more stats
4,524 ft
Distance
120 ft
Climb
-610 ft
Descent
00:06:45
Avg time
-490 ft
Altitude change
236 ft
Altitude min
741 ft
Altitude max
726 ft
Altitude start
236 ft
Altitude end
-10.8%
Grade
-60.4%
Grade max
28.7%
Grade min
1,175 ft
Distance climb
2,858 ft
Distance down
492 ft
Distance flat
00:06:45
Avg time

Taipan Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
  • Riding Area
  • Difficulty Rating
  • Voted Difficulty
    Double Black Diamond (1 vote)
  • Local Popularity
    80 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 70 in E-Biking
  • Global Ranking
    #37660 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #38866 in E-Biking
  • National Ranking
    #1,811 in Mountain Biking · Australia [+]
    • #2,749 in E-Biking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    DH, AM
  • Physical Rating
    Hard
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • TTFs on Trail
    Berm, Bridge, Drop, Jump, Rock Face, Rock Garden
  • Year Opened
    2014

Taipan is fast and a credit to the trail builder. It's a gem amongst the Douglas Trail network and contains several Double Black features but all have ride arounds. Fast upper section leading into rock drops, mammoth turning rock gardens and further down some flowy berms and jumps. Keep an eye out for jump and drop features in the mid section that you don't have to do but make the trail more challenging when you find them. There are also some alternate lines around the bigger rock features.

Access Info

Starts From spiderbait but is often rolled into from the summit via Long way for better flow into the first section.

Trail Supporters


  • Grant Cooper

    since 2016
    Maintainer

  • Chris Browning

    since 2015
    Maintainer
  • Andrew Davis
    since 2016
    Maintainer
  • Stuart Kilroy
    Maintainer
  • past supporters

Local Trail Association

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 3 rides
  • 5 miles average
6 Months
  • 46 rides
  • 7 miles avg distance
All
  • 202 rides
  • Last: Oct 22, 2026
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update trails status or condition

Taipan Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Feb 25, 2025 @ 3:11pm
Feb 25, 2025
Jan 3, 2025 @ 8:58pm
Jan 3, 2025
Mar 8, 2024 @ 8:09pm
Mar 8, 2024
Mar 18, 2023 @ 3:40am
Mar 18, 2023
Has been trimmed and 90% raked. Just need some tyres down it to get the last of the loose grass off! Get up there and SEND IT!
May 26, 2022 @ 4:53pm
May 26, 2022
more »
Status:
on Feb 25, 2025
Wet
Avg: 4.36 (13 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (4,114)
close
      Directions to taipan trailhead (-19.335230, 146.743550)

      Photos

      63 more »
      mtb
      183 |
      Nov 25, 2020 @ 4:27am
      Nov 25, 2020
      mtb
      225 |
      Jun 24, 2020 @ 3:19am
      Jun 24, 2020
      mtb
      111 |
      Apr 21, 2020 @ 11:41pm
      Apr 21, 2020
      mtb
      117 |
      Apr 21, 2020 @ 11:41pm
      Apr 21, 2020

      Videos

      5 more »
      youtuber Ticking off a wild feature | Australia
      mtb
      12:22 | 260 | Jan 30, 2024 , Townsville
      youtuber Have you ever seen a feature like this.. ⏬
      mtb
      10:25 | 372 | Feb 8, 2023 , Townsville
      Douglas Dawn
      mtb
      2:48 | 1680 | Oct 1, 2015 , Townsville
      Scoping
      mtb
      0:32 | 437 | Aug 23, 2017 , Townsville

      Routes with this trail

      40 miles • 7,336 ft • 92 •
      Full dougy with double black included 2023
      8 miles • 1,189 ft • 12 • Loop • Race •
      Stage 2: Enjoy the centrepiece of Townsville mountain biking's crown jewels. Tough climbs, thrilling...
      3 miles • 573 ft • 6 • Race •
      The 3hr Pony Express was the last race cross country race for 2021 and a great return to exciting short...
      4.6 ★★★★★
      13 Ratings
      5 ★ 62%
      4 ★ 31%
      3 ★ 8%
      2 ★
      1 ★

      3 Reviews & Comments

      hardinggrim
      Only thing missing is a flat out fast section! Otherwise there's some good tech rock features and corners
      BenSellers BenSellers
      Top section still closed. Estimated opening Late Jan 2020.

      We hope you've been enjoying Trailforks!

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      • By EvocoopTF Pro & contributors
      • #37218 - 6,155 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Taipan located?
      Taipan is located in Douglas Mountain Bike Park, Townsville, Australia. It is part of the Douglas Mountain Bike Park trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates -19.33523, 146.74355.
      ▼ How hard is Taipan?
      Taipan is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The physical rating is Hard. The average grade is 10.8%.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Taipan?
      Taipan has 120 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 610 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 236 ft to 741 ft.
      ▼ How long is Taipan?
      Taipan is 4,524 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Taipan?
      There is no information about dogs being allowed on Taipan. Check with local trail managers or the trail page for the latest access rules.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Taipan?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Taipan are:
      • August (20 activities)
      • April (19 activities)
      • July (15 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access Taipan? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Taipan are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Taipan?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 7 minutes to ride Taipan. The trail is 4,524 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Taipan?
      Taipan is a very popular trail. There have been 4,179 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 4,114 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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