Kowen Forest

Bookings for camping, trailbike riding and four wheel driving are essential.

Make a booking

Sections of the Kowen pine plantation are closed to all unauthorised vehicles and people while thinning and clearfell operations are undertaken (tree felling and log haulage).
Roads entering all closed areas are gated and sign posted. These closures are in place year-round and shift from place to place with the plantation crop cycle.

For details, please contact ForestEnquiry@act.gov.au.

Kowen Forest is suitable for:

walking and running
mountain bike riding at Sparrow Hill
horse riding
camping (bookings required)
orienteering

Kowen Forest is a 4,670 hectare area and includes Old Kowen Homestead Recreation Area campground.

The plantation was first planted in 1926.

Kowen Forest east has a strong network of trails for mountain bike enthusiasts.

The forest is home of the Kowen Winter Trails marathon, a Six Foot Track qualifier event.

Dogs are welcome on-leash.

What you'll see

At Kowen Forest, you can see:

Old Kowen Village
Old Kowen Homestead
Sparrow Hill nearby
Molonglo River
Molonglo Gorge Nature Reserve nearby

A section of the Molonglo River, very full and flowing fast after recent rain.

Access

View over management trail in Kowen Forest

Access

Kowen Forest is a locked forest so bookings for trailbike riding and four wheel driving are essential. Availability depends on forest operations.

The campground is accessed via a dirt road about 10 kilometres behind locked gates. Bookings for camping are essential.

The campground may be closed during fire danger periods and adverse weather conditions such as heavy rain.

Things to do

Activities

Features

BBQs - gas
Dogs on-leash
Heritage sites
NO BINS – take your rubbish with you
Non-powered campsite
Picnic tables
Shelter - picnic
Toilets

Restricted or prohibited

Fires prohibited
Wood and timber collection prohibited

No motorcycles or four-wheel driving without a permit

Walking tracks

Glenburn Heritage Precinct

Walk from Old Kowen Homestead to Glenburn Heritage Precinct, heading along Kowen Road and then connecting with Fernside Road heading south, then on to Charcoal Kiln Road.

Download the Glenburn Precinct Heritage Trails brochure and map (398.4 KB).

Distance: 12 km return for precinct loop trail; 10 km return for Burbong Heritage trail; 10 km return for Glenburn Heritage trail

Molonglo Gorge to Blue Tiles

From the Molonglo Gorge Recreation Area, follow the river to a small, grassed picnic area called Blue Tiles. There is no drinking water available at Blue Tiles and bins are not provided. Dogs on-leash.

Distance: 6.4 km return
Difficulty: Moderate

Ngunnawal Country and People

Kowen Forest is located on Ngunnawal Country, an ancient and diverse landscape managed and cared for by Ngunnawal people for tens of thousands of years.

For time immemorial Ngunnawal people have maintained a tangible and intangible cultural, social, environmental, spiritual, and economic connection to these lands and waters.

Before you go/How to get there

Before you go

Prepare by:

understanding safety, especially during fire danger periods or flooding
checking alerts

Remember:

submit an application to enter Kowen Forest at least 2 weeks before your preferred dates
check signage as pine forests are hazardous working sites – avoid active logging sites
fires only permitted in fire pits at campground
bring your own drinking water
follow the expected safety and trail etiquette as a mountain bike rider
no motorcycles or 4WD without a permit
do not collect timber (timber collection from hardwood and pine forests is prohibited)

How to get there

Kowen Forest can be accessed off Sutton Road, north-east of Canberra on the way to Queanbeyan.

Kowen Forest is a locked forest so bookings are essential.

The parking area for Kowen Forest east is just off the Kings Highway, which also accesses Sparrow Hill.

Boundary mapping is indicative only.

More information

If you notice any issues during your visit:

report maintenance issues to Access Canberra
report vandalism or other illegal activities to the police on 131 444
in an emergency, call 000

Find out about:

bookings and permits
plantations in Canberra
management of commercial pine plantations

In a life threatening emergency dial Triple Zero (000)

triple zero 000

5124 0000

6201 6111

1800 629 354

6205 1065

13 11 26

5124 9977

(02) 6205 1700

1800 022 222

13 25 00

Kowen Forest

What you'll see

Access

Things to do

Activities

Features

Restricted or prohibited

Walking tracks

Glenburn Heritage Precinct

Molonglo Gorge to Blue Tiles

Ngunnawal Country and People

Before you go

How to get there

More information