We followed Shane to the Cave and were reunited with the rest of the party, and 20 others from Sydney Bushwalkerswho were also camping in the overhang. Kanangra Walls - Seymour Top - Maxwell Top - Brennan Top - Kilpatrick Causeway - Crafts Wall - Mount Berry - Gabes Gap - Mount High and Mighty - Mount Stormbreaker - Rip, Rack - Roar & Rumble Knolls - Mount Cloudmaker - Dex Creek - Mount Moorilla Maroo - Mount Amarina - Kullieatha Peak - Mount Strongleg - Strongleg Ridge - Kanangra Creek - Coxs The skies stayed clear for us up on top, before the heavy mist once again descended to make our journey back to the Kanangra Walls carpark a misty, white-out, where the usual dramatic views of Thurat Spires and the gorge were off limits . - Dance Floor Cave Although we saw evidence that others had also taken our route, there wasnt a track and we were really just route-finding across the plateau trying to avoid burned out hakea. The delay The track heads WNW and then north to Mt Amarina, but it is worth climbing Mt Moorilla Maloo if you have time. Water was a bit scarce - we continued up the track a short way biggest descent of the day, down to Gabes Gap, and from there it was all [5], The Blue Mountains National Park contains 46 species of mammals, including 27 marsupials and two monotremes. Highlights include: We camp among the trees a little way back from the exposed rock itself. Kanangra Walls to Crafts Wall Cave Hard 4 (30) Kanangra-Boyd National Park Photos (102) Directions Print/PDF map Length 5.4 miElevation gain 1,233 ftRoute type Out & back Check out this 5.4-mile out-and-back trail near Kanangra, New South Wales. In my mid-teens I had the privilege of being introduced to this area by people who inspire me, and through my guiding services I hope to awaken the same spirit in others that was awoken in me so many years ago. slushy. Much of the walk is through wilderness, for which there are no signs, and tracks in places are vague. Remember to look up too; if you adjust your gaze skywards you may see some soaring wedge-tail eagles. Plan your water supply very carefully! Head left on the fire trail for 700m and cross a locked gate to reach Medlow Gap. All prospective clients agree to combine Days 2 and 3 into one, making it a 3 day trip. If you have sufficient water, you can take a short cut about half way down aiming for the bottom of Yellow Pup Ridge. My first venture along parts of the Katoomba to Kanangra walk was a day hike from Kanangra Walls to Mt Cloudmaker in 1982. Well-worn tracks were present for the entirety of the third day, making navigation simple. However, our nice track soon disappeared in a casuarina forest, under a layer of she-oak needles. It's a site filled with tips and advice to help you get out in nature and return safely. I Kanangra to Katoomba requires a long car shuffle. Tom Brennan : website@ozultimate.com : updated 1999-06-14, OZultimate.com - Canyoning Near Sydney - Bushwalking NSW - Tom Brennan. Poles are a good idea if you have questionable knees or ankles. Looking forward to more! As this is a hobby and not a business, I don't have the the financial backing that some companies do, so any support you can offer is really appreciated. Great trail with incredible views from the plateau. More Things to do (13) Tours (7) This track was very overgrown and this was when we decided to turn back because we realised our error. Black Horse Ridge to where the steep descent to Breakfast Creek petered out above the the 650m descent to the Coxs River. Kanangra-Boyd is always open, but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger. A small knoll not too far ahead was a great vantage point for some A lovely overnight walk in a beautiful national park, and great company from the welcoming groupof SBW walkers. Or continue on down a short set of steps to the lookout platform for an even better view. Note there is another track from the top of Mt Cloudmaker that heads generally south east, and then east on to the Ti Willa Tops, so don't just assume any track is the right one. Kanangra-Boyd National Park is composed of two land units the elevated, gently undulating Boyd Plateau and the area of creeks, rivers, gorges and ridges into which the plateau falls away. There is a steep eroded section about half way up, after which the track goes into a series of switchbacks. . I didn't have any You will do this in a friendly environment, in the company of like-minded people who are here for all the same reasons you are, in a spirit of mutual respect and friendship. Despite possessing one of the most awesome views in the Blue Mountains, few make it out here on account of the long road trip, including 30km of unsealed road. Keep your eyes peeled for echidnas and lyrebirds, particularly during summer. An easy day trip from the Blue Mountains, Kanangra-Boyd also has quiet campsites among the snow gums at Boyd River if you want to get away from it all. Understand[ edit] The walk is best done in the cooler months, as there are plenty of ups and downs, and limited water options along the way. In 1984 I walked the section from the Coxs River . Forests of mountain ash are found on well drained soils and Blaxland's stringybark where soil is poor. I have to admit that I often discourage beginners to do the Kanangra walks as it tends to put some people off bushwalking (sometimes forever) and probably we should have discouraged our four beginners on this occasion; the walks are challenging (the hills seem to go on forever), but the scenery is stunning and it is relatively easy walking along lightly forested spurs and ridges. Many parties have run into trouble over the years, and walkers need to be competent navigators. Expect long knee crushing descents and seemingly endless quad screaming climbs, especially on Day 3! Top of Katoomba street, at entrance to Katoomba station. . couldn't raise my arm above my head. For a while it was like a winter wonderland, but we soon This walk is excellent for bird watching and wildlife spotting. The hike itself is a three day circuit starting at Kanangra Walls, down the Gingra Ridge to the Kowmung River, up to 100 Man Cave via Compagnoni Pass and the Ti Willa Plateau before returning to Kanangra Walls via Mount Cloudmaker and Mount Stormmaker. Continuing along the track from Mt Cloudmaker for about 1km brought The main Upper Silurian limestone belt, in the Jenolan River valley to the north-west, is 300 metres (980ft) thick, 8 kilometres (5.0mi) long and located in a valley 460 metres (1,510ft) deep. Awesome! arrived. As a bushwalk, the Mount Manning (Bucketty) to . Find out more about hiking gear, read the latest blog posts, trip reports and gear reviews, and download my helpful PDF hiking guides. Rumble. I answered that I would have preferred it to have been over 4 days instead of 3 - to be honest I was very happy with the hike as it was, and I certainly don't regret doing it over 3 days. The national park forms part of the Great Dividing Range. The leader deems that the 3 day trip is within the capabilities of all participants and and would not disadvantage any participant. An easy day trip from the Blue Mountains, Kanangra-Boyd also has quiet campsites among the snow gums at Boyd River if you want to get away from it all. Following the big descent to the Coxs River, this was a long It would have been somewhat easier had my shoulder been functional. various parts of the hill. Kanangra Boyd National Park [1] is in the Australian state of New South Wales some 180 km west of Sydney and adjacent (south and east) to Jenolan Caves. Subscribe to our Naturescapes e-newsletter which is packed with the latest information, experiences and events in NSW national parks. Rock types include quartzite, diorite, Devonian rhyolites, rhyo-dacites, Silurian phyllites, slates, siltstones and tuff limestones. Your trip intentions will be emailed to your emergency contact. It is believed that he was planning to walk from Kanangra Walls to Katoomba via Crafts Walls, Mount Cloudmaker and Dex Creek. Read more about all the way to Mobbs Soak with only small amounts of height variation. The excitement wasn't quite over for the weekend as we still had the and everyone retired to their tents pretty early. Early in the morning (around 6:30am) you will be picked up from your accommodation in Katoomba and driven to the start of the Narrow Neck plateau from where the walk will commence. A species of velvet worm (Euperipatoides kanangrensis) has been found on the Boyd Plateau. Although the walk can be done in either direction, I run the trip in the direction of Katoomba to Kanangra, organise vehicles to be waiting for us at Kanangra Walls so that when we finish the walk at Kanangra, we have immediate access to private transport back to Katoomba, via, of course, the Hampton Half Way House hotel for a well earned refreshment on the way home! I have been leading bushwalks in the Blue Mountains for around 35 years, initially through a bushwalking club and later through my business MountainSphere Adventures. The 13km walk to Mt Cloudmaker is varied and rugged, and takes longer than you might expect, with lots of ups (900m) and downs (1000m). The views from the top are good and it is not a bad spot for lunch. Grid Reference: 395 403. The cave has a good flat, sandybase for rolling out our sleeping bags. The scramble down Gordon Smith Pass is slippery and exposed but not technically difficult. Day 1: Kanangra Walls to Mt Cloudmaker to Dex Creek (13km, 400m ascent) From the car park at Kanangra Walls, follow signs to the Plateau Track. It offers expansive and majestic views over the Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker, which - as its name suggests - is often ensconced in the fog. the weather was very cold, and my toes had well and truly gone numb by It can also be hard to find water near 100 man cave so you might want to carry two days worth so you survive the return trip. There comes a time when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it! We love outdoor adventures! Follow the fire road along Narrow Neck. These have been selected to promote the spectacular natural beauty of the route as well as to highlight the challenges you may encounter on the way. We reached Roots Ridge just after lunch and we knew that the end was in sight, only another couple of hours to go. Every person and every hike is different, so customise your kit according to your needs.Download your free checklists here >>. Part of Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, Kanangra-Boyd National Park is just 180km from Sydney. given the cold forecast. He ended up with 11 other people that wanted to do the walk, many of whom were first time walkers. We first ended up fighting thick scrub all the If you don't have some camping equipment like pack, tent, cooking equipment and stove, then limited supplies of these are available for you to borrow at no extra charge. Creek valley. Description from the NSW National Park Website. We were obviously not the first to use it as there was a well Once on Mt Yellow Dog the rest was relatively easy. Keep an eye out for soaring wedge-tail eagles! English: View from Kanangra-Boyd lookout over Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker, Kanangra-Boyd National Park, New South Wales, Australia. started. Expansive mountain gorges, magnificent lookouts and a series of wild and scenic rivers give a special edge to Kanagra-Boyd's wilderness. 6 km beyond the campsite is the Kanangra Walls carpark from whence the short, easy, wheelchair-friendly Lookout Walk departs. and Nicole headed off to Mt Dingo and Splendour Rock while I lounged with Time:5 hrs Distance:16 km Fitness:M Skill:H Ascent:500 m, A challenging walk visiting two of the climbing passes of Narrow Neck, Time:2 days Distance:36 km Fitness:MH Skill:EM Ascent:890 m, A long but fairly straightforward walk out to the junction of the wild Kowmung River with Gingra Creek, Time:6 hrs Distance:10 km Fitness:EM Skill:MH Ascent:490 m, An excellent walk along two of the shale ledge passes of Narrow Neck, with great views on a clear day, Time:2 days Distance:24 km Fitness:EM Skill:M Ascent:640 m, A walk with lots of variety, visiting a famous lookout and home of the Bushwalkers War Memorial, Time:8 hrs Distance:16 km Fitness:MH Skill:M Ascent:1080 m, An excellent walk visiting two spectacular lookouts in the Wild Dog Mountains, Time:6 hrs Distance:15 km Fitness:M Skill:EM Ascent:640 m, A solid walk to the highest of the peaks in the Wild Dogs, with great views, Time:2 days Distance:24 km Fitness:MH Skill:MH Ascent:840 m, A challenging walk to this excellent campsite on the picturesque Kowmung River, Time:4 hrs Distance:7 km Fitness:EM Skill:E Ascent:290 m, One of the best and most popular walks in the Blue Mountains, with a great variety of scenery and spectacular views, Time:2 days Distance:22 km Fitness:EM Skill:EM Ascent:850 m, The shortest walk from Kanangra Walls to the scenic Kowmung River, with an excellent campsite below the towering Orange Bluff, Time:2 days Distance:30 km Fitness:MH Skill:M Ascent:850 m. A harder walk in the upper reaches of the beautiful lower Kowmung River. [4] The Abercrombie River National Park is situated a short distance, further southwest. We were all too wet and cold to stop at any of the lookouts, and I doubt we would have seen much anyway with the rain. You'll need to leave pups at home dogs aren't allowed on this trail. Cloudmaker; Nattai National Park. Near the top of Mt Strongleg the trail It was this desperate 'rushing' through the dense foliage, coupled with my chaotically negligent state of mind which caused me to lose my GPS. About 60Km South of Jenolan on dirt road. Wednesday afternoon's walk, from the Kanangra carpark, took us first to the Kanangra Walls Lookout (spectacular views of the Walls and Mount Cloudmaker), the nearby Thurat Walls Lookout and then to Kalang Falls - many steps! Victoria to less than 200m (656 ft) around Glenbrook. We follow the fire trail along the top of this plateau on Day 1. Transport by chartered minibus from Kanangra Walls back to Katoomba at the end of the walk. We stopped for lunch on Mt Are you planning a bushwalk, going somewhere remote or where the weather is extreme? Nicole at a lookout on the climb up to Cloudmaker. Carlon Creek - were hard on the legs but not too difficult given what crack. in any case. The next section is the longest climb on the walk. thermals, so that was one of the first purchases from the outdoor stores On the Boyd Plateau, the misty mountain forests of brown barrel, messmate, ribbon gum, black sally, snow gum and mallee predominate. wide and flat-topped, and there were no views at all to speak of. Your next park adventure starts here. Good navigation and prior knowledge of the route is therefore essential. Directly across from our campsite is the base of the long spur up Mt Strongleg. The view here is excellent, but is unfortunately marred by the electricity line that runs across Little Cedar Gap. At the All in all, fantastic day and well worth the drive. The reward for all this effort is to transect a vast swathe of the southern Blue Mountains wilderness, taking in majestic mountain scenery in the process. There is a large but gloomy camp cave just above the creek below the campsite. Getting on to the track heading north out of Dex Creek the next The national park is bounded to the north by open farmland; to the east by the Coxs River, the Blue Mountains National Park and the Kowmung River; to the southeast by the Yerranderie State Conservation Area; to the south by the Nattai National Park and the Wombeyan Caves Road; to the southwest by the Blue Mountains National Park; and to the west by the Kowmung River, the Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve, and open farmland and extensive state forests that surround the town of Oberon. In a few places the path is very faint and you need to push your way through dense and stiff vegetation to finally reach our second night's campsite at Dex Creek. ridge straight up, and a newer one which zig-zagged back and forth along Please adjust your search criteria and try again. A short steep scramble is needed down the gully, and follow the track around and up on to Kilpatrick Causeway. inventively named Mt High and Mighty, Mt Stormbreaker, Rip, Rack, Roar and So we modified our route and Shane led us down Ti Willa Ridge then Stockyard Spur and we eventually arrived at a beautiful grassy field, which had plenty of fire wood, was close to the river and much drier than on the river flats (the previously planned campsite for the night which already had a group camped there). started to look a bit dodgy as the weather began to deteriorate. arriving in the wee hours of the morning. It is also done by some groups in one day as a challenge - "K to K in a Day" is one of the well known "hard" walks in the Blue Mountains, along with the significantly tougher Three Peaks. From Kanangra to Katoomba it's 45-50km depending on who you ask (and how lost you get). Take the north east branch, which keeps close to the northern edge of the tops. After a bit of There is a steep hill shortly after this, and one more downhill and uphill brings you to the locked gate and your car (if you've left it there). to make the run an official unsupported attempt, my water came from 3 sources being Kanangra creek twice, Dex creek twice and the water tank at the halfway turnaround at Kanangra walls. skies darkened and a small storm headed towards us up the Breakfast Take in the magnificent scenery the sheer sandstone cliff faces of Kanangra Walls or mist-wreathed Mount Cloudmaker before walking down forest-lined trails to . Dex Creek usually has flowing water, but it can dry up after longer dry spells. This elevation chart below gives you a good idea of the amount of climbing and descending day by day on this walk. Please enable javascript to access the full functionality of this site. The metamorphic and igneous rocks, steep . Kanangra Walls with Mt Cloudmaker in the distance. of the bush we found we were two ridges east of where we should have This long climb brings you to Mt Strongleg, from where it is still quite a long walk on a stony path that is faint in places to reach the Gangerang Plateau and some beautiful views. Just 180km from the outskirts of Sydney, Kanangra-Boyd National Park, part of Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, feels like youve crossed an ocean to get there. The size of the group will be capped at 8 clients, and the trip will not proceed unless a minimum number of 5 clients sign up. feel you Another important point, follow the map. Next morning Shane and I poured over the map and chose our route, deciding to take Orange Bluff off the plan; a somewhat easier day if all went to plan to make up for yesterdays challenges across the plateau, visit 1,000 Man Cave and then negotiate a pass through the cliffline and walk along the south-east at the base of the cliff to Compagnoni Pass and then follow a ridge between Little Gingra Creek and Willa Creek to reach the junction of the Kowmung and Little Gingra Creek by mid-afternoon. Mt Cloudmaker is one of the 3 Peaks objectives. As we turned Most of us rocked up to Boyd River Crossing on Friday night and were greeted with a blast of cold air when we got out of our cars, there was frost on the ground when we woke next morning. maybe the route, features or access conditions have changed? Report of a Katoomba to Kanangra trip - and back! After a break, continue on to Mt Stormbreaker. The plateau is traversed by the Kanangra Walls Road and can be accessed either from Oberon or Jenolan Caves. At A good idea to follow the map for this one to ensure you stay on track. a large mass of sandstone rising out of the surrounding bush. The cliffs on the west side of Mt Berry have superb views of Crafts Wall and Kanangra Walls. Your email address will not be published. Kanangra Walls > Mt Cloudmaker > TiWilla Plateau > 100 Man Cave > Campagnoni Pass > Willa Butress > Kowmung > Orange Bluff > Brumby Spur > Gingra Track > Kanangra Walls. to find the minor ridge heading for Mount Moorilla. You can find out more about how DPE handles the personal information it collects online by reading our privacy policy. Kanangra Walls Set within world heritage Kanangra Boyd National Park, the spectacular Kanangra Walls can be found approx 1 hours drive from Oberon. There are over 45 rare or endangered plant species in the wilderness. It is strongly recommended that all participants undertake some form of fitness training for at least the 2 months prior to the trip. You will then receive a full information pack containing everything you need to know to prepare for and attend the trip. small minaret for a spectacular shot across the Kanangra Creek gorge. There is substantial loss and gain of elevation on the walk which means there are long descents and ascents. One last steeper section gets you to the top. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. They can then inform police if you dont return on time. Time:3 days Distance:36 km Fitness:M Skill:M Ascent:1380 m, A variant on one of the classic Blue Mountains walks - finishing at Carlon's Farm below Blackheath, rather than at Katoomba, Time:5 hrs Distance:11 km Fitness:EM Skill:M Ascent:440 m, An interesting trip exploring of one of the old miners' passes of Narrow Neck, with good views of the Megalong Valley. They breed from November to January. Keep your eyes peeled for echidnas and lyrebirds, particularly during summer. Likewise there are numerous flat grassy areas between Mt Yellow Dog and Medlow Gap. There looked to be an old trail which followed the There are several well known landmarks in the park, such as Mount Cloudmaker, Kanangra Walls and the Thurat Spires. The plateau trail is very wet and muddy but generally easy to follow despite the lack of any markers. We can camp near here on the Coxs River and spend the afternoon relaxing by the river. Fill in a trip intention form to send important details about your adventure to your emergency contact. Kanangra Walls to Mt Cloudmaker.jpg 4,032 3,024; 3.34 MB Kanangra Walls-1.jpg 8,256 5,141; 4.05 MB Kanangra Walls-2.jpg 8,234 5,141; 2.69 MB Kanangra Walls.jpg 7,639 5,003; 8.58 MB Kanangra winter wonderland.jpg 3,888 2,592; 4.73 MB Kanangra-Boyd lookout, Kanangra-Boyd National Park 01.jpg 6,480 4,320; 8.16 MB Then the rain started, and that changed everything, we were now all getting chilled because of the slow pace. Unfortunately it started to drizzle thought was an early hour, only to find it full already. The trip itinerary allows 4 days, though this makes Days 2 and 3 rather short and in theory these could be combined. The next morning, get an early start and navigate carefully on to the ridge leading from Carra Top to Mt Moorilla Maloo. Take a virtual tour of Kanangra-Boyd lookout captured withGoogle Street View Trekker. So I wasn't sure that a three day Kanangra Wall cliff top walk - one of the most dramatic cliff-top walks in the Blue Mountains, but, due to the unfenced 70 metre drop, unsuitable for children. Reaching the corner of the Wall, take the track to the north west, which heads down a hill, and then up to the conglomerate bluff at the southern end of Mt Berry. Join one of my informally yet professionally led and well organised expeditions in one of the most spectacular wilderness areas in New South Wales.