Mt Coot-tha (back side)

Climb Series

Type: Road Riding
Difficulty: Beginners – Medium
Distance: 19km
Elevation Gained: 399m
Estimated Moving Time: 1 hour

Summary

Mount Coot-tha is undoubtedly the most popular climbing route in Brisbane, thanks to its accessibility and ideal setup for hill repeat training.

Located just a short 30-minute ride from Brisbane’s city center, Mount Coot-tha is the perfect cycling destination for cyclists of all levels. There are two main routes to the summit: the front side, which is easier, and the back side, which is longer and slightly more challenging.

If you’re new to climbing, we highly recommend starting with the front side of Mount Coot-tha to gauge your climbing ability. For a more comprehensive experience, tackle the entire climb by taking the back route to the summit, then looping around and descending the front side before heading back up via the front route. This way, you’ll get to experience all that Mount Coot-tha has to offer.

The climb profile is straightforward. You’ll face a steep section early on, around the Mount Coot-tha Botanical Gardens, leading up to the T-section. This segment can reach gradients of up to 13% before flattening out slightly and descending towards the back of the climb.

The back side of Mount Coot-tha (Strava segment: Santos Tour Down Under Challenge Mt. Coot-tha Back) is a 2.6km climb with 193m of elevation gain and an average gradient of 8.9%. It’s a fantastic climb for hill repeat challenges or even for attempting an Everesting challenge.

Once you reach the top, the road to the summit lookout isn’t flat; it features beautiful rolling and winding sections. We recommend riding early in the morning to catch a stunning sunrise or heading up towards sunset for the golden hour light filtering through the trees.

At the summit lookout, you’ll find a café where you can enjoy coffee and breakfast. Alternatively, there are other cafe options at the base of Mount Coot-tha.