Thredbo MTB 2026/27: A 50-Jump Line and a New Double Black

· MTB Trails Australia

Thredbo NSW Park Review Gravity Lift Access

The Thredbo mountain bike park 2026/27 season opens 21 November with one new trail ready on day one. The trail crew has been on the mountain all winter — finishing an approximately 50-jump intermediate line from the Cruiser zone down to the Merritts Gondola mid-station. In early 2027 a race-grade double-black from Merritts to Friday Flat follows. Two new descents, one season. Here's what to know before the lifts spin.

Quick picks — 2026/27 season at a glance

What's new at Thredbo mountain bike park 2026/27?

One new trail debuts on opening day. A second, bigger one follows in winter.

The new jump trail: ~50 features from Cruiser to Merritts mid-station

The trail launching with the season is a dedicated jump line starting from the Cruiser chairlift area and running down to the Merritts Gondola mid-station. At approximately 50 features, graded intermediate, it's the longest purpose-built jump trail the park has built — and the first one to bridge two lift zones.

Slayground, the jump line that arrived for 2025/26, also starts from the Cruiser zone but exits at a shorter drop. The new trail takes a different line with more vertical, ending at the Merritts mid-station. That exit point matters: instead of riding all the way down to Friday Flat after each descent, riders can jump on the Merritts Gondola for a faster return lap. More lap volume per hour on a jump trail is exactly what you want.

Fifty features sequenced over a full descent is a different experience from fifty features crammed into a short park. Done well, the progression through the trail teaches more than a looped pump track does — the lip shapes change, the distances vary, and you're reading terrain rather than repeating a lap from memory. This is how the good jump trails at Mystic and Mt Buller get ridden to death by intermediate riders who'd otherwise struggle to justify the drive. If the build quality is there, this trail will be worth multiple days on its own.

Thredbo hasn't published a name for the new line yet. Check the trail map at thredbo.com.au/mtb when you arrive.

The race-grade double-black: Merritts to Friday Flat (early 2027)

The second new trail is a different project entirely. Running from the Merritts zone all the way to Friday Flat at the resort base, it's described as race-grade — steep fall-line sections with purpose-built competition features, designed to sit above anything currently on the mountain in difficulty rating.

The target opening is early 2027, which means it won't be accessible on the November opener and won't be in the ground through the first weeks of the season. The construction window puts it somewhere in the March–April slot, pending final build. That's worth building a late-season trip around — if the new jump trail is the reason to come in November, the race DH is the reason to come back in March.

The existing Cannonball Run drops from the Kosciuszko Chairlift summit, 600 m above Friday Flat, and is the park's current flagship DH descent. The new line runs from the Merritts zone — the mid-mountain gondola zone — covering the mountain's lower section on a different aspect. When both are open, the park will have two race-standard DH lines on the one lift pass. No other Australian lift park is close to that.

How does 2026/27 compare to 2025/26?

The 2025/26 season was a significant build cycle — four trails either new or substantially rebuilt. 2026/27 is more targeted: one trail on opening day, one race line following in winter.

2025/26 2026/27
New trails on opening day 4 1
Headline addition Slayground jump line + Ricochet rebuild ~50-jump Cruiser–Merritts line
Mid-season addition — Race-grade double-black (early 2027)
Gravity Season Pass — $779 (deposit $49, balance 7 Oct 2026)

The 2025/26 work reset the park's jump trail inventory and rebuilt Ricochet from the Gunbarrel chairlift with a new upper entry that the original route couldn't offer. The 2026/27 build extends that jump trail progression to a longer vertical and adds a race calibre DH line that will redefine the park's upper difficulty ceiling. Different objectives — both worth the trip for different reasons.

When does Thredbo MTB open in 2026/27?

The confirmed dates: 21 November 2026 to 26 April 2027. Lifts run 9am–4pm daily throughout the season. The opening weekend is 21–22 November.

Trail crew finishes new builds for opening day — 21 November is when the new jump trail will get its first public laps. If you want to ride it before anyone has worked the lips in, opening weekend is the window. The trade-off is that early-season trails run a little rough before they're fully bedded in; by early December the same line usually rides 30% smoother.

December is uncrowded through roughly the 20th, then school holidays hit. January is peak season — fast conditions, full village, lift queues on busy days. February brings the Cannonball Festival, typically mid-month. The Australian Open Downhill and associated race programme draw 450-plus competitors, but race preparation closes Cannonball Run to public riding during race windows. The atmosphere is exceptional; just factor in the access restrictions if you're planning around it.

March and April are the riders' season. Crowds thin, the alpine air cools from summer intensity, and trails have been lapped into their full condition. If the new race DH line confirms an early 2027 opening, this is the window when it'll be accessible. A mid-March to mid-April trip — before the Easter surge — is the quietest productive window the full season offers.

One practical note: the summit and Friday Flat base are not the same temperature. On a January day when the village floor hits 27°C, the top of the Kosciuszko Chairlift might be 14°C with afternoon cloud building. Carry layers regardless of what the village weather looks like at the trailhead.

What does the 2026/27 season cost?

The Gravity Season Pass is $779. Lock it in now on a $49 deposit, with the balance debited on 7 October 2026. For anyone planning four or more days across the season — November through April, a weekend at Cannonball, a March trip for the new DH line — the season pass arithmetic is worth running.

Thredbo hasn't published 2026/27 day-pass rates yet. The operator typically releases pricing closer to the season, and the advance online rate is discounted against the walk-up window price. When rates drop, book online rather than buying at the window — the saving is real, and popular dates in school holidays and Cannonball week can sell out.

A $5 MyThredbo Card is required for all passes. First-time visitors: it's a one-off cost, loads either at the resort window or via the MyThredbo app, and carries your passes for every future visit. Factor it into the trip budget and forget about it after that.

Current pricing as it becomes available: thredbo.com.au/passes-rentals/summer-passes.

Is the new jump trail right for intermediate riders?

The short answer is yes — it's built for exactly that rider.

Intermediate at Thredbo means you're comfortable on blue-grade mountain terrain and have ridden jump trails before. The new line's 50 features are graded and sequenced to scale through the descent; the features at the top of the run won't be the same size as the features approaching the Merritts mid-station exit. That's how a well-built progressive jump trail works — you warm up on the first half, you start sending the second.

The Friday Flat skills zone and MTB school remain the right warm-up if you haven't ridden a lift-served jump trail before. Not because the terrain is dangerous, but because knowing where your jump skills sit against a 50-feature descent — one that exits at a mid-mountain gondola station, not the base — makes the day better. Bail-out options once you're on the trail are limited, which is different from a short jump park where you can roll through features at any speed.

View park guide →

How does Thredbo compare to other alpine parks in 2026/27?

Thredbo is the dedicated gravity option. Four lifts running daily, 600 m of vertical, season from 21 November. It has no XC equivalent to Mt Buller's 120 km network or Falls Creek's backcountry traverses — but if lift-served lap volume on gravity terrain is what you're booking travel for, nothing else in mainland Australia matches it.

Mt Buller and Falls Creek both open their seasons in late November with chairlift and shuttle uplift respectively. For the Victorian alpine comparison in full, Mt Buller vs Falls Creek covers both parks in detail. For the full national opening-date calendar across every major lift and shuttle park, the 2026 MTB park opening dates guide has the dates and season windows.

FAQ

When does Thredbo MTB Park open for the 2026/27 season? The confirmed opening is 21 November 2026, with the season running to 26 April 2027. Lifts operate 9am–4pm daily. One new trail debuts on opening day: an approximately 50-jump intermediate line from the Cruiser chairlift zone to the Merritts Gondola mid-station.

What is the new jump trail at Thredbo in 2026/27? An intermediate trail with approximately 50 jumps, running from the Cruiser area down to the Merritts Gondola mid-station. It's the longest dedicated jump line the park has built and the first one to connect two lift zones — riders exit at the Merritts mid-station and re-uplift via the gondola. No name has been published yet; check thredbo.com.au/mtb closer to the season.

Is the new double-black DH trail open from day one? No. The race-grade double-black from the Merritts zone to Friday Flat is under construction and targets an early 2027 opening — not the November opening weekend. It'll be accessible later in the 2026/27 season, likely March or April 2027. Check thredbo.com.au for a confirmed date as the season progresses.

How much does the 2026/27 Gravity Season Pass cost? $779, with a $49 deposit available now and the balance debited on 7 October 2026. Day-pass pricing hasn't been published yet — Thredbo releases rates closer to the season, and the advance online rate is discounted against the walk-up window price. All passes require a $5 MyThredbo Card (one-off purchase).

How does the new 2026/27 jump trail compare to Slayground? Both start from the Cruiser chairlift zone and are graded intermediate. Slayground (2025/26 build) is a shorter trail that exits at Friday Flat; the new 2026/27 line drops further — down to the Merritts Gondola mid-station — covering more vertical and connecting two lift zones. The new trail has more features (~50 vs. Slayground's shorter format) and a different exit point that enables faster relay laps via the Merritts Gondola.

When is the best time to visit Thredbo MTB in 2026/27? Opening weekend (21–22 November) for first runs on the new jump line before the features are worn in. December before school holidays for low crowds and fresh trails. March–April for quieter conditions, cooler weather, and potentially the window when the new race DH opens. Avoid the Christmas–Australia Day peak and Cannonball Festival week (mid-February) unless the racing atmosphere is part of the draw.

Plan your trip

Pass options, the full trail map, and the 2026/27 operating calendar are at thredbo.com.au/mtb. Season passes on $49 deposit now; balance 7 October 2026.

For the complete park breakdown — all four lift zones explained, trail-by-trail descriptions, bike hire options, and accommodation in the village — read the Thredbo MTB Park Review. That post covers the full network. This one focuses on what's changed for the season ahead.

If you're still weighing up which alpine park to book for November, best MTB trails in the Victorian High Country covers the VIC options with lift status and season dates. For the broader NSW riding picture, the NSW trails map covers every network in the state.

The Cruiser lifts spin 21 November. The new trail will be waiting.