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Utrechtse Heuvelrug – Hilly mountain bike trails in the Netherlands

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Utrechtse Heuvelrug – Hilly mountain bike trails in the Netherlands

Mountain Biking Collection by Simon Rosmolen

10

Tours

12:45 h

96.4 mi

2,575 ft

Everyone in the Netherlands understands the words ‘mountain biking’. If you dissect it, you get the words ‘mountain’ and ‘biking’. Of course, the Netherlands has plenty of bikes, but it’s not known for having many mountains. So is it possible to go mountain biking anywhere in the country?

The answer is definitely yes. You can’t expect to cycle in high mountains, but you can explore great hills such as the endless Utrechtse Heuvelrug (Utrecht Hill Ridge). Created during the last Ice Age more than 150,000 years ago, you’ll find plenty of altitude difference here. At that time, ice propelled mountains of sand and gravel upwards, creating the hilly landscape here today. Nowadays, you can enjoy miles of biking fun in the region. And yes, we’re talking about mountain biking.

The routes through the Utrechtse Heuvelrug make full use of the hilly landscape. You can try out 11 challenging routes along a network of almost 93 miles (150 km) single trails through the region. Varying in length from 1.8 to more than 12.4 miles (3 km to 20 km), the routes include fast curves and steep climbs, as well as rapid descents with sharp bends. You can find trails for beginners and experienced mountain bikers alike. You can ride one route or combine several of them together. The Heuvelug has endless possibilities for MTBing.

The Heuvelrug’s route builders deserve a big thank you. Many volunteers from associations, such as MTB Utrechtse Heuvelrug, work throughout the year to develop and maintain the trails. In autumn, for example, the trails are cleared of leaves (which is quite a task in one of the most wooded areas in the Netherlands). Drainage systems are dug and brake pits are flattened out again. The volunteers make sure the trails are the best they can be for biking.

It therefore shouldn’t come as a surprise that you pay a small contribution towards the upkeep of the trails by purchasing a vignette. For €7.50, the vignette gives you access to the trails for a whole calendar year. The money goes towards maintenance, development, and the construction of routes in the area.


The vignettes are available from various places. Check out mtb-utrechtseheuvelrug.nl to find a vendor near you. For the routes Leusden and Woudenberg, a different vignette is needed. This can be obtained online at dentreekhenschoten.nl/mtb.

All routes are best ridden on a mountain bike or gravel bike with tyres that are at least 35 mm. After heavy rainfall or prolonged drought, the trails may be closed. Keep an eye on the websites above. In addition, make sure you stay on the marked trails as it’s forbidden to cycle on the other forest paths.

Have fun and let us know how it was!

On The Map

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Tours

  1. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

    Amerongen – Mountainbike Walhalla Utrechtse Heuvelrug

    01:44
    11.9 mi
    6.9 mph
    650 ft
    650 ft
    Intermediate
    Intermediate mountain bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Advanced riding skills necessary.

    One of the most beautiful routes on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug (or perhaps in the Netherlands) is the eighteen-kilometer Amerongen trail. The route has no less than 374 vertical meters through the woods and hills of the Amerongse Berg.

    

    This Tour starts at the parking lot of Bergweg 10 in Amerongen. The route

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  2. 01:39
    12.3 mi
    7.4 mph
    450 ft
    450 ft
    Intermediate
    Intermediate mountain bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Advanced riding skills necessary.

    The Leersum mountain bike track is one for nature lovers. Over eighteen kilometers you wind through the Lombok forest and the sand dunes of Hoge Ginkel. These areas are also part of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park.

    

    This route starts at the Utrechtsebaan car park in Leersum. The first kilometers

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  4. 00:34
    4.06 mi
    7.1 mph
    150 ft
    175 ft
    Intermediate
    Intermediate mountain bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Advanced riding skills necessary.

    This mountain bike route through the forests of Rhenen is six kilometers long and quite technical with many differences in height. These height differences are due to the last ice age that formed these slopes on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. Route builder and multiple Dutch champion Patrick Jansen has made

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  5. 00:19
    2.10 mi
    6.7 mph
    150 ft
    175 ft
    Expert
    Expert mountain bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Advanced riding skills necessary. Some portions of the Tour may require you to push your bike.

    Beware! The Kwintelooijen mountain bike route is known as a tough, if not the toughest trail in the Netherlands. The route is less than three kilometers long, but on the way you conquer more than 117 vertical meters. The site is located on a former sand quarry whose large height differences form an ideal

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  6. 01:17
    10.2 mi
    7.9 mph
    150 ft
    150 ft
    Intermediate
    Intermediate mountain bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Advanced riding skills necessary.

    The Austerlitz mountain bike route is nearly sixteen kilometers long and consists of single tracks and long paths through the woods at Zeist and Austerlitz. Do not count on too many height differences. This makes the route ideal for beginners, but just as much fun for advanced users to achieve high speeds

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  7. 01:20
    10.4 mi
    7.8 mph
    150 ft
    150 ft
    Intermediate
    Intermediate mountain bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Advanced riding skills necessary.

    The Zeist route is almost sixteen kilometers long and technical in nature. The height differences present ensure short and steep climbs, descents and fast turns. You can ideally combine this track with the somewhat quieter mountain bike route of Austerlitz.

    

    You start at the Beauforthuis (Woudenbergseweg

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  8. 01:57
    14.9 mi
    7.7 mph
    200 ft
    225 ft
    Intermediate
    Intermediate mountain bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Advanced riding skills necessary.

    With a length of 21 kilometers, Leusden is the longest route in this Collection. The track was completed in 2020 together with the Woudenberg route and the newest in the vicinity of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. During the construction of the route, the hills in the area were optimally used and of course

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  9. 01:17
    9.93 mi
    7.8 mph
    300 ft
    300 ft
    Intermediate
    Intermediate mountain bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Advanced riding skills necessary.

    Just like the Leusden mountain bike route, this track was completed in 2020 and thus adds a new part to the mountain bike paradise of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. Spread over more than sixteen kilometers, this route winds through the wooded estate of Den Treek, the Henschotermeer and the stately Pyramid

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  10. 01:02
    7.98 mi
    7.7 mph
    150 ft
    150 ft
    Intermediate
    Intermediate mountain bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Advanced riding skills necessary.

    At ten kilometers, the Lage Vuursche track is the little brother of the Hoge Vuursche mountain bike route. Although it is shorter than the big brother of 18 kilometers, it has a lot of variation and requires a lot of technology.

    

    You can board at Buiten in de Kuil. The route consists of winding single

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  11. 01:37
    12.8 mi
    7.9 mph
    225 ft
    225 ft
    Intermediate
    Intermediate mountain bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Advanced riding skills necessary.

    The Hoge Vuursche mountain bike trail is a royal one. You cycle through the backyard of Princess Beatrix. But you will probably not encounter them yourself on this eighteen kilometer long track through the forests of Hoge Vuursche.

    

    The route starts at restaurant Buiten in de Kuil, located in the Kuil

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Collection Stats

  • Tours
    10
  • Distance
    96.4 mi
  • Duration
    12:45 h
  • Elevation
    2,575 ft

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