Kanagra Walls to Dex's Creek - BushcraftOz Its fringing fault scarp Kanangra Walls comprises Permian sedimentaries of the Capertee Group which rests unconformably on a Devonian Lambie Group Basement. Although the route can be done by an extremely fit trail runner in 12-15 hours, most bushwalking groups attempt the walk over a somewhat more pedestrian 3 or 4 days. For details on how to get to Kanangra Walls, see the information in the Kanangra Walls region, to the right. The ones at Dex Creek and Mobbs Swamp usually have water available, which is why they are popular. . My first venture along parts of the Katoomba to Kanangra walk was a day hike from Kanangra Walls to Mt Cloudmaker in 1982. Easter on the Lower Kowmung River | David Noble Blog It is recommended that you book your own accommodation in Katoomba for the night prior to departure. Descend from Splendour Rock and continue along the Wild Dog Mountains walking track to reach Mt Yellow Dog. the side of the ridge. Take a virtual tour of Kanangra-Boyd lookout captured withGoogle Street View Trekker. Near the end of the plateau, the track heads down and into a small gully. Kanangra to Katoomba requires a long car shuffle. You may take significantly longer, and may in fact need to turn back if the scrub gets too tough to push through. If you have sufficient water, you can take a short cut about half way down aiming for the bottom of Yellow Pup Ridge. However, they can be crowded at times. Highlights include: The road leads to Kanangra Walls. 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. Further east, in the Coxs River area, is the large Kanimbla granite batholith, implaced during the Carboniferous period. On Day 2 we will do a relaxed day walk over Ti Willa Plateau to 1000 Man Cave. A species of velvet worm (Euperipatoides kanangrensis) has been found on the Boyd Plateau. of wood there Descent off of the plateau was difficult to find. The southern rim of Crafts Wall is very overgrown and requires bush bashing. This has been a big help to drive the final nail Into my navigation planning! With the kids feeling fresh and strong, we headed down to Kalang Falls. The park was established in 1969. Have only visited here once, but will certainly return, a few of these . Plateau itself. 1000m altitude difference between highest and lowest point. Play. Mobbs Swamp is on the south side of Warrigal Gully, at the head of the creek, and is reached after a steady downhill on the track. Kanangra-Boyd National Park - Wikipedia Water can usually be found in the creek below the campsite, or a little further along where the creek crosses the main track. The hike incorporates the summit of Mt Cloudmaker, one of the famous Blue Mountains Three Peaks, and most walkers passing over this summit would sign the logbook there. Colong Caves is another outstanding feature of the area. The climb is about 8m, but could be difficult for some people with a full pack. Don't walk it in summer! I hope it remains a difficult and raw walking trail for self sufficient hikers. Cloudmaker and Guouogang are eroded remnants of Ordovician quartzite. Whilst most of the walking is along a well defined walking path, both the first day and the last day are rather long (20km and 13km respectively) with lots of ups and downs. You need to be careful to avoid slipping or straining an ankle on this uneven rough path. Over 200 birds and 98 reptile species have been recorded. The 2019-2020 bushfires significantly affected the area and since the fires much of the track has become overgrown, and the path is indistinct and difficult to follow. 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. If you are lost or require help and have phone reception, call 000 and ask for police. Cross the main fire trail onto a track that heads ENE over Mt Debert. 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. There are several well known landmarks in the park, such as Mount Cloudmaker, Kanangra Walls and the Thurat Spires. I think you are a great guide, and I think the effort you go to is over and above what most stand-alone guides would think of providing. uphill. Considering our late start we opted for lunch here while we could 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. Nicole in scrub near Mt Moorilla Maloo. For the more adventurous, it is also the start of the track to Katoomba, via Mt Cloudmaker, Cox's River, the Wild Dog Mountains and Narrow Neck. Traverse around the west side of the cliff for about 20m to find Tarro's Ladders. From the unfenced lookout, an easy 10 minutes walk from the Kanangra Walls carpark, you can peer out over Kanangra Deep to Kanangra Walls and in the distance, Mount Cloudmaker, which is often circled by mist. Much of the walk is through wilderness, for which there are no signs, and tracks in places are vague. 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. About 60Km South of Jenolan on dirt road. 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. The campground provides easy access to the Kanangra-Boyd Lookout walk, which is wheelchair friendly and takes only 10 minutes to complete. Kanangra Boyd National Park is a national park some 180 km west of Sydney and adjacent (south and east) to Jenolan Caves. 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. 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. The walk is best done in the cooler months, as there are plenty of ups and downs, and limited water options along the way. 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. From the superb sandstone cliff faces at the Kanangra Walls to the Mount Cloudmaker, there is no shortage of sights to enjoy. The plateau is traversed by the Kanangra Walls Road and can be accessed either from Oberon or Jenolan Caves. Kanangra to Katoomba - Bushwalking NSW [5], There are several walking tracks and other sites in the park, these include the:[6], Camping is available on the banks of Morong Creek, at the Boyd River campground, located on Kanangra Road.[7]. So again, follow the map. 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. The last day was only a short walk. 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. After a break, continue on to Mt Stormbreaker. The movie Jedda was filmed in the Kanangra Walls area in 1954. Enjoy the sunrise from Splendour Rock. From Mobbs Swamp, head north on the track, which swings around to the east as you pass Blue Dog Ridge. Near the top of Mt Strongleg the trail The next section is the longest climb on the walk. Kanangra Walls to Crafts Wall Cave | Map, Guide - AllTrails Mt Cloudmaker - Dingo Gap the packs. The walk is best done in the cooler months, as there are plenty of ups and downs, and limited water options along the way. Kanangra-Boyd Lookout Walk - Kanangra-Boyd lookout offers unparalleled views across one of Australia's most spectacular landscapes; Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. all the way to Mobbs Soak with only small amounts of height variation. Another important point, follow the map. Kanangra To Katoomba: Kanangra Walls - Gangerang Range - Mt Cloudmaker - Dex Creek - Mt Strongleg - Coxs River - Mt Yellow Dog - Medlow Gap - Narrow Neck - Katoomba Station: The barrier at Kanangra Walls car park. other side to Mt Berry. Hug the wall to the right and zigzag the way down. Water was a bit scarce - we continued up the track a short way 2WD accessible. Strongleg. It offers unparalleled views across one of Australias most spectacular landscapes; Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Property. It ended up taking us an hour just to travel the one kilometre Kanangra Walls to Crafts Walls: By Sydney Explorers our story A short steep scramble is needed down the gully, and follow the track around and up on to Kilpatrick Causeway. If it is not practicable for you to do training bushwalks prior to this trip then any form of long walk with as much hill climbing and descending as you can practicably manage would place you in good stead for this trip. and everyone retired to their tents pretty early. The free NSW National Parks app lets you download maps and explore parks, things to do and places to stayall without mobile reception. The distances below assume a car at the locked gate. The man's car was found yesterday in the Kanangra Walls car park with his mobile phone and personal items inside. 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 Much of the walk is through wilderness, for which there are no signs, and tracks in places are vague. Tom patching blisters. We walk out along the Narrow Neck plateau along a fire trail, a distance of 10km. Join a group of like minded people to hike this iconic route with the reassurance of it being led by an experienced guide. Mt Cloudmaker was only a short way past Rumble Knoll, although it was Kanangra walls to Mt Cloudmaker - Blue Mountains - YouTube crest of the ridge. wrong one! This will be arranged by me as part of my service to you. Logbook | Rachel Grindlay The plateau slopes gently down from west to east from a height of around 1100m (3610 ft) near Mt. Thurat Spires, Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker provide sandstone scenery on a majestic scale." (sic.) It was a bit of a slow process, and not a great deal of fun. My toes were My toes were absolutely aching by the bottom. thought was an early hour, only to find it full already. Pause Kanangra Walls to Mt Cloudmaker - YouTube Kanangra Walls to Mt Cloudmaker 1,011 views Jun 28, 2008 Hike to Mt Cloudmaker from Kanangra Walls (NSW, Australia) and return - 27/28 June. The tortoises continued on over Rip Rack Roar and Rumble to Mt Cloudmaker; by this time most of us were past clambering over rocks and had had enough of going up-hill so it was with relief that we started down the track to Ti Willa Top. started. One last steeper section gets you to the top. Kanangra Walls lookout gave spectacular views of the walls and the rest of the hike along the top - Kilpatrick Causeway, Craft's Walls, Mount Berry, Gabes Gap, Mount High and Mighty, Mount Stormbreaker, Rip, Rack Roar and Rumble knolls and Mount Cloudbreaker the highest point in the distance. Then the rain started, and that changed everything, we were now all getting chilled because of the slow pace. Still it was nice to finally see the car park at Saturday morning saw us drive down to the parking lot at what we 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. Boyd River Camping - Wild Blue Wanders Keep an eye out for soaring wedge-tail eagles! 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. Carlon Creek - were hard on the legs but not too difficult given what From here it is a long descent to the Coxs River. The hike incorporates the summit of Mt Cloudmaker, one of the famous Blue Mountains Three Peaks, and most walkers passing over this summit would sign the logbook there. - Brennan Top Jonathan on a peak somewhere. You can see for miles at Kanangra-Boyd lookout, an easily accessible viewpoint overlooking Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker. The plateau trail is very wet and muddy but generally easy to follow despite the lack of any markers. Grid Reference: 395 403. Black Horse Ridge to where the steep descent to Breakfast Creek The remainder of the trail to Crafts Wall and around the northern rim is moderate. Transport by chartered minibus from Kanangra Walls back to Katoomba at the end of the walk. petered out above the the 650m descent to the Coxs River. feel you Nearby Kanangra Gorge is cut 600900 metres (2,0003,000ft) deep in rocks of the Lambie Group, and is one of Australia's deepest gorges. By submitting this form, you consent to the collection and use of your personal information in accordance with this policy. 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. 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. The off to Mt Cloudmaker and down to set up camp on Mt Stormbreaker. 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. Kanangra-Boyd Lookout Walk - Aussie Bushwalking 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. Your email address will not be published. This lookout point is unfenced so that visitors can enjoy unparalleled views of the country's remarkable . Stay safe by planning your trip for all conditions and telling someone about it. Another group we bumped into was Greater Blue Mountains Area - New World Encyclopedia The first part of the walk was quite easy, being out along the Plateau itself. Are you planning a bushwalk, going somewhere remote or where the weather is extreme? While the hike 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. Eucalypt forest with western plain species, such as yellow box and white box, are found in areas of rainshadow. Day 1: Kanangra Walls to Mt Cloudmaker to Dex Creek Saturday morning saw us drive down to the parking lot at what we thought was an early hour, only to find it full already. Good navigation and prior knowledge of the route is therefore essential. 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. eastern end of the wall we missed our trail heading off to the left, and and found ; 9 July 2008 (original upload date); Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Berichard using CommonsHelper. Expect long knee crushing descents and seemingly endless quad screaming climbs, especially on Day 3! 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. Stormbreaker, which had some nice views of the surrounding area. Sydney's Great Outdoors: Kanangra-Boyd National Park - Broadsheet A unique form of tall open forest occurs in the Kedumba Valley, dominated by Camden white gum, an endangered species limited to these populations. The other car you will need to get to Kanangra Walls. 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. You now walk through sub-alpine scrub, heath and forest to finally reach Dex Creek, the high headwaters of a small creek fed by a pristine hanging swamp. Being the June long weekend Understand [ edit] Created in 1969, Kanangra-Boyd National Park covers 66,681 ha. The plateau is traversed by the Kanangra Walls Road and can be accessed either from Oberon or Jenolan Caves. the bottom of Yellow Dog Ridge. On Day 3, we return to Kanangra Walls, enjoying the spectacular views in the opposite direction. Poles are a good idea if you have questionable knees or ankles. given the cold forecast. after dinner Kanangra-Boyd is always open, but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger. Nifty footwork is required over the rocky knolls quaintly named Rip, Rack, Roar and Rumble. The Kanangra-Boyd Wilderness is among the largest and most rugged wilderness areas in New South Wales. Mount Cloudmaker (from Kanangra Walls) | Kanangra-Boyd National Park | BeyondTracks BeyondTracks BeyondTracks ExploreListMap Mount Cloudmaker (from Kanangra Walls) Kanangra-Boyd National Park 21km Distance 8hr 43min Duration 1,637m Ascent 1,637m Descent Return car Sidetracks Dance Floor Cave- Sidetrack Return| 67m - English: View from Kanangra-Boyd lookout over Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker, Kanangra-Boyd National Park, New South Wales, Australia. On the last day the knolls past Mt Cloudmaker (Rip, Rack, Roar and Rumble) are steep and stony and care must be taken on the trail there. 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! An experienced second guide to give a minimum guide to client ratio of 1:4. Descent of Tarros Ladders is by climbing down metal spikes in a cliff face - this is optional as an alternative (longer) route is available that avoids this. The track is often rough, stony and hard to follow with many dips, turns and obstacles. trails, the relevant topographic maps should be carried on most walks. After a The second lookout overlooks rugged ravines at the head of the gorges and Kanangra Falls. We got there first, but by the time we started collecting a meagre supply Took us an hour per 750m between those two locations, so definitely make sure to add time at the moment! We were obviously not the first to use it as there was a well More Things to do (13) Tours (7) Situated to the south of Katoomba in the Blue Mountains and the Kanangra-Boyd National Parks, this folded belt or "Rim Rock" area is markedly different from the Permo-Triassic sandstone dominated landforms which comprise the rest of the Blue Mountains. slushy. Generally considered a challenging route. We first ended up fighting thick scrub all the Kurrajong trees are found in abundance where limestone outcrops occur, and in sheltered gullies rainforest species (including red cedar) and blue gum are found. suppose a good pair of hiking boots may just come in handy at a point It is strongly recommended that all participants undertake some form of fitness training for at least the 2 months prior to the trip. 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. have conquered. Tom and Nicole. For the fishing enthusiasts, trout can be caught along Kowmung River and, for the adventurous, canyoning is popular during the warmer months. Trail Hiking Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the landson which we hike and pay respects to their Elders, past and present, and we acknowledge the First Nations peopleof other communities who may be here today. Gabes Gap is the low point on the walk, the path through the gap is steep in both directions. Following the big descent to the Coxs River, this was a long were about eight tents in five separate groups set up. This track was very overgrown and this was when we decided to turn back because we realised our error. 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. skies darkened and a small storm headed towards us up the Breakfast way to the top of the ridge. The trail heads steeply north down the obvious ridge, finishing at Kanangra Creek where you can fill up with water. Kowmung River via Cambage Spire; Kanangra Walls to Mt. 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. Total distance of 52km with single day distances of up to 20km. Two of the features most spoken of in the Kanangra-Boyd National park are the Kanangra Falls and Kanangra Walls. The river should only be about knee deep at this point. This is a steep climb to start with but eases off, passing through pleasant open forest. 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.