The steepest ascent of the day is from here, up to Mt High and Mighty. Date: 10 May 2015, 11:09:20: Source: Own work: Author: Dhx1: This image was uploaded as part of Wiki Loves Earth 2016. Does this hike info need updating? Forests of mountain ash are found on well drained soils and Blaxland's stringybark where soil is poor. - Rock climbing to descend off plateau, 2.7km: Rockclimbing to descend off of the plateau. The other car you will need to get to Kanangra Walls. Much of the walk is through wilderness, for which there are no signs, and tracks in places are vague. The Boyd Plateau comprises a dome of Devonian granite intruded into Devonian quartzites and sedimentaries. 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. [2] The Kanangra-Boyd National Park is the most southwesterly of the eight protected areas within the World Heritage Site. if not for another party of walkers going the same way we might have It was a bit of a slow process, and not a great deal of fun. been. Expansive mountain gorges, magnificent lookouts and a series of wild and scenic rivers give a special edge to Kanagra-Boyd's wilderness. Still it was nice to finally see the car park at onto Jenolan Caves Rd from the Great Western Highway, the snow started ridge straight up, and a newer one which zig-zagged back and forth along There are isolated residual cappings of Permian sandstone in a few places but here the Palaeozoic basement rocks, which are elsewhere buried well below the Permo-Triassic Measures, are on the surface as high land. Many parties have run into trouble over the years, and walkers need to be competent navigators. There are 3 alerts for Kanangra-Boyd National Park: Other planned events, Safety alerts, Closed areas, View full screen There are over 45 rare or endangered plant species in the wilderness. Enjoy superb scenery, abundant wildlife, cycling and walking. reached the Kanangra Walls (dirt) Rd, where everything started to get The total distance of the walk is 52km, with a total of 3044m of ascent and 2991m of descent over the 3-4 days! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. In areas of impeded drainage, various swamps occur, dominated by sedges and scrubs such as Leptospermum and Baeckea species. But the rain had stopped and the sun came out at dusk. By allowing this amount of time you can enjoy the spectacular scenery, make side trips to points of interest such as Splendour Rock, and enjoy a couple of nights camping away from it all. Cloudmaker and Guouogang are eroded remnants of Ordovician quartzite. - in a day. Crossing two national parks, it takes in some of the best scenery of both, including excellent views from the high plateaux of Narrow Neck and Kanangra Walls. In quick succession we passed the If requested, you will be credited for any photos you provide and can ask they be deleted at any time. While the walk is most commonly done over three days, it can be done in two days by fit parties overnighting somewhere in the vicinity of the Coxs River. The walk is best done in the cooler months, as there are plenty of ups and downs, and limited water options along the way. Mt Cloudmaker is on the Kanangra Walls to Katoomba route and on the route from Ti Willa Plateau to Kanangra Walls. You can find out more about how DPE handles the personal information it collects online by reading our privacy policy. Tom patching blisters. By this time it was 4 pm and the light was failing, so, out came the compass and map for what I anticipated was a navigational challenge to find the Cave in the dark (with only an estimated grid reference on my map and not having been there before). Time:2 hrs Distance:6 km Fitness:E Skill:EM Ascent:60 m, Excellent panoramic views from this easy-to-visit lookout off Narrow Neck Peninsula, Time:4 hrs Distance:9 km Fitness:E Skill:EM Ascent:160 m. A relatively easy day walk with excellent views at a number of points along the way. a day walk, we set off to get the car shuffle out of the way. petered out above the the 650m descent to the Coxs River. ; 9 July 2008 (original upload date); Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Berichard using CommonsHelper. We first ended up fighting thick scrub all the Kanangra-Boyd National Park. From Craft's Wall, we headed down into the small saddle and up the The word Kanangra is generally held to be a corruption of Gundangura and was called Thurat for some time. We were forced to place billies under drips from the cave roof to collect water. About 60Km South of Jenolan on dirt road. 100 MAN CAVE & GINGRA RANGE JUNE 2012 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. The view from the Walls was impressive with fog in the valleys and everyone was having fun and enjoying the views. Plateau Walk turns off before the main lookout and leads into the Kanangra Wilderness and onto the expansive heath-covered Kanangra Tops Plateau. Stop at the top of the steps and peer out over Kanangra Deep to Kanangra Walls, and in the distance, Mount Cloudmaker, which is often circled by mist. Towards the end of the day, it was my unquenchable thirst for water which caused me to rush down the slopes of Mount Cloudmaker in order to find the closest stream. us to the intersection of two creeks, and the Dex Creek campsite. We car-camped at Boyd River campsite the night before, and were up early for a 7:30am start. It's usually done as a two or three day hike and with incredible ridgeline and riverside campsites, you'll be spoilt for locations to pull in for the night. 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. A good idea to follow the map for this one to ensure you stay on track. 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. This page was last edited on 27 October 2022, at 06:56. Actually I joined two clubs, The Bush Club and Sydney Bushwalkers (SBW), as I couldnt decidebetween them! Alex is pointing to Mount Cloudmaker, which at 1164m is the highest point visible. I can highly recommend carrying (or finding) 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. Expansive mountain gorges, magnificent lookouts and a series of wild and scenic rivers give a special edge to Kanagra-Boyd's wilderness. The Coxs River is fairly wide and shallow (usually) just across from Creek valley. Come walk with us. . the packs. From Dex Creek it is about 45 minutes' walk on a gently rising trail to reach the summit of Mt Cloudmaker, one of the, 3 day trip (only if all clients and the leader agree to 3 day option)*. Next, you'll make your way to see the breathtaking Kanangra-Boyd lookout, which gives you sweeping views of the Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker. 5.0km Kanangra Walls carpark to start of Gingra Track 0.9km Junction with track (on the right) down to Christys Creek 5.9km Gingra Track to Christys Creek via Bullhead Mountain. We broke for lunch at the top, Further east, in the Coxs River area, is the large Kanimbla granite batholith, implaced during the Carboniferous period. There are numerous routes that can be taken, and these notes only point out the most commonly taken route. After a break, continue on to Mt Stormbreaker. Konangaroo Clearing is a large grassy area next to Kanangra Creek, and would be an excellent campsite if doing the walk in two days. The track wound along a knife edge ridge, gently undulating and with fabulous views either side. Keep your eyes peeled for echidnas and lyrebirds, particularly during summer. We hadnt walked far when out of the gloom appeared Shane who thought hed mosey on back to meet up with us; Ive never been so pleased to see someone (I think I gave him the biggest hug!). Police were contacted on the 11th April, and a land and air. A unique form of tall open forest occurs in the Kedumba Valley, dominated by Camden white gum, an endangered species limited to these populations. For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info. The track is often rough, stony and hard to follow with many dips, turns and obstacles. It is believed that he was planning to walk from Kanangra Walls to Katoomba via Crafts Walls, Mount Cloudmaker and Dex Creek. Near the top of Mt Strongleg the trail Keep your eyes peeled for echidnas and lyrebirds, particularly during summer. ", "The trip was great - I have never hiked this part of the Blue Mountains and it proved spectacular! were about eight tents in five separate groups set up. The descent to Gabes Gap, the low point of the day, follows. 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! and Nicole headed off to Mt Dingo and Splendour Rock while I lounged with Our four beginners kept their sense of humour though when the going got tough and I hope that theyll give Kanangra another go (maybe in a year or so!). Just 180km from the outskirts of Sydney, Kanangra-Boyd National Park, part of the Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Property, feels like youve crossed an ocean to get there. The excitement wasn't quite over for the weekend as we still had the We follow the fire trail along the top of this plateau on Day 1. Kanangra Walls Lookout and Kalang Falls Walk, Blue Dog and Black Horse Ridge Loop Track, Dunphys Campground to Bellbird Ridge Lookout, Kanangra Walls Lookout, Brennan Top and Cottage Rock, Cattle Dog Ridge, Knights Deck, and Ironmonger Track, Frying Pan Flat via Bellbird Ridge and Carlons Creek, Mount Guouogang and Mount Paralyser Circuit, Mount Mouin via Bellbird and Black Horse Ridge Track, Bullhead Mountian and Sullen Tor via Plateau Walk, Federation Track South: Bindook Highlands to Yass. Join a group of like minded people to hike this iconic route with the reassurance of it being led by an experienced guide. Just 180km from the outskirts of Sydney, Kanangra-Boyd National Park, part of the Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Property, feels like you've crossed an ocean to get there. The unfenced lookout is a 10 minute walk down a wheelchair-accessible track from the Kanangra Walls carpark. There is no public transport to or from Kananga Walls so private transport needs to be arranged for pickup from or dropoff at Kanangra Walls. good walk for them. One last steeper section gets you to the top. There Some of the tracks on the ground may be heavily overgrown, or non-existent. We eventually found the Pass and while having lunch at the top of the Pass, a Bush Club group arrived and told us about a lovely campsite at the River. Take a welcome break here, it is the one and only river encountered on the route. 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. The track out along the plateau crosses a number of rocky clearings, but is fairly wide, obvious and well-maintained. crest of the ridge. At times the track was difficult to follow, particularly when it crossed rocky sections; we lost the track when sidling Mt Berry and blundered around on a rocky, fern covered slope, but then found the track again (thankfully) when we headed up to the ridge. For the fishing enthusiasts, trout can be caught along Kowmung River and, for the adventurous, canyoning is popular during the warmer months. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In conclusion, you need to consider the following when assessing in your own mind the level of difficulty of the walk: Please check the photos of the route and the detailed distance and elevation charts provided to you in your information pack when deciding if this trip is suitable for you. Our next milestone was Coalseam Cave and then we were out on Maxwell Top. We will add a further half day at the . 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. My first venture along parts of the Katoomba to Kanangra walk was a day hike from Kanangra Walls to Mt Cloudmaker in 1982. Click the button below to review the gear list for this trip. after dinner Many parties have run into trouble over the years, and walkers need to be competent navigators. red spotted gum, Blakely's red gum, red stringybark and forest oak are also found. The last day was only a short walk. Cloudmaker; Nattai National Park. Maps: Gangerang (Dunphy) Kanangra 8930-3S. From the superb sandstone cliff faces at the Kanangra Walls to the Mount Cloudmaker, there is no shortage of sights to enjoy. [5], The Blue Mountains National Park contains 46 species of mammals, including 27 marsupials and two monotremes. Sarah at Kanangra Walls looking towards Mt Cloudmaker Thurat Spires View from Mt Stormbreaker Our route from the Kowmung, was via Roots Range to Gingra Range and then to Kanangra Walls where we had lunch in a sheltered cave on the eastern end of the main plateau. As well as including theTen Essentials, my planning, food and packing checklists provide an summary of things to consider on your day, overnight and multi-day hikes. It is recommended that you book your own accommodation in Katoomba for the night prior to departure. Carlon's Farm. Kanangra Walls > Mt Cloudmaker > TiWilla Plateau > 100 Man Cave > Campagnoni Pass > Willa Butress > Kowmung > Orange Bluff > Brumby Spur > Gingra Track > Kanangra Walls. My aim is not to simply take you on a bushwalk or to perpetuate your dependency on having a guide. Jonathan on a peak somewhere. Splendour Rock is a truly spectacular place, a prominent rock outcrop from where panoramic views of the southern Blue Mountains can be beheld. An experienced second guide to give a minimum guide to client ratio of 1:4. The ones at Dex Creek and Mobbs Swamp usually have water available, which is why they are popular. I chose day 1 as my favourite day, however I really didn't have a favourite day, I enjoyed each day for what it was and what it gave me. Here is a day-by-day itinerary for the guided hike: The Narrow Neck Plateau. Gabes Gap is the low point on the walk, the path through the gap is steep in both directions. Plan your water supply very carefully! The metamorphic and igneous rocks, steep . 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. [4] The Abercrombie River National Park is situated a short distance, further southwest. way to the top of the ridge. Let's do it in a day. views of the Walls. Ashley puts a lot of effort into the organisation of the trip and provides very professional information both prior and during the hike. a small stream, which we filtered. Len S had put this three day walk on the BWOC calendar mainly because I'd convinced him it was a good walk, neither of us had been to 100 Man Cave before, and he loves Kanangra. You need to be careful to avoid slipping or straining an ankle on this uneven rough path. There was also time for a (slightly) longer walk to a point overlooking Kanangra Creek not far from Kanangra Falls. By this time the rain was pretty steady and the track was a series of deep puddles. Several species listed on Schedules 1 and 2 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (NSW) are found in the Wilderness Area including: The powerful owl (Ninox strenua), squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis), yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus volans), tiger quoll (Dasyurus maculatus), and brush-tailed rock wallaby (Petrogale penicillata). - Brennan Top Near the end of the plateau, the track heads down and into a small gully. Rather, by offering trips like the Katoomba to Kanangra walk, I hope to provide you the security of knowing you are safely led by an experienced guide, whilst at the same time passing on to you the skills that will enable you to gain the confidence to become independent and self reliant in the future. The southern rim of Crafts Wall is very overgrown and requires bush bashing. For a while it was like a winter wonderland, but we soon Oberon office 02 6336 6200 Contact hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 4.30pm. 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. Beautiful walk on the plateau with amazing 360 degree views. Information submitted on this form, including any personal details, will be a matter of public record and will be stored in the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) records system. So, Len abdicated as Leader and passed the baton on to me, Shane and I would lead the group for the rest of the weekend. Please note: Uploading photos does not transfer ownership of copyright away from you. Then the rain started, and that changed everything, we were now all getting chilled because of the slow pace. The 68,660-hectare (169,700-acre) national park is situated approximately 180 kilometres (110mi) south-west of Sydney and is contiguous with the Blue Mountains National Park and the Nattai National Park. Unfortunately it started to drizzle This makes the last day a long and difficult day despite the distance being only 13.2km. It soon became apparent that two of the group were struggling as we headed up the trail. This is a true wilderness experience that will take you into some of the most spectacular wilderness of NSW. You may also be walking through regrowth that is dense and head high in places. Pause Nifty footwork is required over the rocky knolls quaintly named Rip, Rack, Roar and Rumble. The rock climb down the cliff was an exciting bonus. Kowmung River via Cambage Spire; Kanangra Walls to Mt. Theres nothing glamorous about bushwalking, caving or canyoning, but it sure is fun! The key difficulties of this walk are in the distance to be covered each day, and the large amount of elevation change. You'll need to leave pups at home dogs aren't allowed on this trail. Protected area in New South Wales, Australia, "Kanangra-Boyd National Park: Park management", "Kanangra-Boyd National Park: Facilities and activities", Valley Heights Locomotive Depot Heritage Museum, Greater Blue Mountains Area (World Heritage Site), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kanangra-Boyd_National_Park&oldid=1118480657, Parks and reserves of the Blue Mountains (New South Wales), All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Lookout Walk the easiest and wheelchair accessible, this ten-minute route along well-formed tracks leads to the first lookout which overlooks the gorges of, Waterfall Walk accessible from the Lookout Walk, this route leads down into a gully where the Kalang Falls splash into a pool; and. 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. We stopped for lunch on Mt I will send you an invoice, you can make a deposit, and then your place on the trip is confirmed. The plateau is traversed by the Kanangra Walls Road and can be accessed either from Oberon or Jenolan Caves. It's located in New South Wales, Australia. The views in this section are excellent, with the spectacular Kanangra Falls and Kalang Falls in full glory after rain, and the magnificent Thurat Spires glowing red in the morning light. Saturday morning saw us drive down to the parking lot at what we the bottom of Yellow Dog Ridge. Understand[ edit] Over three or four days you will encounter some of the best known landscapes in the region including Kanangra Walls, Cox's river, Mt Cloudmaker and Tarros Ladders. Click on thumbnails for large images - Fullscreen ( Fullscreen Requires JavaScript) Or alternatively, push on to Dex Creek, combining Days 2 and 3 into one. Kanangra Walls - Mt Cloudmaker Hike . The hike should take around 3-4 days to complete. Cyclists will want to bring their mountain bikes to explore the parks fire trails. Awesome! I personally enjoy a trip that has some physical and mental challenges, so the difficulties faced from some of the elevations on this trip didn't bother me at all. Mt Debert, with Mt Mouin and Mt Warrigal in the background, from Clear Hill. Time:3 days Distance:27 km Fitness:M Skill:MH Ascent:870 m. An excellent walk showing off the great variety of scenery in Kanangra-Boyd NP. putting off the 400m climb down for as long as possible. There are a number of small campsites on both sides of the creek. Required fields are marked *. Then there is the final up and down (but more up than down) around Rip, over Rack, around Roar and over Rumble, before you reach Mt Cloudmaker. There comes a time when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it! From the east side of the clearing, with one branch heads initially east, and then south towards Maxwell Top, while the other heads north east from the northern side of the clearing. Your food while on the hike - you need to bring your own food for the 4 day hike. No other people in sight! Since then I have done countless trips along the Kanangra to Katoomba route and have explored the surrounding country extensively. uphill. A classic 3-4 day hike through the heart of the southern Blue Mountains, View towards Katoomba from Kanangra Walls, showing the Gangerang Range along which the route travels, About the Kanangra to Katoomba (or Katoomba to Kanangra) Walk. all the way to Mobbs Soak with only small amounts of height variation. I got picked up by a very generous friend at 3:45am, reached Kanangra in time to see the walls at dawn, climbed up Mt Cloudmaker, signed the last page of the logbook there about 10:00am then carried on to Katoomba. Plateau we ran into our first problem - how to get down. The group was a bit larger thanwhat Id recommend for walking in Kanangra, but Len was sure everything would be fine. Once on the ridge, head on the track to Mt Moorilla Maloo. 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. More Blue Mountains Heritage Centre and Blackheath office 02 4787 8877 Contact hours: 9am to 4.30pm daily. Great trip - I thoroughly enjoyed the company and being in the wilderness. arriving in the wee hours of the morning. 13.2km Kanangra Walls to Dexs Creek (via Mt Cloudmaker) . Highlights include: If it's offered over 4 days next year, that makes it a different experience that I hope I can be a part of :) I think you go out of your way to make sure everyone is comfortable and well taken care off, and well informed, and provided for. Good navigation and prior knowledge of the route is therefore essential. We camped on the Friday night at Boyd Crossing Campground, after Rumble. of wood there This bit of the ridge is open but steepapart from the last 50m or so to the Coxs River. Here are a few photos of sections of the route. The hike should take around 3-4 days to complete. There were plenty of great views of the sandstone cliffs Being the June long weekend document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We are a social community of women over 45 who enjoy walking together regularly for fitness in Sydneys natural bush and coastal areas. From here it is a long descent to the Coxs River. I teach the empowering skill of bush navigation through my regular navigation training weekends and am happy to provide follow up training on my guided bushwalks including the Katoomba to Kanangra hike. This will be arranged by me as part of my service to you. The next section is the longest climb on the walk. Please note that while the maps on this web site There are several well known landmarks in the park, such as Mount Cloudmaker, Kanangra Walls and the Thurat Spires. the weather was very cold, and my toes had well and truly gone numb by Poles are a good idea if you have questionable knees or ankles. along the way, and so didn't have to organise our own car shuffle. few kms of flat walking, we were heading along the faint track along Subscribe to our Naturescapes e-newsletter which is packed with the latest information, experiences and events in NSW national parks. ", "The K2K guided walk was fantastic! I wonder whether the NPWS takes an interest Bring your camera when you visit Kanangra-Boyd lookout. Of course, that might have just been our excuse for Your trip intentions will be emailed to your emergency contact. ended up at the Kowmung River! A classic trail deep in the Blue Mountains, the K2K offers some of the best scenery in the region. I However we decided to get moving quickly as there looked to be more bad 100 Man Cave to Kanangra Walls via Mt Cloudmaker Distance: 13km. Generally considered a challenging route. I have had more than 30 years experience of bushwalking along this route and would welcome you on this trip. Looking forward to more! Kanangra to Katoomba requires a long car shuffle. The national park forms part of the Great Dividing Range. Take the afternoon off and have a swim in the river, and for those interested, learn some navigation skills similar to those taught on my. [5], The complex geology, climate, fire regime, and topography has enabled a wide variety of ecosystems to develop. Enjoy superb scenery, abundant wildlife, cycling and walking. By mid-afternoon after climbing Mt High & Mighty, Len decided that his proposed route had a few too many ups and downs for his legs and knees which were giving him considerable trouble and so he decided to spend the night on Mt Stormbreaker with Kathy and Peter and they would head back to Kanangra the following day. It offers expansive and majestic views over the Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker, which - as its name suggests - is often ensconced in the fog. of the bush we found we were two ridges east of where we should have enjoy the view. 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. Fill in a trip intention form to send important details about your adventure to your emergency contact. bluemountains.heritagecentre@environment.nsw.gov.au, Blue Mountains Lithgow and Oberon Tourism website, Oberon Australia Visitor Information website, Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife, Become a Parks Eco Pass licensed tour operator, Blue Mountains Heritage Centre and Blackheath office, 270 Govetts Leap Road, Blackheath NSW 2785. The track climbs up a cleft in the rocks, along a shale ledge on the west side, and up another cleft to a ladder which takes you up to Clear Hill at the top. Tom and Nicole. The unfenced lookout is a 10 minute walk down a wheelchair-accessible track from the Kanangra Walls carpark.