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. Other well-known landmarks are Mount Cloudmaker and the Thurat Spires. This descent is what earns the trail a Hard grading. The Coxs River is fairly wide and shallow (usually) just across from 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! Eucalypt forest with western plain species, such as yellow box and white box, are found in areas of rainshadow. More Blue Mountains Heritage Centre and Blackheath office 02 4787 8877 Contact hours: 9am to 4.30pm daily. However, you will need to make sure you can meet in the middle to exchange keys. In a few places the path is very faint and you need to push your way through dense and stiff vegetation to finally reach our second night's campsite at Dex Creek. About 60Km South of Jenolan on dirt road. However, they can be crowded at times. was a small cairn and log book, but it is not exactly a mountain that you The national park forms part of the Great Dividing Range. 13.2km Kanangra Walls to Dexs Creek (via Mt Cloudmaker) . At the In quick succession we passed the 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. 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 - ridge straight up, and a newer one which zig-zagged back and forth along The other car you will need to get to Kanangra Walls. Required fields are marked *. Come walk with us. 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. Much of the walk is through wilderness, for which there are no signs, and tracks in places are vague. Kanangra-Boyd is always open, but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger. Many ups and downs and some slow and tiring sections of trail, particularly on the last day. Your email address will not be published. . to fall. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Play. This will be arranged by me as part of my service to you. Kanangra Walls - Mt Cloudmaker Hike . Carlon's Farm. There is a track down the range - but it can be vague in places due to . High altitude areas subject to strong winds generally support heath and closed scrub communities. 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. The distances below assume a car at the locked gate. 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. Kanangra to Katoomba - Athol Abrahams (SUBW), Kanangra to Katoomba - Australian Plants Online, Kanangra to Katoomba - David Thurstun (SUBW), Kanangra to Katoomba - Shoalhaven Bushwalkers, Kanangra to Katoomba - Horst Bardhof (archive.org). The metamorphic and igneous rocks, steep . 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. Over the crest of Mt Berry was the The campsite here is rather small and only offers limited views. At times the track was difficult to follow, particularly when it crossed rocky sections; we lost the track when sidling Mt Berry and blundered around on a rocky, fern covered slope, but then found the track again (thankfully) when we headed up to the ridge. A lovely overnight walk in a beautiful national park, and great company from the welcoming groupof SBW walkers. 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. These have been selected to promote the spectacular natural beauty of the route as well as to highlight the challenges you may encounter on the way. in things like that. Are you planning a bushwalk, going somewhere remote or where the weather is extreme? 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. We got to the top and walked about 2km when we came across pink markers, little did we realised they go to cottage rock. Would you like to do this hike with an experienced guide? Also on the last day the traverse around the base of Crafts Wall is rough, slow and hard on the ankles. Much of the hike is through wilderness, for which there are no signs, and tracks in places are vague. Likewise there are numerous flat grassy areas between Mt Yellow Dog and Medlow Gap. There are 3 alerts for Kanangra-Boyd National Park: Other planned events, Safety alerts, Closed areas, View full screen This has been a big help to drive the final nail Into my navigation planning! There are plenty of good campsites along the way. Yellow Dog Ridge. This elevation chart below gives you a good idea of the amount of climbing and descending day by day on this walk. way to the top of the ridge. Traverse around the west side of the cliff for about 20m to find Tarro's Ladders. Wombats frequent these roads, so please be careful while driving. One of the most popular leads out onto the tops and provides magnificent views of Kanangra Falls and the head of the gorge. The climb is about 8m, but could be difficult for some people with a full pack. You'll need to leave pups at home dogs aren't allowed on this trail. 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 cliffs on the west side of Mt Berry have superb views of Crafts Wall and Kanangra Walls. started. Maps: Gangerang (Dunphy) Kanangra 8930-3S. You'll cross bridges and also see waterfalls on the way. Drop down into Little Cedar Gap, and climb on the fire trail, and then on another track, to the bottom of Narrow Neck Peninsula. We love outdoor adventures! At Mt Dingo, a well defined track branches off to the right up to the summit, and you can visit the lookout at Splendour Rock if you have the time. Next, you'll make your way to see the breathtaking Kanangra-Boyd lookout, which gives you sweeping views of the Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker. The trip itinerary allows 4 days, though this makes Days 2 and 3 rather short and in theory these could be combined. 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. Creation of a "trail-side museum" at Kanangra Walls, op the lines of similar attractions in U.S.A., is planned as . A challenging bushwalk in the Kanangra Boyd region. 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. 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. The steepest ascent of the day is from here, up to Mt High and Mighty. Kanangra Walls with Mt Cloudmaker in the distance. - Dance Floor Cave Kanangra Walls is at the terminus of the Kanangra Walls road, about 1 hour and 40 minutes' drive from Katoomba. The highest point on the walk is Mt Cloudmaker at 1155m, and the lowest point is the Coxs River at just 150m. If you are nervous about this, you may want to take 10m of thin cord to haul packs up. 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! like this. Mt Cloudmaker is one of the 3 Peaks objectives. 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. Easy track for people of moderate fitness levels. This track was very overgrown and this was when we decided to turn back because we realised our error. From this latter lookout the Waterfall Walk takes you down into a gully to Kalang Falls. wide and flat-topped, and there were no views at all to speak of. Closed Christmas Day. The track is often rough, stony and hard to follow with many dips, turns and obstacles. With the kids feeling fresh and strong, we headed down to Kalang Falls. A high traverse via Mt Merrimerrigal, Mt Warrigal and Mt Mouin is an alternative route to Medlow Gap, but requires that you have sufficient water. Kanangra to Katoomba - K2K is a 47km, grade 5 hike located in the Kanangra-Boyd National Park, New South Wales. Find out more about hiking gear, read the latest blog posts, trip reports and gear reviews, and download my helpful PDF hiking guides. 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. Its fringing fault scarp Kanangra Walls comprises Permian sedimentaries of the Capertee Group which rests unconformably on a Devonian Lambie Group Basement. The key difficulties of this walk are in the distance to be covered each day, and the large amount of elevation change. We took the new trail 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. 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. crack. The excitement wasn't quite over for the weekend as we still had the Near the top of Mt Strongleg the trail The track undulated These The unfenced lookout is a 10 minute walk down a wheelchair-accessible track from the Kanangra Walls carpark. From Craft's Wall, we headed down into the small saddle and up the They breed from November to January. It's a Small size geocache, with difficulty of 2, terrain of 5. 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. For details on how to get to Kanangra Walls, see the information in the Kanangra Walls region, to the right. ended up at the Kowmung River! Once on the ridge above Dex Creek, we tried They can then inform police if you dont return on time. Victoria pub, where a well-deserved hot dinner was in order as the snow There is a large but gloomy camp cave just above the creek below the campsite. Much of the walk is through wilderness, for which there are no signs, and tracks in places are vague. Some suggestions for alternatives are given. 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 road leads to Kanangra Walls. You can find out more about how DPE handles the personal information it collects online by reading our privacy policy. a walking stick - 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 rock climb down the cliff was an exciting bonus. 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. Copyright 2022 | Darren Edwards | All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Donation Policy | Disclaimer, Trail Hiking Australia is a not-for-profit community service initiative, Golden Staircase to Mt Solitary via Ruined Castle (11.7km), Katoomba to Wentworth Falls via the Jamison Valley (29.2km), Scenic Railway Ruined Castle Mt Solitary Kedumba River Wentworth Falls (29.3km). 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. The view here is excellent, but is unfortunately marred by the electricity line that runs across Little Cedar Gap. Keep this in mind when planning walks in these areas. If anyone ever tells you that going downhill is easy, then this is a The remainder of the trail to Crafts Wall and around the northern rim is moderate. More Things to do (13) Tours (7) If requested, you will be credited for any photos you provide and can ask they be deleted at any time. You may also be walking through regrowth that is dense and head high in places. While our friends headed off for Total distance of 52km with single day distances of up to 20km. Being a self-supported bushwalk, the idea is that everyone brings their own gear and food for the weekend. Pause Tom crossing the cold Coxs River Generally considered a challenging route. From there we had the longest climb of the walk - about 600m up - along Im planning a trip to hundred man cave during the June long weekend with 5 friends. Once on Mt Yellow Dog the rest was relatively easy. the first peers over the Kanangra Creek Gorge with Mt Cloudmaker . crest of the ridge. Crossing two national parks, it takes in some of the best scenery of both, including excellent views from the high plateaux of Narrow Neck and Kanangra Walls. In 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. Kanangra Walls > Mt Cloudmaker > TiWilla Plateau > 100 Man Cave > Campagnoni Pass > Willa Butress > Kowmung > Orange Bluff > Brumby Spur > Gingra Track > Kanangra Walls. 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. The park also features a series of karst landforms that can be explored by those with caving experience.[3]. But 'screw that' we thought. Suggest an edit here. If you are lost or require help and have phone reception, call 000 and ask for police. It can also be hard to find water near 100 man cave so you might want to carry two days worth so you survive the return trip. thermals, so that was one of the first purchases from the outdoor stores I have had more than 30 years experience of bushwalking along this route and would welcome you on this trip. 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. We arranged to meet Fee, Sal and some of Sal's friends at Mobbs Soak There looked to be an old trail which followed the Join a group of like minded people to hike this iconic route with the reassurance of it being led by an experienced guide. Cross the main fire trail onto a track that heads ENE over Mt Debert. My toes were absolutely aching by the bottom. 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. Even though the trail turned into piles of rock at various flat or very short downhill section. 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. They were waiting when we Took us an hour per 750m between those two locations, so definitely make sure to add time at the moment! Report of a Katoomba to Kanangra trip - and back! Two of the features most spoken of in the Kanangra-Boyd National park are the Kanangra Falls and Kanangra Walls. The plateau trail is very wet and muddy but generally easy to follow despite the lack of any markers. Part of the Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Property, Kanangra-Boyd National Park is just 180km from Sydney. 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. putting off the 400m climb down for as long as possible. Len S had put this three day walk on the BWOC calendar mainly because I'd convinced him it was a good walk, neither of us had been to 100 Man Cave before, and he loves Kanangra. Please enable javascript to access the full functionality of this site, View full screen Head left on the fire trail for 700m and cross a locked gate to reach Medlow Gap. Water was a bit scarce - we continued up the track a short way 100 MAN CAVE & GINGRA RANGE JUNE 2012 . After a The middle two days are both shorter and these two days can be combined into one longer day if desired. skies darkened and a small storm headed towards us up the Breakfast Once on the ridge, head on the track to Mt Moorilla Maloo. A pleasant 10 minute stroll along well-formed tracks leads to the first lookout which overlooks the gorges of Kanangra Creek and beyond to the high tops of Mt Cloudmaker and the Blue Mountains escarpment which presents a spectacular vista. I hope it remains a difficult and raw walking trail for self sufficient hikers. [2] The Kanangra-Boyd National Park is the most southwesterly of the eight protected areas within the World Heritage Site. The track out along the plateau crosses a number of rocky clearings, but is fairly wide, obvious and well-maintained. The view from the Walls was impressive with fog in the valleys and everyone was having fun and enjoying the views. The word Kanangra is generally held to be a corruption of Gundangura and was called Thurat for some time. I would highly recommend his walks and training to anyone and will be looking forward to the next adventure.". 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. Flickr photos, groups, and tags related to the "KanangraWalls," Flickr tag. Victoria to less than 200m (656 ft) around Glenbrook. Altitude: 1164 metres Class: Here are a few photos of sections of the route. There are also intrusive igneous rocks from the Carboniferous period. The track heads WNW and then north to Mt Amarina, but it is worth climbing Mt Moorilla Maloo if you have time. 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. Don't walk it in summer! If it is more than waist deep then it is dangerous to cross, and you may need to wait or return to Kanangra Walls. If you have any great photos from this hike and are happy to share them, please upload your .jpg files here. The walk became abit of a forced march to the cars and the promise of some dry clothes. ", "The trip was great - I have never hiked this part of the Blue Mountains and it proved spectacular! This is a steep climb to start with but eases off, passing through pleasant open forest. Many parties have run into trouble over the years, and walkers need to be competent navigators. 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. Let someone know before you go. The Kanangra-Boyd National Park is one of the eight protected areas that, in 2000, was inscribed to form part of the UNESCO World Heritagelisted Greater Blue Mountains Area. thought was an early hour, only to find it full already. Great trip - I thoroughly enjoyed the company and being in the wilderness. 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. These radiate down off Gingra Range which is accessed from Kanangra Walls. Stay safe by planning your trip for all conditions and telling someone about it. From Mt Amarina it is easy walking over Kullieatha Peak, down into the saddle and around the east side of Mt Strongleg. 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. It offers expansive and majestic views over the Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker, which - as its name suggests - is often ensconced in the fog. There is a logbook on Mt Cloudmaker, dedicated to the memory of Kathleen Jones. the weather was very cold, and my toes had well and truly gone numb by Enjoy the sunrise from Splendour Rock. So again, follow the map. North Marramarra National Park On the first day at Kanangra . 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. 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. Nontrivial #4 - Kanangra to Katoomba (GC3K0DW) was created by jonnosan on 5/9/2012. Nifty footwork is required over the rocky knolls quaintly named Rip, Rack, Roar and Rumble. were about eight tents in five separate groups set up. 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 Since then I have done countless trips along the Kanangra to Katoomba route and have explored the surrounding country extensively. Ashley is someone who is willing to share his knowledge, he does this quite naturally, without too much formality and with zero arrogance. ; Smegs07 at English Wikipedia; ' . Colong Caves is another outstanding feature of the area. Most saddles between Mt Berry and Mt Strongleg offer a flat grassy area. For the fishing enthusiasts, trout can be caught along Kowmung River and, for the adventurous, canyoning is popular during the warmer months. The trip overall was not overly formal, pretty low key and provides an experience that allows you to challenge yourself whilst feeling safe. Sorry, no records were found. The last 4km - 400m vertical down to Breakfast Creek and then 300m up Descent off of the plateau was difficult to find. 100 Man Cave to Kanangra Walls via Mt Cloudmaker Distance: 13km. One last steeper section gets you to the top. a day walk, we set off to get the car shuffle out of the way. We were obviously not the first to use it as there was a well 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. The total distance of the walk is 52km, with a total of 3044m of ascent and 2991m of descent over the 3-4 days! At a large clearing about 1km on to the tops, the trail divides, and becomes narrower. Usually referred to "Kanangra to Katoomba" or K2K, this is a classic walk in the southern Blue Mountains. There are numerous routes that can be taken, and these notes only point out the most commonly taken route. 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. Dex Creek usually has flowing water, but it can dry up after longer dry spells. 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! The second lookout overlooks rugged ravines at the head of the gorges and Kanangra Falls. views of the Walls. From the superb sandstone cliff faces at the Kanangra Walls to the Mount Cloudmaker, there is no shortage of sights to enjoy. After breakfast we continue the walk. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Keep your eyes peeled for echidnas and lyrebirds, particularly during summer. On Day 3, we return to Kanangra Walls, enjoying the spectacular views in the opposite direction. It is exposed and some people may feel insecure on a vertical rockface with no more than metal spikes to hold onto with hands and feet. of the bush we found we were two ridges east of where we should have 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. [4] The Abercrombie River National Park is situated a short distance, further southwest. 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. The scramble down Gordon Smith Pass is slippery and exposed but not technically difficult. Thurat Spires, Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker provide sandstone scenery on a majestic scale." (sic.) Please note: Uploading photos does not transfer ownership of copyright away from you. I had injured my shoulder badly only a couple of weeks before, and The park was established in 1969. 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. three hour round trip to Kanangra to pick up the other car. The trail continues along the east side of Yellow Dog Ridge to the flats below Mt Dingo. I was able to download it straight into a gps app I downloaded the other day! weather following. The hike should take around 3-4 days to complete. This is where we will make our final camp. the bottom of Yellow Dog Ridge. Subscribe to our Naturescapes e-newsletter which is packed with the latest information, experiences and events in NSW national parks. From here it is a long descent to the Coxs River. Your trip intentions will be emailed to your emergency contact. ", "The K2K guided walk was fantastic! From Kanangra to Katoomba it's 45-50km depending on who you ask (and how lost you get).