So I wasn't sure that a three day Length: 47km Duration: 3-4 days Grade: 5 Style: One way Start: Locked gate Kanangra-Boyd National Park End: Katoomba Station Location: Kanangra-Boyd National Park Closest town: Katoomba Near the end of the plateau, the track heads down and into a small gully. At the Plateau Walk turns off before the main lookout and leads into the Kanangra Wilderness and onto the expansive heath-covered Kanangra Tops Plateau. Keep to the right of the cliff until you can walk up a gully on to the tops. Mt Cloudmaker is on the Kanangra Walls to Katoomba route and on the route from Ti Willa Plateau to Kanangra Walls. Easy track for people of moderate fitness levels. Stormbreaker, which had some nice views of the surrounding area. 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. Highlights include: 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. Join a group of like minded people to hike this iconic route with the reassurance of it being led by an experienced guide. We walk out along the Narrow Neck plateau along a fire trail, a distance of 10km. Web page created 28 Apr 2018, last updated 21 Dec 2021. 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. [5], The Blue Mountains National Park contains 46 species of mammals, including 27 marsupials and two monotremes. crest of the ridge. We were forced to place billies under drips from the cave roof to collect water. It's a Small size geocache, with difficulty of 2, terrain of 5. If you are lost or require help and have phone reception, call 000 and ask for police. Creek valley. Hundred Man Cave had a good water supply when we were there, with given recent good rains, dripping from the cave into a gully. Kanangra to Katoomba - K2K is a 47km, grade 5 hike located in the Kanangra-Boyd National Park, New South Wales. Well-worn tracks were present for the entirety of the third day, making navigation simple. We broke for lunch at the top, Register your trip intentions here. 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. The unfenced lookout is a 10 minute walk down a wheelchair-accessible track from the Kanangra Walls carpark. Mt Cloudmaker is the highest in the Gangerang Range. If it is more than waist deep then it is dangerous to cross, and you may need to wait or return to Kanangra Walls. 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. Oberon office 02 6336 6200 Contact hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 4.30pm. This will be arranged by me as part of my service to you. However, in the middle of June it also Tom and Nicole. From this latter lookout the Waterfall Walk takes you down into a gully to Kalang Falls. Kanangra Walls is at the terminus of the Kanangra Walls road, about 1 hour and 40 minutes' drive from Katoomba. Flickr photos, groups, and tags related to the "KanangraWalls," Flickr tag. Arranging all transport and car shuffles single-handedly, and meticulously detailed pre-trip information and arrangements, he had everything covered Thanks again for all your efforts, although I'm sure I've missed a couple of things ", - Amanda on Facebook after K2K September 2018, "Ashley I think you have already taken some of my thoughts as a testimonial, however I hope you don't mind if I use this space to add some thoughts to questions that had no room for additional thoughts. The steepest ascent of the day is from here, up to Mt High and Mighty. The plateau is traversed by the Kanangra Walls Road and can be accessed either from Oberon or Jenolan Caves. 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 We got to the top and walked about 2km when we came across pink markers, little did we realised they go to cottage rock. 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. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. 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. The man's car was found yesterday in the Kanangra Walls car park with his mobile phone and personal items inside. 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. Beautiful walk on the plateau with amazing 360 degree views. The trail heads steeply north down the obvious ridge, finishing at Kanangra Creek where you can fill up with water. 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. With the kids feeling fresh and strong, we headed down to Kalang Falls. A unique form of tall open forest occurs in the Kedumba Valley, dominated by Camden white gum, an endangered species limited to these populations. 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. Nearby Kanangra Gorge is cut 600-900 metres (2,000-3,000 ft) deep in rocks of the Lambie Group, and is one of Australia's deepest gorges. One of the most popular leads out onto the tops and provides magnificent views of Kanangra Falls and the head of the gorge. Enjoy superb scenery, abundant wildlife, cycling and walking. It was a bit of a slow process, and not a great deal of fun. The ones at Dex Creek and Mobbs Swamp usually have water available, which is why they are popular. After a break, continue on to Mt Stormbreaker. They were waiting when we Stay safe by planning your trip for all conditions and telling someone about it. Your food while on the hike - you need to bring your own food for the 4 day hike. From the superb sandstone cliff faces at the Kanangra Walls to the Mount Cloudmaker, there is no shortage of sights to enjoy. Your trip intentions will be emailed to your emergency contact. 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. 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. 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. However, on an Aprilweekend trip a year later, thecreek was bone dry as far as we were able to follow it. morning was no easy task. There is substantial loss and gain of elevation on the walk which means there are long descents and ascents. It was extremely stressful as I had mostly beginners with me and they were relying on me to get them into camp in the dark I wasnt sure I was up to the challenge! Reaching the corner of the Wall, take the track to the north west, which heads down a hill, and then up to the conglomerate bluff at the southern end of Mt Berry. Eucalypt forest with western plain species, such as yellow box and white box, are found in areas of rainshadow. Of course, that might have just been our excuse for By submitting this form, you consent to the collection and use of your personal information in accordance with this policy. Gabes Gap is the low point on the walk, the path through the gap is steep in both directions. Just finished the K2K (29-31 Dec 2022), path is non-existent and completely overgrown with vines and dense regrowth between Dex Creek and Coxs River. three legs is better than two when it comes to walking across the So again, follow the map. The descent to Gabes Gap, the low point of the day, follows. Even though the trail turned into piles of rock at various 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! searching we found a passable but somewhat tricky route climbing down a Click the button below to review the gear list for this trip. The views from the top are good and it is not a bad spot for lunch. 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. Mount Solitary; Grand Canyon, Bluegum Forest & Perrys Lookdown; The Six Foot Track; Kanangra Boyd National Park. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The southern rim of Crafts Wall is very overgrown and requires bush bashing. This is a true wilderness experience that will take you into some of the most spectacular wilderness of NSW. The road leads to Kanangra Walls. ", "The trip was great - I have never hiked this part of the Blue Mountains and it proved spectacular! in things like that. The distances below assume a car at the locked gate. are available from the Lands Information Centre, map shops, and most outdoor Pause I hope it remains a difficult and raw walking trail for self sufficient hikers. arrived. - Dance Floor Cave 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. Top of Katoomba street, at entrance to Katoomba station. Today is a day of sustained climbing. Required fields are marked *. A useful book with some ideas for extended walks in NSW. Some of the tracks on the ground may be heavily overgrown, or non-existent. Good navigation and prior knowledge of the route is therefore essential. The Kanangra-Boyd Wilderness is among the largest and most rugged wilderness areas in New South Wales. .gb-container-d6e79c73{margin-top:20px;}.gb-container-d6e79c73 > .gb-inside-container{max-width:1390px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;}.gb-grid-wrapper > .gb-grid-column-d6e79c73 > .gb-container{display:flex;flex-direction:column;height:100%;}. The word Kanangra is generally held to be a corruption of Gundangura and was called Thurat for some time. Are you planning a bushwalk, going somewhere remote or where the weather is extreme? 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 scrub that used to be a fight to get through has been somewhat tamed by the sheer number of walkers. It offers expansive and majestic views over the Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker, which - as its name suggests - is often ensconced in the fog. We arranged to meet Fee, Sal and some of Sal's friends at Mobbs Soak Head left on the fire trail for 700m and cross a locked gate to reach Medlow Gap. all the way to Mobbs Soak with only small amounts of height variation. Started at kanangra walls but unable to get through terrain after Dexs creek. Enjoy superb scenery, abundant wildlife, cycling and walking. 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. . The group was a bit larger thanwhat Id recommend for walking in Kanangra, but Len was sure everything would be fine. Unfortunately it started to drizzle Much of the walk is through wilderness, for which there are no signs, and tracks in places are vague. [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]. The next section is the longest climb on the walk. Become an active member of this fun, rewarding and adventurous community. The scramble down Gordon Smith Pass is slippery and exposed but not technically difficult. It contours for a further 2.5km until you hit a fire trail, at White Dog Ridge. . 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. 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. You'll cross bridges and also see waterfalls on the way. stores. 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. I have had more than 30 years experience of bushwalking along this route and would welcome you on this trip. The free NSW National Parks app lets you download maps and explore parks, things to do and places to stayall without mobile reception. The climb is about 8m, but could be difficult for some people with a full pack. like this. 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! One thing I did notice was a few stands of prickly pear at Take the north east branch, which keeps close to the northern edge of the tops. Len S had put this three day walk on the BWOC calendar mainly because Id convinced him it was a good walk, neither of us had been to 100 Man Cave before, and he loves Kanangra. From Kanangra to Katoomba it's 45-50km depending on who you ask (and how lost you get). An enjoyable trail through the Kanangra-Boyd National Park, located not too far south from the beautiful town of Katoomba, New South Wales. 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. 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. The views along the way, particularly from the Kanangra Walls plateau and Mt Stormbreaker are wonderful, and at night we went up onto the Ti Willa Plateau under a full moon and were rewarded with a wide horizon view of sparking lights from Sydney to Wollongong. As you can see, there are a lot of ups and downs! eastern end of the wall we missed our trail heading off to the left, and skies darkened and a small storm headed towards us up the Breakfast We arrived at the picnic shelter at about 3.30 p.m. and were able to shelter from the rain to get out of our wet clothes and try to warm everyone up. Completely overgrown and path does not exist any more. Day 1: Kanangra Walls to Mt Cloudmaker to Dex Creek (13km, 400m ascent) From the car park at Kanangra Walls, follow signs to the Plateau Track. after dinner Pause The last day was only a short walk. Great trip - I thoroughly enjoyed the company and being in the wilderness. The walk 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. Enjoy the sunrise from Splendour Rock. 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. Cloudmaker and Guouogang are eroded remnants of Ordovician quartzite. The park also features a series of karst landforms that can be explored by those with caving experience.[3]. If you don't have some camping equipment like pack, tent, cooking equipment and stove, then limited supplies of these are available for you to borrow at no extra charge. the first peers over the Kanangra Creek Gorge with Mt Cloudmaker . The road leads to Kanangra Walls. couldn't raise my arm above my head. The river should only be about knee deep at this point. 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. A lovely overnight walk in a beautiful national park, and great company from the welcoming groupof SBW walkers. 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. Not for the faint hearted, this challenging track will reward with sweeping mountain views and off-track wilderness as hikers traverse through two great national parks. Once on Mt Yellow Dog the rest was relatively easy. Kowmung River via Cambage Spire; Kanangra Walls to Mt. feel you Usually referred to "Kanangra to Katoomba" or K2K, this is a classic walk in the southern Blue Mountains. - Seymour Top Kanangra Creek - Marooba Karoo - Mt Cloudmaker - Kanangra Walls carpark: Day 1 - Mount Guouogang. 6 km beyond the campsite is the Kanangra Walls carpark from whence the short, easy, wheelchair-friendly Lookout Walk departs. The national park forms part of the Great Dividing Range. This karst topography, created by the Jenolan and its tributaries, is one of the least understood in Australia. ridge straight up, and a newer one which zig-zagged back and forth along Konangaroo Clearing is a large grassy area next to Kanangra Creek, and would be an excellent campsite if doing the walk in two days. Jonathan 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. Notable features of the national park include the Thurat Spires, Kanangra Walls, Mount Colong, and three waterfall systems the Kalang, the 225-metre (738ft) twotiered drop Kanangara and the Morong falls. 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. Accommodation on the night before the trip start date or on the night that the trip ends. These are in fact a set of climbing spikes fixed into the rock. 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. The highest point on the walk is Mt Cloudmaker at 1155m, and the lowest point is the Coxs River at just 150m. There are numerous routes that can be taken, and these notes only point out the most commonly taken route. From here it is a long descent to the Coxs River. Bring your camera when you visit Kanangra-Boyd lookout. 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. Sorry, no records were found. We took the new trail This lookout point is unfenced so that visitors can enjoy unparalleled views of the country's remarkable . There are plenty of good campsites along the way. The Kanangra-Boyd National Park is a protected national park that is located in the Central Tablelands region, west of the Southern Highlands and Macarthur regions, in New South Wales, in eastern Australia. unfortunately was making visibility poor and when we finally broke out Further east, in the Coxs River area, is the large Kanimbla granite batholith, implaced during the Carboniferous period. Sign up to a newsletter filled with hiking hacks, ideas and inspiration. Nontrivial #4 - Kanangra to Katoomba (GC3K0DW) was created by jonnosan on 5/9/2012. onto Jenolan Caves Rd from the Great Western Highway, the snow started I can highly recommend carrying (or finding) We will add a further half day at the . Expansive mountain gorges, magnificent lookouts and a series of wild and scenic rivers give a special edge to Kanagra-Boyd's wilderness. Leave one car in Katoomba, either on Narrow Neck at the Golden Stairs car park or the locked gate, or in Katoomba itself. Tom Brennan : website@ozultimate.com : updated 1999-06-14, OZultimate.com - Canyoning Near Sydney - Bushwalking NSW - Tom Brennan. 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. 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. Actually I joined two clubs, The Bush Club and Sydney Bushwalkers (SBW), as I couldnt decidebetween them! It didnt help that the person who was having the most trouble was wearing jeans which were now wet and making him colder than he should be. 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. The walk is best done in the cooler months, as there are plenty of ups and downs, and limited water options along the way. 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! Here is a day-by-day itinerary for the guided hike: The Narrow Neck Plateau. have conquered. 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! of wood there On Day 3, we return to Kanangra Walls, enjoying the spectacular views in the opposite direction. Rock types include quartzite, diorite, Devonian rhyolites, rhyo-dacites, Silurian phyllites, slates, siltstones and tuff limestones. I had injured my shoulder badly only a couple of weeks before, and A good idea to follow the map for this one to ensure you stay on track. Otherwise, continue along the track for a further 2km to Mobbs Swamp, a convenient campsite for the night. Views were incredible and area was not heavily trafficked.perfect spot to have a picnic and enjoy the view. There is a steep hill shortly after this, and one more downhill and uphill brings you to the locked gate and your car (if you've left it there). Let's do it in a day. In quick succession we passed the inventively named Mt High and Mighty, Mt Stormbreaker, Rip, Rack, Roar and Strongleg. From Craft's Wall, we headed down into the small saddle and up the Losing the track turnedout to be a problem as the terrain was very hard on Len and his knees. Suggest an edit here. enjoy the view. If you have sufficient water, you can take a short cut about half way down aiming for the bottom of Yellow Pup Ridge. Victoria pub, where a well-deserved hot dinner was in order as the snow Kanangra Tops at the south-eastern end of the Plateau is one of the Permian outliers. worn path at the bottom leading in the right direction. Near the top of Mt Strongleg the trail The cave at the end itself isnt as exciting as the dance floor cave you see on the way but it was the journey that did it for me on this one. The K2K is a "classic" Blue Mountains walk that goes from the spectacular sandstone walls of Kanangra to the Narrowneck peninsula of Katoomba. This track descends quite steeply down a narrow ridge, but . 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. There are plenty of good campsites along the way. The Coxs River is fairly wide and shallow (usually) just across from We regrouped up on the ridge. 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. 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. After a 31/5/03 - 1/6/03. biggest descent of the day, down to Gabes Gap, and from there it was all Awesome! On the first day at Kanangra . 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 Further east, in the Coxs River area, is the large Kanimbla granite batholith, implaced during the Carboniferous period. Understand[ edit] The rock climb down the cliff was an exciting bonus. various parts of the hill. Mount Cloudmaker (Ian Brown) Mount Cloudmaker emerging from dawn mist As part of the Great Escarpment this is big country, with the greatest relief in the whole Blue Mountains: nearly 1200 metres from the Coxs River to the summit of Mount Guouogang on the Krungle Bungle Range. Total distance of 52km with single day distances of up to 20km. morning. However, they can be crowded at times. A challenging walk but well rewarded with the view. started to look a bit dodgy as the weather began to deteriorate. Kanangra Boyd National Park is a national park some 180 km west of Sydney and adjacent (south and east) to Jenolan Caves. Im planning a trip to hundred man cave during the June long weekend with 5 friends. Jonathan posed on a [4] The Abercrombie River National Park is situated a short distance, further southwest. The carrying of your pack and gear - you need to carry your own gear and food. 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. 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.