sawyers Valley to Bellevue which, if ridden counter clockwise, makes for a reasonable training loop with some effort required if you want to maintain a decent pace. You'll find little to excite you, but it's nonetheless a pleasant trail.
steve bennett

Reviewed 20 Mar 2014, 12:02pm

A favourite of mine is the Pechey Rd and 6kms east through the national park. Great view of Perth, waterfalls, jarrah forrest and the 400 m old railway tunnel.

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