Canberra Centenary Trail

Listed in Civic, Canberra, the Canberra Centenary Trail is a 138-kilometre, self-guided route for walkers, runners and cyclists. The shared-use loop links urban and rural parts of the ACT, combining well-known Canberra places with quieter landscapes and less familiar sites. It is multi-directional, so you can complete it in sections over several days or take on the full circuit as one long adventure. The published options include a seven-day walk averaging just over 20 kilometres a day, a three-day ride averaging just over 45 kilometres a day, or a one-day endurance challenge.

The trail offers a broad mix of scenery and points of interest. Sections run from Parliament House to Watson, through to the Northern Border Campsite, Hall Village, Black Mountain, Stromlo Forest Park, Pine Island and back to Parliament House. Along the way, visitors can see landscapes significant to Ngunnawal people, views across Canberra and its surrounding hills, remnants of the region’s rural history, the National Arboretum’s forests and gardens, and nature reserves protecting native ecological communities and species. The trail is on Ngunnawal Country, with the site acknowledging the enduring cultural, social, environmental, spiritual and economic connection Ngunnawal people have with the land and waters.

Cyclists can expect a combination of sealed cycle path, gravel management trail and single track. Most of the route is maintained as an easy mountain-biking trail and is suitable for electric mountain bikes, regular mountain bikes and gravel bikes, although some steep sections may require riders to dismount. The Northern and Southern sections are maintained at an intermediate mountain-bike grade. Trail heads provide signage, nearby parking and public toilets, while directional posts offer limited guidance. Downloadable maps and GPS files are available, including georeferenced PDFs that can be used with offline mapping applications when mobile reception is unreliable.

You do not need to commit to the whole route to enjoy it. The website lists shorter walks including Kambah Pool to Red Rocks Gorge Lookout, One Tree Hill Summit, the Mount Ainslie Loop and the Mount Arawang Loop, with distances ranging from 3.5 to 9 kilometres return. These walks include river scenery, hilltop views, bushland, wildlife-spotting opportunities and, in places, steps or short steep sections. The trail suits active solo visitors, walking or cycling groups and anyone wanting a structured way to explore Canberra outdoors. Before setting out, check weather and alerts, plan around your ability, carry water and a map, arrange transport if needed, and check route restrictions, including closures during total fire bans or poor weather.