The best motorcycle roads around Hobart
Pinnacle Road on kunanyi / Mount Wellington, the Huon and Channel roads, and the quiet back roads south of Hobart: where to ride in Tasmania's capital.
Hobart sits between a mountain and a river, and the roads out of it go both ways: up kunanyi / Mount Wellington, and south into the Huon Valley and along the channel. It is one of the easiest capital cities in Australia to ride out of.
Up the mountain: Pinnacle Road
Pinnacle Road climbs from Fern Tree to the summit of kunanyi / Mount Wellington in a dense run of tight bends, with wide views over Hobart and the Derwent. The summit is cold and windy, and can close for snow or ice at short notice even in the warmer months, so check before you go. Ride it early: it is a popular tourist road.
Huon Road is the way up to Fern Tree from the city, a steady climb through bush that tightens as you gain height.
South: the Huon Valley and the channel
Channel Highway is the scenic one, running along the D’Entrecasteaux Channel between Cygnet and Huonville through orchards, with long bends rather than hairpins. It is a good road for a relaxed ride with stops for fruit and cider.
Pelverata Road is a quiet, winding back road over the hills between Sandfly and the valley, and a useful alternative to the main road south. Tinderbox Road is a short, tightly winding coastal road around the Tinderbox peninsula, and a good addition to a loop south of the city. Nicholls Rivulet Road, Woodbridge Hill Road and Cygnet Coast Road are quiet back roads through the hills and along the water between the Channel and the Huon. Further south, Esperance Coast Road winds along the water toward Dover, a long way from the city and rarely busy.
What to know before you go
- Weather. Conditions on the mountain differ a lot from the city. Carry layers.
- Fuel. Fill up in Hobart or Huonville; there is little between the towns.
- Wildlife. Dawn and dusk are risky on the back roads, especially for wallabies and wombats.
- Season. November to April is best.
Plan it
Drop pins in the app, choose curvy routing, and it builds a loop along the twistiest roads it can find. Download the offline map pack before you leave: coverage is patchy in the valley and on the mountain.
Questions riders ask
What is the best motorcycle road near Hobart?
Pinnacle Road up kunanyi / Mount Wellington is the best known and the tightest. For a relaxed ride, the Channel Highway through the Huon Valley is scenic with long bends, and Pelverata Road is a quiet back road with more corners.
Is Mount Wellington open for motorbikes in summer?
Usually yes, but the summit is cold and windy and can close for snow or ice at short notice, even outside winter. Check the road status before you go.
How long do I need to ride the Huon Valley?
A half day for the main loop from Hobart through Huonville and Cygnet, longer if you stop for fruit, cider and the water views.
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