The best Perth cycling routes are the Swan River bridges loop, Kings Park, the coastal run from Cottesloe to Hillarys, a lap of Rottnest Island, the Zig Zag climb to Kalamunda and the Mundaring Weir loop through the Perth Hills. This guide gives you the line for each one, honest distances, a coffee stop we checked this month, and how to plan around the heat and the Fremantle Doctor.
- 6routes
- 6coffee stops checked
- Sep to Novbest months
Coffee stops confirmed open in October 2026. Distances and elevation are approximate. Plot a route before you rely on it.
Perth cycling routes at a glance
| Route | Distance | Climbing | Level | Coffee stop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swan River bridges loop | 10.5 km (40 to 45 km long loop) | Flat | Easy | The Station, South Perth |
| Coastal route, Cottesloe to Hillarys | About 45 km return | Low, short rises | Easy | Alleycats Espresso, Hillarys |
| Kings Park laps | 20 to 30 km of laps | Short, repeated rises | Moderate | Koorak Kings Park |
| Rottnest Island loop | 22 km | Rolling | Moderate | Lane Cafe, Thomson Bay |
| Kalamunda via the Zig Zag | About 30 km from Midland | About 300 m | Hard | Elevated Grounds, Kalamunda |
| Mundaring Weir and the Perth Hills | About 50 to 55 km | About 700 m | Hard | The Lazy Corner, Mundaring |
Swan River bridges loop
Two bridges, one hour, and the city skyline the whole way round.
- Distance
- 10.5 km loop
- Climbing
- Flat
- Start
- Elizabeth Quay
- Effort
This is the ride most people mean when they search for a Swan River loop. From Elizabeth Quay you follow the north bank east past Point Fraser, cross the river at the Causeway via Heirisson Island, then roll back along the South Perth foreshore past Coode Street and Mends Street before crossing the Narrows Bridge into the city. The marked circuit is 10.5 km and the only real rise is the ramp onto the Narrows.
Want more kilometres? Perth's clubs run a longer river loop of 40 to 45 km that takes in more of the river on both banks. It is the city's standard weekday training ride, so you will have company at 6am.
Every path on the bridges loop is a shared path. Go early, ride single file near walkers and keep the speed sensible on weekend mornings when the foreshore fills up.
The Station
It sits at the Mends Street jetty, right on the south bank of the loop, so there is no detour. Grab a table facing the water and you can watch the city side you just rode.
DirectionsRide notes: traffic, surface and bail-outs
- All sealed shared paths, no road riding needed. Give way to pedestrians.
- Busiest stretches are Elizabeth Quay and the South Perth foreshore after 8am on weekends.
- Bail-out: any point on the loop is a short roll back to the city or a ferry at Mends Street.
- Shade is patchy. In summer, aim to be finished before 9am.
Kit for this one: a light summer jersey and Core Bib Shorts. Nothing fancy needed.
Coastal route, Cottesloe to Hillarys
Ocean on your left, sea breeze in your face on the way home.
- Distance
- About 22 km each way
- Climbing
- Low, short rises
- Start
- Cottesloe Beach
- Effort
Perth's coastal route runs north from Cottesloe along West Coast Highway through City Beach and Scarborough, then picks up West Coast Drive at Trigg for the last 7 km past North Beach, Watermans Bay, Marmion and Sorrento to Hillarys Boat Harbour. A shared path follows the coast for most of it, and the section from City Beach to Sorrento alone is about 12 km of uninterrupted ocean views.
The catch is the wind. The Fremantle Doctor is a south-westerly sea breeze that usually arrives between 10am and 3pm in summer and often blows at 28 to 37 km/h on the coast. Ride north early with calm air, and you turn around just as it fills in on your nose. Leave by 6am in summer, or take the train home.
Alleycats Espresso
The turnaround point. It is a no-fuss espresso bar inside the harbour, open early enough for a dawn start, and quick to get in and out of before the breeze picks up.
DirectionsRide notes: traffic, surface and bail-outs
- Shared path for most of the way. Expect walkers, runners and prams near every beach.
- Scarborough and Trigg get crowded with swimmers and dog walkers from about 7am.
- Water: refill at the main beaches at Cottesloe, Scarborough and Hillarys.
- Bail-out: Grant Street and Swanbourne stations are close to the southern end. From Hillarys, Rottnest ferries also leave the harbour.
- No shade at all. Sunscreen on before you leave, not at the cafe.
Kit for this one: Pinnacle Jersey in Blanc and proper cycling sunglasses for the glare off the water.
Kings Park laps
The city's training ground, 40 km/h roads and climbs on repeat.
- Distance
- 20 to 30 km of laps
- Climbing
- Short, repeated rises
- Start
- Fraser Avenue
- Effort
Kings Park sits on the scarp above the city, and its road network is where Perth riders go to do efforts without leaving town. Cyclists can use all the main roads, including Fraser Avenue, May Drive, Lovekin Drive and Forrest Drive, at a 40 km/h limit. Most of the roads carry a gentle climb, so a few laps add up quickly.
Club sessions here run 20 to 30 km on weekday evenings, which is a good guide to a solid hour. The park sits on Mount Eliza above the river, so getting up there is a short climb whichever way you come in.
Shared paths inside the park drop to 10 km/h, and riding is not allowed in the Botanic Garden, the State War Memorial precinct or developed parkland. Stick to the roads.
Koorak Kings Park
On Kings Park Road at the edge of the park, so you can roll straight off your last lap. Doors open at 7am, which suits a dawn session.
DirectionsRide notes: traffic, surface and bail-outs
- Roads are 40 km/h and shared with tourist traffic and buses from mid-morning.
- Bike racks at Forrest Carpark, May Drive Parkland, Saw Avenue and the Rio Tinto Naturescape if you want to walk the gardens.
- Good tree cover compared with the coast, so it is the best summer option for a short, hard hour.
- Bail-out: you are never more than a couple of kilometres from the CBD.
Kit for this one: C&C Vapour Jersey and bib shorts that stay put out of the saddle.
Rottnest Island loop
A 25 minute ferry ride to almost no cars.
- Distance
- 22 km loop
- Climbing
- Rolling
- Start
- Thomson Bay
- Effort
Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) has very few vehicles, and the full island ride is a 22 km loop from Thomson Bay. You pass the northern bays, head out to the West End where Cathedral Rocks and Cape Vlamingh sit on the rugged tip, and come home past the southern beaches and the salt lakes. The western end is where the hills are, and it is more exposed than it looks on the map.
Ferries leave from B Shed in Fremantle (about 25 minutes), Hillarys Boat Harbour (about 45 minutes) and Barrack Street in the city (up to 90 minutes). You can bring your own bike if you add it when booking, and the island admission fee is collected with your ticket. If you would rather travel light, Pedal & Flipper hires bikes and helmets behind Hotel Rottnest.
Allow three to five hours with swims. Book early for summer weekends.
Lane Cafe Rottnest
In the Thomson Bay settlement, a short walk from the main jetty. Fuel up here before you set off, because there is very little once you leave the settlement.
DirectionsRide notes: traffic, surface and bail-outs
- Sealed roads throughout, shared with island buses, service vehicles and hundreds of hire bikes.
- A tourist train runs on the island. Look both ways at the rail crossings.
- Carry two bottles. Shade is close to zero past Geordie Bay.
- Bail-out: cut across the middle of the island on the inland roads back to Thomson Bay.
- Leave the quokkas alone and do not feed them.
Kit for this one: Cargo Bib Shorts for your phone and ferry ticket, plus a second bidon.
Kalamunda via the Zig Zag
Perth's best known climb, on an old railway line.
- Distance
- About 30 km from Midland
- Climbing
- About 300 m
- Start
- Midland Station
- Effort
The Zig Zag Scenic Drive in Gooseberry Hill follows the old Kalamunda Zig Zag railway up the Darling Scarp. The road itself is 2.9 km of hairpins. Because it was built for trains, the grade is steady: the Strava segment from the Zig Zag to Kalamunda is about 7.5 km at 2.5% average, with a few short pinches steeper than that. It is not brutal. It is long enough to hurt if you go out too hard.
Timing matters. Cars use the Zig Zag one way, downhill only, between 11am and 8:30pm. Outside those hours it is closed to vehicles but open to riders and walkers, so climb it before 11am and you will have it to yourself.
Start from Midland Station, ride out through the foothills to the base on Ridge Hill Road, climb into Kalamunda, then drop back to the plain. Riding out from the city along the Midland line path adds roughly 35 km return.
Elevated Grounds Coffeehouse
On the main street at the top of the climb. Open by 7am, which lines up nicely with an early Zig Zag ascent and gets you back down before the heat.
DirectionsRide notes: traffic, surface and bail-outs
- The Zig Zag is narrow, with a 40 km/h limit and steep drop-offs. Treat it as a climb and come down another way.
- The Zig Zag closes for its annual festival on the first Sunday in October.
- The run back down Kalamunda Road to the plain is fast. Check your brakes and tyres at the top.
- No water on the Zig Zag itself. Fill up in Midland and again in Kalamunda.
- Bail-out: skip the extra kilometres and roll straight down Kalamunda Road towards Midland.
Kit for this one: Pinnacle Bib Shorts and, on winter mornings, Thermal Arm Warmers for the descent.
Mundaring Weir and the Perth Hills
Forest roads, a dam wall and a proper day of climbing.
- Distance
- About 50 to 55 km
- Climbing
- About 700 m
- Start
- Kalamunda
- Effort
Perth's clubs head for the hills on Sunday mornings, and this loop is the classic. From Kalamunda, Mundaring Weir Road heads east through Paulls Valley and the state forest to Mundaring Weir, the 1903 dam on the Helena River. The drop to the weir down Weir Village Road is steep and winding, and you pay for it on the climb out towards Mundaring.
From Mundaring you head west through Glen Forrest and Darlington, then down through Helena Valley and back up to Kalamunda. Mapped versions of this loop come in at about 50 to 55 km with around 700 m of climbing. Plenty of riders start from Midland Station instead, which follows the state's official Ride Through the Hills loop and adds the Kalamunda climb at the start.
The Lazy Corner
Right on the loop in Mundaring town, roughly halfway round and after the weir climb. One of the few places in the hills open at 6am on a Saturday.
DirectionsRide notes: traffic, surface and bail-outs
- Mundaring Weir Road is a single lane each way with no shoulder in places. Ride early and single file.
- Toilets and drinking fountains at Mundaring Weir.
- Watch for kangaroos at dawn and dusk, and for gravel on the corners after rain.
- The sea breeze reaches the hills later than the coast. Be home by 10am from December to February.
- Bail-out: from Mundaring, Great Eastern Highway and the shared path drop straight back to Midland.
Kit for this one: Core Gilet for cold starts in the hills, and long-ride bib shorts.
What to wear cycling in Perth
Perth gives you dry heat, hard sun and a sea breeze. Dress for the sun first and the temperature second.
Those are averages. Heatwave days go well past 38°C, so ride at first light and be done by 9am. Light colours, a full bidon each hour and sunscreen under the jersey line.
The best riding of the year. Dawn can be cool, especially in the hills, and by mid-morning it is jersey weather. Layers you can stuff in a pocket do the work.
Mild by southern standards, but wet. Early starts sit in single figures, and the hills are colder again. Think thermal jersey or baselayer plus arm warmers, not full winter gear.
Pinnacle Jersey, BlancLight colour for Perth sun
Cargo Bib Shorts, StealthExtra pockets for long days
Alba Optics Delta WhiteFor coastal glare
Solo Bidon, WhiteBecause you need two
All our jerseys are race cut, so true to size means snug and aero. If you would rather have a bit more room on a hot day, size up one. More on that in the jersey size guide, and if you are still choosing shorts, start with our bib shorts buyer's guide.
Perth bunch rides and clubs
- Midland Cycle ClubLong-running racing club with weekday river loop sessions, Tuesday evening Kings Park rides and a Sunday hills ride. Also runs road races in the Perth Hills.
- South Perth RouleursSocial and racing club based in South Perth. Rides most weekday mornings at 5:30am, two Saturday rides and a Sunday hills ride, with pace groups for most riders.
- North Beaches Cycling ClubFamily club in Perth's north, based around Quinns Rocks. Weekly criteriums at Splendid Park plus casual social rides.
- Over 55 Cycling ClubSocial rides for mature riders on Mondays and Wednesdays from spots like Burswood Park and Carine. Rides are called off at 38°C, which is a sensible rule for everyone.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best cycling routes in Perth?
For flat riding, the Swan River bridges loop and the coastal route from Cottesloe to Hillarys. For climbing, the Zig Zag to Kalamunda and the Mundaring Weir loop in the Perth Hills. Kings Park is the best short training ride in the city, and the 22 km Rottnest Island loop is the one to do with visitors.
Is there a map of Perth cycling routes?
Each route above has a Plot this route button that opens the line in Google Maps cycling directions. The WA Department of Transport also publishes free cycling maps and route guides for Perth, including the Ride Through the Hills loop used for route 6.
What is the Fremantle Doctor and how does it affect cycling?
It is Perth's afternoon sea breeze. In summer it usually arrives between 10am and 3pm from the south-west and often blows at 28 to 37 km/h near the coast. It cools things down, but it makes the return leg of any coastal ride hard work, so start early or plan a one-way ride with the wind behind you.
When is the best time of year to ride in Perth?
Spring (September to November) and autumn (March to May), when average maximums sit between about 20 and 30°C. Summer averages are 17 to 32°C with regular heatwaves, so ride at first light. Winter is mild at 8 to 20°C but brings most of the year's rain.
Can you take your own bike to Rottnest Island?
Yes. The ferry operators from Fremantle, Perth and Hillarys carry bikes if you add one when booking, and fees vary by operator. Bike hire is also available on the island next to Hotel Rottnest.
Perth sun is harder on kit than the kilometres
Light colours, a chamois that lasts a hot 50 km and a place for a second bidon. Sort that before summer arrives.
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Route details checked October 2026. Roads, closures and cafe hours change. Spotted something out of date? Email us and we will fix it.
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