• A pleasant outing that can be treated as an up-and-back trip near the rail corridor or extended into a more adventurous loop using some cross-country mountain bike trails

Forrest to Barwon Downs (4.4km)

• Trailhead: Across the road from the Terminus Hotel on Henry St, Forrest (the railway station was 500m further southeast, along Station St, where there is on-street parking and conveniences)
• After 100m after the official start, on the corner of Henry and Grant streets, there is an information board.
• The trail then runs north along the road reserve, largely parallel to the railway alignment. A low-level bypass provides a close-up view of an irreparable trestle bridge on the Barwon River floodplain.
• At the watercourse itself, the trail passes over a rebuilt rail bridge incorporating the original piers. The trail then continues on the original alignment.
• It crosses Yaugher Rd to the Yaugher Station trail hub. From the station site, there is access to a recreation reserve (to the right) and, to the left and via Boundary Rd, the northern MTB trailhead.
• The trail then winds through the Yaugher State Forest for about 3km, leaving the rail corridor again at a fence line 2km south of Barwon Downs. This section, through eucalypt forest, is a real treat and the surface is good. The Tiger Loop MTB trail (#16) enters from the left part way along this section
• The rail trail officially ends at Birregurra-Forrest Rd (C119), where there is some roadside parking.

EXPLORER ROUTE 

• Cross Birregurra-Forrest Rd to the west with care and look for a singletrack section in the road reserve. You are now on the Tiger Loop (#16). This non-technical track along a power line easement  can be followed to the rest of the mountain bike network and Boundary Rd.