couldn't raise my arm above my head. [2] The Kanangra-Boyd National Park is the most southwesterly of the eight protected areas within the World Heritage Site. Tom crossing the cold Coxs River If you are lost or require help and have phone reception, call 000 and ask for police. The hike from Kanangra to Katoomba is one of the classic longer walks of the Southern Blue Mountains, along with the Six Foot Track and Mittagong to Katoomba. For a while it was like a winter wonderland, but we soon 13.2km Kanangra Walls to Dexs Creek (via Mt Cloudmaker) . Enjoy superb scenery, abundant wildlife, cycling and walking. ", "K2K is one of the best walks I have ever done. About 60Km South of Jenolan on dirt road. 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. My first venture along parts of the Katoomba to Kanangra walk was a day hike from Kanangra Walls to Mt Cloudmaker in 1982. From here it is a long descent to the Coxs River. 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. A unique form of tall open forest occurs in the Kedumba Valley, dominated by Camden white gum, an endangered species limited to these populations. Descend from Splendour Rock and continue along the Wild Dog Mountains walking track to reach Mt Yellow Dog. They were waiting when we "He thought he was already at the foot of Mount Cloudmaker - at Gabes Gap! Kanangra Walls to Crafts Walls getting there: It's a long drive from Sydney take the road to Jenolan Caves and continue on through the caves up the other side then turn left onto Kanangra Road this is a gravel road fairly good condition although have noticed it has deteriorated over the last 12 months, drive carefully its about 27 km to the lookout car park from the turn off. Katoomba to Kanangra hikes are currently scheduled for: One of the rewards of running trips like the K2K is the people you meet on the way. Splendour Rock is a truly spectacular place, a prominent rock outcrop from where panoramic views of the southern Blue Mountains can be beheld. There is a steep eroded section about half way up, after which the track goes into a series of switchbacks. good walk for them. 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. A good idea to follow the map for this one to ensure you stay on track. We quickly put up tents and then scattered in all directions, some having a swim in the river, and some sussing out Gingra Creek and some getting the fire going and drinking cups of tea! Keep your eyes peeled for echidnas and lyrebirds, particularly during summer. Usually referred to "Kanangra to Katoomba" or K2K, this is a classic walk in the southern Blue Mountains. Completely overgrown and path does not exist any more. Continuing along the track from Mt Cloudmaker for about 1km brought This page was last edited on 27 October 2022, at 06:56. like this. Or continue on down a short set of steps to the lookout platform for an even better view. Day 1: Kanangra Walls to Mt Cloudmaker to Dex Creek (13km, 400m ascent), Day 2: Dex Creek to Mt Strongleg to Mobbs Swamp (16km, 650m ascent), Day 3: Mobbs Swamp to Medlow Gap to Katoomba (16km, 300m ascent), For detailed trip notes, visit Bushwalking NSW. 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. Expansive mountain gorges, magnificent lookouts and a series of wild and scenic rivers give a special edge to Kanagra-Boyd's wilderness. Web page created 28 Apr 2018, last updated 21 Dec 2021. On the Boyd Plateau, the misty mountain forests of brown barrel, messmate, ribbon gum, black sally, snow gum and mallee predominate. This is where we will make our final camp. You will then receive a full information pack containing everything you need to know to prepare for and attend the trip. 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. The K2K is a "classic" Blue Mountains walk that goes from the spectacular sandstone walls of Kanangra to the Narrowneck peninsula of Katoomba. Good navigation and prior knowledge of the route is therefore essential. onto Jenolan Caves Rd from the Great Western Highway, the snow started 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. 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. 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. This bit of the ridge is open but steepapart from the last 50m or so to the Coxs River. . However, on an Aprilweekend trip a year later, thecreek was bone dry as far as we were able to follow it. The track out along the plateau crosses a number of rocky clearings, but is fairly wide, obvious and well-maintained. Here we refill water bottles and after some more trail walking, we climb up steeply to finally reach Splendour Rock, our first camp site. The movie Jedda was filmed in the Kanangra Walls area in 1954. 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. Good navigation and prior knowledge of the route is therefore essential. Its a good idea to let someone know where youre going and when you plan to return. The trip overall was not overly formal, pretty low key and provides an experience that allows you to challenge yourself whilst feeling safe. 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. Carpark by Kanangra Walls. There is a large but gloomy camp cave just above the creek below the campsite. the end of the Mt Debert, with Mt Mouin and Mt Warrigal in the background, from Clear Hill. Head around to the bottom of Yellow Pup Ridge and up the track. us to the intersection of two creeks, and the Dex Creek campsite. Black Horse Ridge to where the steep descent to Breakfast Creek Further east, in the Coxs River area, is the large Kanimbla granite batholith, implaced during the Carboniferous period. The Coxs River is generalleasy to ford just before a small set of rapids on the west side of Yellow Pup Ridge. - Rock climbing to descend off plateau, 2.7km: Rockclimbing to descend off of the plateau. the packs. 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. putting off the 400m climb down for as long as possible. The hike should take around 3-4 days to complete. Directly across from our campsite is the base of the long spur up Mt Strongleg. Started at kanangra walls but unable to get through terrain after Dexs creek. The place is literally riddled with fire trails and a few walking tracks. The plateau is traversed by the Kanangra Walls Road and can be accessed either from Oberon or Jenolan Caves. Well, originally that was just Mitch. unfortunately was making visibility poor and when we finally broke out 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. a large mass of sandstone rising out of the surrounding bush. We got there first, but by the time we started collecting a meagre supply Early in 2014 I joined a bushwalking club to walk in some new areas and learn some new tricks. Required fields are marked *. I was able to download it straight into a gps app I downloaded the other day! If youre an armchair bushwalker, someone looking for new adventures, or one of my friends who just wants to see what Ive been up to, this site is for you, sign up to get email alerts now! From Craft's Wall, we headed down into the small saddle and up the However, in the middle of June it also It is possible to walk continuously from this walk to Katoomba and Narrow Neck. biggest descent of the day, down to Gabes Gap, and from there it was all Mt Cloudmaker is the highest in the Gangerang Range. It's a site filled with tips and advice to help you get out in nature and return safely. Poles are a good idea if you have questionable knees or ankles. 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 - Gabes Gap is the low point on the walk, the path through the gap is steep in both directions. Or alternatively, push on to Dex Creek, combining Days 2 and 3 into one. K2K in a day: Kanangra Walls - Mt Cloudmaker - Mt Strongleg - Coxs River - Yellow Pup Ridge - Medlow Gap - Narrowneck: Rachel Grindlay, Alex Allchin [L], Vivien de Remy de Courcelles, Adrian Doyle, Naveen [SBW] My photos : Blue Mountains NP, Kanangra-Boyd NP: Bushwalking: 27/08/2017: 1: Pierces Pass - Grose River - Blue Gum Forest - return It takes in two excellent viewing areas - the first peers over the Kanangra Creek Gorge with Mt Cloudmaker to the north-east and the main ridge of the Blue Mountains beyond; the second takes in Kanangra Falls and the rugged ravines at the head of the gorge. Register your trip intentions here. With such a big group sharing the Cave, positions around the one and only campfire were at a premium. petered out above the the 650m descent to the Coxs River. Your email address will not be published. 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. Develop new skills, learn how to prepare for your next hike and remain safe while navigating the trail. 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. New walkers to this area should consider an over night walk to 100 man cave which is just over Mt Cloudmaker so they can gain experience and understanding of the terrain before considering K2K. The walk is best done in the cooler months, as there are plenty of ups and downs, and limited water options along the way. The track is often rough, stony and hard to follow with many dips, turns and obstacles. The unfenced lookout is a 10 minute walk down a wheelchair-accessible track from the Kanangra Walls carpark. Your email address will not be published. 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. [4] The Abercrombie River National Park is situated a short distance, further southwest. 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. Sorry, no records were found. The first part of the walk was quite easy, being out along the Plateau itself. 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. If it is more than waist deep then it is dangerous to cross, and you may need to wait or return to Kanangra Walls. narrow Tom Brennan : website@ozultimate.com : updated 1999-06-14, OZultimate.com - Canyoning Near Sydney - Bushwalking NSW - Tom Brennan. 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. 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. He ended up with 11 other people that wanted to do the walk, many of whom were first time walkers. Please adjust your search criteria and try again. Eucalypt forest with western plain species, such as yellow box and white box, are found in areas of rainshadow. 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. Other well-known landmarks are Mount Cloudmaker and the Thurat Spires. arrived. Near the top of Mt Strongleg the trail Most saddles between Mt Berry and Mt Strongleg offer a flat grassy area. [5], About 1,000 flowering plant species occur in the Blue Mountains, in some 40 plant communities. red spotted gum, Blakely's red gum, red stringybark and forest oak are also found. Join a group of like minded people to hike this iconic route with the reassurance of it being led by an experienced guide. Kanangra to Katoomba requires a long car shuffle. 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 one of the parks waterfalls. The campsite here is rather small and only offers limited views. A short walk upstream is our campsite in a lovely peaceful river flat among casuarina trees. Since then I have done countless trips along the Kanangra to Katoomba route and have explored the surrounding country extensively. I wonder whether the NPWS takes an interest Yellow Pup 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 car-camped at Boyd River campsite the night before, and were up early for a 7:30am start. 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)*. There are several well known landmarks in the park, such as Mount Cloudmaker, Kanangra Walls and the Thurat Spires. Cloudmaker and Guouogang are eroded remnants of Ordovician quartzite. We arranged to meet Fee, Sal and some of Sal's friends at Mobbs Soak One of the most popular leads out onto the tops and provides magnificent views of Kanangra Falls and the head of the gorge. 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. Here is a day-by-day itinerary for the guided hike: The Narrow Neck Plateau. Learn how your comment data is processed. arriving in the wee hours of the morning. 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. A useful book with some ideas for extended walks in NSW. It was a bit of a slow process, and not a great deal of fun. This is a true wilderness experience that will take you into some of the most spectacular wilderness of NSW. The path is often stony and awkward to walk on. 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. Become an active member of this fun, rewarding and adventurous community. My expeditions are always held in a spirit of friendship and respect between all participants. The park was established in 1969. Back to home page. Join one of my informally yet professionally led and well organised expeditions in one of the most spectacular wilderness areas in New South Wales. Have only visited here once, but will certainly return, a few of these . From Mt Cloudmaker, head NE on a vague track that traverses the northern flank of the summit ridge to its eastern end, before dropping off to the north down to Dex Creek at MGA401416. Transport by chartered minibus from Kanangra Walls back to Katoomba at the end of the walk. The excitement wasn't quite over for the weekend as we still had the and found You'll want to make sure you spend some time at Kanangara-Boyd lookout which overlooks Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker, Kanangra Waterfall Walk (which only takes about 30 minutes), the Mount Emperor loop (epic for bike riders) and Boyd River campground which is fitted out with vehicle access. Pause At a large clearing about 1km on to the tops, the trail divides, and becomes narrower. There are numerous routes that can be taken, and these notes only point out the most commonly taken route. Generally considered a challenging route. However, you will need to make sure you can meet in the middle to exchange keys. It was easy walking and I estimated that we were less than an hour from 100 Man Cave (our campsite for the night). There are plenty of good campsites along the way. happens to be freezing cold. Two of the features most spoken of in the Kanangra-Boyd National park are the Kanangra Falls and Kanangra Walls. The other car you will need to get to Kanangra Walls. English: View from Kanangra-Boyd lookout over Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker, Kanangra-Boyd National Park, New South Wales, Australia. Mount Solitary; Grand Canyon, Bluegum Forest & Perrys Lookdown; The Six Foot Track; Kanangra Boyd National Park. Looking back to Kanangra Walls High and Mighty Resting on Rack Knoll Bushwalking is a bloody business Ti Willa Top and Byrne's Gap Yerranderie Peak (left distance) and Mt Colong (right) On top of Cloudmaker (Brett took the photo and later edited himself into the picture using Photoshop) Jennifer leading group in Tai-Chi More Tai-Chi More Tai . adding layer after layer of clothing as we cooled down, the wind picked The international standard emergency number is 112, if you dial this number in Australia you will be treated exactly the same as a 000 call. Plateau we ran into our first problem - how to get down. A lovely overnight walk in a beautiful national park, and great company from the welcoming groupof SBW walkers. both north and south and endless photo opportunities. My first venture along parts of the Katoomba to Kanangra walk was a day hike from Kanangra Walls to Mt Cloudmaker in 1982. I hope it remains a difficult and raw walking trail for self sufficient hikers. *The trip will be done over 4 days as per the itinerary unless: When I receive your application, I will review it and then contact you. In quick succession we passed the 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. 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. 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. Your food while on the hike - you need to bring your own food for the 4 day hike. 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. Mt Cloudmaker is the highest in the Gangerang Range. Saturday morning saw us drive down to the parking lot at what we We took the new trail The track undulated . 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. Some suggestions for alternatives are given. Points to remember: dirt road out to Kanangra had lots of pot holes and muddy areas that we would find challenging if we werent in a 4x4, lots of Roos on the road too! Once on the ridge, head on the track to Mt Moorilla Maloo. High altitude areas subject to strong winds generally support heath and closed scrub communities. 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 . Let's do it in a day. We will add a further half day at the . If you have sufficient water, you can take a short cut about half way down aiming for the bottom of Yellow Pup Ridge. At the end of the plateau you descend Tarros Ladders, a series of metal spikes down the cliff face! 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. Please enable javascript to access the full functionality of this site, View full screen 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. Would you like to do this hike with an experienced guide? Kanangra-Boyd is always open, but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger. Jonathan posed on a However, they can be crowded at times. With the kids feeling fresh and strong, we headed down to Kalang Falls. One in particular looked like he was on his last legs so Shane and I took turns in either leading the group or looking after the person at the back. 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. We walk out along the Narrow Neck plateau along a fire trail, a distance of 10km. It is strongly recommended that all participants undertake some form of fitness training for at least the 2 months prior to the trip. The national park forms part of the Great Dividing Range. A challenging walk but well rewarded with the view. 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. There is a log book on top of the summit cairn that you can sign. Total distance of 52km with single day distances of up to 20km. Keep your eyes peeled for echidnas and lyrebirds, particularly during summer. 1000m altitude difference between highest and lowest point. suppose a good pair of hiking boots may just come in handy at a point Being a self-supported bushwalk, the idea is that everyone brings their own gear and food for the weekend. However we decided to get moving quickly as there looked to be more bad After a bit of Kowmung River via Cambage Spire; Kanangra Walls to Mt. Beautiful walk on the plateau with amazing 360 degree views. are useful and generally contain more, and more accurate, information on The first day is the longest in distance of the entire walk. Unfortunately it started to drizzle various parts of the hill. Avoid a turn off to the right to Dance Floor Cave and ascend a short climb on to the plateau proper. Much of the hike is through wilderness, for which there are no signs, and tracks in places are vague. 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. thought was an early hour, only to find it full already. Stay safe by planning your trip for all conditions and telling someone about it. 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. Description from the NSW National Park Website. Kanangra Walls is at the terminus of the Kanangra Walls road, about 1 hour and 40 minutes' drive from Katoomba. slushy. From there we had the longest climb of the walk - about 600m up - along The track heads WNW and then north to Mt Amarina, but it is worth climbing Mt Moorilla Maloo if you have time. 100 MAN CAVE & GINGRA RANGE JUNE 2012 Strongleg. If anyone ever tells you that going downhill is easy, then this is a fell outside. The Boyd Plateau is slowly recovering from logging, and is the highest land in the World Heritage Area. 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. Once on the trail the route was easy all the way to the Mount Awesome! of wood there The plateau trail is very wet and muddy but generally easy to follow despite the lack of any markers. The rock climb down the cliff was an exciting bonus. We can camp here if doing the trip over 4 days, which makes Day 2 a short day with a relaxing afternoon by the river. Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife, Become a Parks Eco Pass licensed tour operator, Remember to take your binoculars if you want to birdwatch. 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. The off to Mt Cloudmaker and down to set up camp on Mt Stormbreaker. all the way to Mobbs Soak with only small amounts of height variation. 2WD accessible. We had some notes and verbal directions to 1,000 Man Cave but after blundering about in thick scrub for half an hour we decided that we would leave the cave for another day and go on to Compagnoni Pass across the plateau. . Hundred Man Cave had a good water supply when we were there, with given recent good rains, dripping from the cave into a gully. From Mt Amarina it is easy walking over Kullieatha Peak, down into the saddle and around the east side of Mt Strongleg. 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. Come walk with us. The track took us up and over Mt Cloudmaker, along the knife-edge line of Rip, Rack Roar and Rumble, Mt Stormbreaker, Mt Berry and eventually back up to Kanangra Walls. up, and the sun disappeared behind the clouds. From this latter lookout the Waterfall Walk takes you down into a gully to Kalang Falls. We spent 15 minutes climbing down to a rock ledge for The plateau slopes gently down from west to east from a height of around 1100m (3610 ft) near Mt. So again, follow the map. 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. If you have any great photos from this hike and are happy to share them, please upload your .jpg files here. Follow the fire road along Narrow Neck. Some of the tracks on the ground may be heavily overgrown, or non-existent. 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.