A small knoll not too far ahead was a great vantage point for some uphill. A challenging walk but well rewarded with the view. 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. The place is literally riddled with fire trails and a few walking tracks. Saturday morning saw us drive down to the parking lot at what we The river should only be about knee deep at this point. 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. During spring, peer into the undergrowth where you might see the antechinus, a small, rodent-like marsupial. Kanangra-Boyd National Park | NoBMoB However, you will need to make sure you can meet in the middle to exchange keys. Rescue from the K2K Kanangra to Katoomba route - Lotsafreshair The cave has a good flat, sandybase for rolling out our sleeping bags. Here is a day-by-day itinerary for the guided hike: The Narrow Neck Plateau. However, they can be crowded at times. Another important point, follow the map. I have had more than 30 years experience of bushwalking along this route and would welcome you on this trip. Kanangra walls to Mt Cloudmaker - Blue Mountains - YouTube Would you like to do this hike with an experienced guide? In areas of impeded drainage, various swamps occur, dominated by sedges and scrubs such as Leptospermum and Baeckea species. 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. Mt Cloudmaker was only a short way past Rumble Knoll, although it was Find out more about hiking gear, read the latest blog posts, trip reports and gear reviews, and download my helpful PDF hiking guides. Pause I would highly recommend his walks and training to anyone and will be looking forward to the next adventure.". [5], The Blue Mountains National Park contains 46 species of mammals, including 27 marsupials and two monotremes. the side of the ridge. At a large clearing about 1km on to the tops, the trail divides, and becomes narrower. More Things to do (13) Tours (7) Shuttle by car from your Katoomba accommodation to the start of the walk. Date: 10 May 2015, 11:09:20: Source: Own work: Author: Dhx1: This image was uploaded as part of Wiki Loves Earth 2016. Trail Hiking Australia is the go-to website for finding your next hike, bushwalk or trail run. We follow the fire trail along the top of this plateau on Day 1. Fill in a trip intention form to send important details about your adventure to your emergency contact. 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. In 1984 I walked the section from the Coxs River . Your email address will not be published. There is a steep eroded section about half way up, after which the track goes into a series of switchbacks. the end of the Web page created 28 Apr 2018, last updated 21 Dec 2021. Another challenge of this walk is the descent of Tarros Ladders, which is a cliff face with metal spikes in them which you use as handholds and footholds to descend. 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. started. The movie Jedda was filmed in the Kanangra Walls area in 1954. It was a bit of a slow process, and not a great deal of fun. There Click the button below to review the gear list for this trip. Today there would scarcely be a peak, ridge, spur or valley visible from any vantage point along the entire route that I have not personally been to. 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). Likewise there are numerous flat grassy areas between Mt Yellow Dog and Medlow Gap. 54km: 12 hours: 24 hours: K2K Leaderboard: K2K2K (K2). Katoomba to . crest of the ridge. On the trail to the lookout, theres a revegetation area abundant with silver banksia, bright red mountain devils and white flowering hakeas. 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. enjoy the view. The walking trail is rough and faint in places. This area is unforgiving and there's not water on route to Mt Cloudmaker. and found if not for another party of walkers going the same way we might have along the way, and so didn't have to organise our own car shuffle. three hour round trip to Kanangra to pick up the other car. At the time I said that day 2 was the hardest I had ever done; in retrospect I would be more than happy to do it all over again, so while I found it hard I don't think it rates as the hardest thing ever!! Unfortunately it started to drizzle 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. Then we meandered along the Kilpatrick Causeway to Crafts Wall, other side to Mt Berry. Mt Debert, with Mt Mouin and Mt Warrigal in the background, from Clear Hill. Traverse around the west side of the cliff for about 20m to find Tarro's Ladders. Creek valley. 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. Develop new skills, learn how to prepare for your next hike and remain safe while navigating the trail. Transport by chartered minibus from Kanangra Walls back to Katoomba at the end of the walk. We walk out along the Narrow Neck plateau along a fire trail, a distance of 10km. There are plenty of good campsites along the way. Also was able to put 2 entries in the Bushwalker's book located on top of Mt Cloudmaker with the times of each pass and expected finish. were about eight tents in five separate groups set up. 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. PDF YouR passpoRT To d e s Tow l u Welcome to oberon E Hikes in the Sydney Area - Evan Hunter Kanangra to Katoomba - K2K (47km) - Trail Hiking Australia 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. Completely overgrown and path does not exist any more. We will add a further half day at the . We decided to get an early 7.30 a.m. start on Monday because we had a long day ahead on the Gingra Range which was mostly up-hill. However, our nice track soon disappeared in a casuarina forest, under a layer of she-oak needles. The Boyd Plateau is slowly recovering from logging, and is the highest land in the World Heritage Area. It would have been somewhat easier had my shoulder been functional. Kanangra-Boyd Lookout Walk - Kanangra-Boyd lookout offers unparalleled views across one of Australia's most spectacular landscapes; Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. This is where we will make our final camp. The man's car was found yesterday in the Kanangra Walls car park with his mobile phone and personal items inside. Awesome! Join one of my informally yet professionally led and well organised expeditions in one of the most spectacular wilderness areas in New South Wales. The plateau is traversed by the Kanangra Walls Road and can be accessed either from Oberon or Jenolan Caves. If you have a large group you may be able to avoid the car shuffle by splitting in two, and doing the walk in opposite directions. The plateau slopes gently down from west to east from a height of around 1100m (3610 ft) near Mt. Losing the track turnedout to be a problem as the terrain was very hard on Len and his knees. arrived. "First of all a big shout out to our guide Ashley, although 'guide' is an understatement as he fulfilled so many additional roles: chef (wow that home baked banana cake ), tea maker, sherpa, chauffeur, motivator, teacher, water finder, photographer, someone who made us feel safe and made sure I didn't fall off the bottom of Tarro's Ladder . Subscribe to our Naturescapes e-newsletter which is packed with the latest information, experiences and events in NSW national parks. By submitting this form, you consent to the collection and use of your personal information in accordance with this policy. This bit of the ridge is open but steepapart from the last 50m or so to the Coxs River. "He thought he was already at the foot of Mount Cloudmaker - at Gabes Gap! Play. The scramble down Gordon Smith Pass is slippery and exposed but not technically difficult. A challenging bushwalk in the Kanangra Boyd region. Many ups and downs and some slow and tiring sections of trail, particularly on the last day. both north and south and endless photo opportunities. Post the bushfires of 2019-20, parts of Kanangra and the Wild Dogs (including parts of the below walk) have experienced heavy regrowth of vegetation. 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 everyone retired to their tents pretty early. Tom and Jonathan on the Kilpatrick Causeway above Kanangra Deep. Does this hike info need updating? the bottom of Yellow Dog Ridge. The ones at Dex Creek and Mobbs Swamp usually have water available, which is why they are popular. This will be arranged by me as part of my service to you. The distances below assume a car at the locked gate. There are several well known landmarks in the park, such as Mount Cloudmaker, Kanangra Walls and the Thurat Spires. Take the north east branch, which keeps close to the northern edge of the tops. 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. However we decided to get moving quickly as there looked to be more bad Enjoy the sunrise from Splendour Rock. Mt Cloudmaker is the highest in the Gangerang Range. 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 However, you will need to make sure you can meet in the middle to exchange keys. 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. For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info. A unique form of tall open forest occurs in the Kedumba Valley, dominated by Camden white gum, an endangered species limited to these populations. With such a big group sharing the Cave, positions around the one and only campfire were at a premium. 100 Man Cave to Kanangra Walls via Mt Cloudmaker Distance: 13km. They breed from November to January. Kanangra Walls Set within world heritage Kanangra Boyd National Park, the spectacular Kanangra Walls can be found approx 1 hours drive from Oberon. Kanangra Walls - Mt Cloudmaker Hike 31/5/03 - 1/6/03 Please adjust your search criteria and try again. We started out from the Kanangra Walls car park at 8am and were quickly on our way, we knew that Saturday was to be our best day and it started out with blue skies and warm sunshine which was slowly melting the ice on top of the puddles along the way. Usually referred to "Kanangra to Katoomba" or K2K, this is a classic walk in the southern Blue Mountains. Kanangra Walls with Mt Cloudmaker in the distance. If you believe your life is at risk, activate your personal locator beacon (PLB), then make your position visible to rescue teams and keep warm and dry. 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. Steep, tight rockclimbing/bouldering section which seems dangerous & impossible when viewed from the top. thought was an early hour, only to find it full already. For a while it was like a winter wonderland, but we soon Have only visited here once, but will certainly return, a few of these . Expansive mountain gorges, magnificent lookouts and a series of wild and scenic rivers give a special edge to Kanagra-Boyd's wilderness. Theres nothing glamorous about bushwalking, caving or canyoning, but it sure is fun! I hope it remains a difficult and raw walking trail for self sufficient hikers. Top of Katoomba street, at entrance to Katoomba station. Considering our late start we opted for lunch here while we could Victoria pub, where a well-deserved hot dinner was in order as the snow Kanangra Walls to Carlons Farm - OZultimate.com bushwalking Your trip intentions will be emailed to your emergency contact. You may take significantly longer, and may in fact need to turn back if the scrub gets too tough to push through. Kanangra to Katoomba - K2K is a 47km, grade 5 hike located in the Kanangra-Boyd National Park, New South Wales. 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. 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. You will then receive a full information pack containing everything you need to know to prepare for and attend the trip. We got to the top and walked about 2km when we came across pink markers, little did we realised they go to cottage rock. Yellow Dog Ridge. 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. 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. He ended up with 11 other people that wanted to do the walk, many of whom were first time walkers. On the Boyd Plateau, the misty mountain forests of brown barrel, messmate, ribbon gum, black sally, snow gum and mallee predominate. Directly across from our campsite is the base of the long spur up Mt Strongleg. Good navigation and prior knowledge of the route is therefore essential. Learn how your comment data is processed. There was also time for a (slightly) longer walk to a point overlooking Kanangra Creek not far from Kanangra Falls. Keep an eye out for soaring wedge-tail eagles! It was easy walking and I estimated that we were less than an hour from 100 Man Cave (our campsite for the night). You may also be walking through regrowth that is dense and head high in places. Jonathan posed on a Took us an hour per 750m between those two locations, so definitely make sure to add time at the moment! My first complete walk of the entire route in one go was in 1986. Cyclists will want to bring their mountain bikes to explore the parks fire trails. That is a 1000m range in elevation, and there are countless ups and downs during the course of the 3-4 days to add more to the amount of climbing and descending that you need to do! The Boyd Plateau comprises a dome of Devonian granite intruded into Devonian quartzites and sedimentaries. Once on the trail the route was easy all the way to the Mount The highest point on the walk is Mt Cloudmaker at 1155m, and the lowest point is the Coxs River at just 150m. What I Learnt Hiking K2K in a Day - We Are Explorers Below I share some of the feedback that they have kindly provided from past K2K trips and agreed to have published on this website. My trips allow you the autonomy of bringing your own gear and food, whilst providing you full guiding services, navigation, knowledge of the route and area, and organisation of all the logistics. Otherwise, continue along the track for a further 2km to Mobbs Swamp, a convenient campsite for the night. are useful and generally contain more, and more accurate, information on Mt Cloudmaker - Dingo Gap Im pretty sure that they werent having fun as we blundered along the side of Mt Berry! This track descends quite steeply down a narrow ridge, but . An experienced second guide to give a minimum guide to client ratio of 1:4. Ideal fitness preparation would be similar activities to what we'll actually be doing on this walk, namely bushwalking with a backpack and climbing up and down long hills. If you have a large group you may be able to avoid the car shuffle by splitting in two, and doing the walk in opposite directions. narrow It was this desperate 'rushing' through the dense foliage, coupled with my chaotically negligent state of mind which caused me to lose my GPS. Generally considered a challenging route. Actually I joined two clubs, The Bush Club and Sydney Bushwalkers (SBW), as I couldnt decidebetween them! 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. . So I wasn't sure that a three day I can highly recommend carrying (or finding) Once on the ridge, head on the track to Mt Moorilla Maloo. The metamorphic and igneous rocks, steep . Still it was nice to finally see the car park at The key difficulties of this walk are in the distance to be covered each day, and the large amount of elevation change. 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. There are several well known landmarks in the park, such as Mount Cloudmaker, Kanangra Walls and the Thurat Spires. The unfenced lookout is a 10 minute walk down a wheelchair-accessible track from the Kanangra Walls carpark. 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. An enjoyable trail through the Kanangra-Boyd National Park, located not too far south from the beautiful town of Katoomba, New South Wales. The next morning, get an early start and navigate carefully on to the ridge leading from Carra Top to Mt Moorilla Maloo. Kanangra-Boyd is always open, but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger. eastern end of the wall we missed our trail heading off to the left, and - Dance Floor Cave Cloudmaker and Guouogang are eroded remnants of Ordovician quartzite. They can then inform police if you dont return on time. Of course, that might have just been our excuse for The Gangerang Range mountains in this area have delightful names, Mt High and Mighty and Mt Stormbreaker among them. 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. Cloudmaker, 100 Man and 1000 Man Caves | Sat 05th May 2018 These The top of Mt Cloudmaker is covered with trees and there are no views. Are you planning a bushwalk, going somewhere remote or where the weather is extreme? The climb is about 8m, but could be difficult for some people with a full pack. morning. The hike should take around 3-4 days to complete. The walk became abit of a forced march to the cars and the promise of some dry clothes. our arrangement to meet the others worked. flat or very short downhill section. Care needed! 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. From here we descend on a well trodden walking trail to Medlow Gap, and thence continue around the Wild Dog Mountains staying on the well trodden trail until we reach Mobbs Swamp. Kanangra-Boyd Lookout Walk - Aussie Bushwalking biggest descent of the day, down to Gabes Gap, and from there it was all - in a day. Kanangra Creek - Marooba Karoo - Mt Cloudmaker - Kanangra Walls carpark: Day 1 - Mount Guouogang. 1000m altitude difference between highest and lowest point. Yellow Pup and Kanangra-Boyd National Park | National Parks - Oberon Australia 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. English: View from Kanangra-Boyd lookout over Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker, Kanangra-Boyd National Park, New South Wales, Australia. Poles are a good idea if you have questionable knees or ankles. If you have sufficient water, you can take a short cut about half way down aiming for the bottom of Yellow Pup Ridge. The unfenced lookout is a 10 minute walk down a wheelchair-accessible track from the Kanangra Walls carpark. Plateau we ran into our first problem - how to get down. 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. Its a good idea to let someone know where youre going and when you plan to return. 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. happens to be freezing cold. 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. Shoalhaven Bushwalkers There are 3 alerts for Kanangra-Boyd National Park: Other planned events, Safety alerts, Closed areas, View full screen The track is often rough, stony and hard to follow with many dips, turns and obstacles. the weather was very cold, and my toes had well and truly gone numb by 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. Near the end of the plateau, the track heads down and into a small gully. It's a site filled with tips and advice to help you get out in nature and return safely. It offers expansive and majestic views over the Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker, which - as its name suggests - is often ensconced in the fog. . Guide to Overnight Walks near Sydney | Hiking the World Thurat Spires, Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker provide sandstone scenery on a majestic scale." (sic.) On Day 3, we return to Kanangra Walls, enjoying the spectacular views in the opposite direction. However, More Blue Mountains Heritage Centre and Blackheath office 02 4787 8877 Contact hours: 9am to 4.30pm daily. A short steep scramble is needed down the gully, and follow the track around and up on to Kilpatrick Causeway. 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.