Brisbane City River Loop
City Ride
Type: Road Riding
Difficulty: Beginners – Medium
Distance: 35.46km
Elevation Gained: 282m
Estimated Moving Time: 1.5 hour
Summary
The infamous Brisbane City River Loop is the ultimate comfort route for locals, no matter your cycling level. Whether you’re out for a recovery ride on a Monday, pushing yourself in a time trial on Thursday, or enjoying a social loop on Friday, you can’t go wrong with this iconic route.
The River Loop earns its name from the fact that it takes you around the Brisbane River—the “brown snake.” Starting in Brisbane City, you’ll head towards West End and loop back to the city.
We’ve broken down the route into three sections:
1. The First Half: This part is more undulating, with multiple rolling hills between Brisbane City and Indooroopilly. Expect gradients between 4-8%, with one short but sharp 14% pinch near the St. Lucia Golf Links.
2. The Second Half: After passing the pinch, the route flattens out until Dutton Park. The highlight here is the famous Brisbane Corso—a 3-4km stretch of flat road popular with locals for sprinting. Even if you’re not sprinting, it’s a fantastic stretch to enjoy the river views.
3. The Last Push: This final stretch is where the real challenge comes in. There are two significant hills before you descend to West End and finish your ride. The first and steepest is Cemetery Hill—less than 1km with gradients between 9-13%. The second is Highgate Hill, which starts at a gradient of 7% and gradually eases to 4%.
Why do locals love it? The River Loop’s central location makes it easy to ride before work, and it offers a variety of terrain—from rolling hills and sharp pinches to flat sprints—keeping the route engaging and far from monotonous.
Note: The route is a mix of dedicated bike paths and open roads, so be cautious when sharing the road with traffic.
Tips:
-. Avoid peak hours on weekday, as the route has lots of School Zone and can be quite busy
-. Download the map if you’re doing it alone – some part of it can be quite confusing through the residential.
-. Its not fully closed bikeway route – you will be riding on an open road – be mindful when riding.
-. If you start a bit later in the day, the southbank side can be really busy with walker – the alternative route is to ride on the open road.