To get to Kenilworth, riders have many options, depending on where they decide to start their day. There are certainly some nice forest trails and back dirt roads between Imbil and Kenny if you go looking. From Kenilworth, riders are signing up to a challenging 45 odd km, up and over the range to Jimna. But the route rewards your effort with fantastic views, picturesque riding and cooler conditions throughout the wet sclerophyll forest area.
After stocking up on 1kg doughnuts at the famous Kenilworth Bakery, the bitumen between here and Charlie Moreland camping area is a fairly straight-forward 6km, punctuated by a gentle climb winding over the hill just before the Fig Tree Walk/Sunday Creek Rd turn off. The 5km of mostly dirt road from the turn off into Charlie Moreland can get a little choppy due to the high volume of campers/4x4's but this is fairly short-lived. After departing the Charlie Moreland camping/day use area, a large red billboard advertises what lay ahead. The first 3km from this sign are fairly steep at 10-12%, but there is a spot to pause at a viewing platform after about 2km up which overlooks the valley below. The initial gradient relents, but the general trend is undulating climbs for 17km from Charlie Moreland. Sunday Creek Rd maxes out approximately 830 metres above sea level (Kenilworth is 100m above sea level). Coincidentally, the highest point in the Conondale NP, Mt Langley at 868m elevation, is south of the Sunday Creek Rd however isn’t visible due to the dense foliage of this part of the forest. Across the top of the range, you'll be amazed by the size of the various species of eucalypts and palms that tower over you. Whilst Kenilworth to Jimna is only about 45km, depending on some slight route variations near the Jimna end, it is likely you’ll have elevation gains of approximately 1500Vm in completing this section, so ensure you allow sufficient time and resources for this route. The surface is good dirt road the entire way until you reach some bitumen at the far end of Sunday Creek Rd. You are likely to find the odd corrugated corner due to this being a fairly popular link for 4x4 traffic. It's likely you'll see just a handful of vehicles along this stretch on a standard weekend, however it is still advised to keep left, keep your speed under control, and keep an ear open to motorised traffic. Sunday Creek Road is a challenging, but iconic route to traverse to Jimna. There are quite a few places you're likely to pause and take in some scenery, and appreciate your surroundings.
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