Sydney’s geographical location is aptly situated between three major national parks, the Royal National Park, Blue Mountains National Park and of course, the Ku-ring Gai National Park. This isn’t an exhaustive list of course with many other smaller ones too, with the Heathcote National Park, Berowra Valley National Park and the Kanangra-Boyd National Park to name a few. With the national parks offering so many unique activities to do, there is always a new weekend adventure nearby for years on end to get you out and about.
There are numerous hiking trails throughout all the national parks, making it one of the most readily accessible, and common activity to do. With so many different types of hikes to do, they are an easy way to connect with nature, exercise, see sights you otherwise wouldn’t, and take a break from the hustle of the city life.
Something for everyone
The national parks offer hikes for all abilities, from a short walk to Sublime Point Lookout, to a multiday hike along the Great North Walk. They make sure there is something, for families on day trip, to trail runners training for their next ultra-trail race, to adventurers finding a swimming hole away from the crowds on a hot summer day.
For instance, Glenbrook Gorge, just on the outskirts of the Blue Mountains National Park is a short hike that showcases some of the best sandstone cliffs in the state. A technically difficult hike with numerous rock scrambles and a largely obscured path, that follows Glenbrook Creek, it also offers numerous swimming holes to cool off on a hot day. Overall, a well-suited hike for young people who want to adventure but also may be a little time pressed.
The resolute track offers a more family friendly hike, down from the West Head lookout to the secluded West Head and Resolute Beaches, as well as the small town of Great Mackerel Beach. Whilst the hike is far into the Kuring-Gai National Park and requires a National Parks Day Pass for vehicles, these are some of the best beaches in Sydney and can easily be made into a longer day trip with a ferry ride over to Palm Beach from the Great Mackerel Beach Wharf and lunch in Akuna Bay or Church Point.
Down South, the coast track is a relatively easy, overnight hike over the coastal regions of the Royal National Park. With numerous beaches and scenic vistas, it is a great trail to get started into multi-day hikes. It passes through numerous famous landmarks such as Wattamolla beach, a superb day trip with the family in itself and the little enclave of Little Garie Beach and with a short detour, the figure 8 pools. Technically the hike isn’t particularly challenging, with well-maintained sections of board walk and limited elevation changes throughout.
Adventure
Many of Sydney’s hikes allow you to explore a more adventurous side of the city that many others may not get to see. Whilst these hikes in themselves make an excellent trip, they also often lead to other gems in the bush that just add to the adventure, such as wild swimming holes and spectacular viewpoints. With this in mind, the old adage – that the harder they are to reach, the better they are, holds true in this instance.
For those willing to scramble off the beaten path a fair bit, could stumble across the Leura Cascade infinity pool in the blue mountains, one of our favourite places to go for a swim. Similarly, for those in the know, a little scramble down some rocks from McCarrs Creek Road leads to a beautiful waterfall in the Kuring-Gai national Park. A more challenging hike through the Brisbane Waters National Park from Wondabyne Station leads to the top of Mount Wondabyne with panoramic views of the Central Coast all around.
Accessibility
Transport is probably one of the biggest barriers to hiking, with some trails starting on the side of roads with no parking in sight. Some trails may require you to start in one place and end in another, making it hard to plan for. For those that don’t own a car, options may be further limited as to where you can go. However, with such a large part of Sydney’s identity lying in the outdoors, transport is becoming far less of an issue. Many trails in the Blue Mountains for instance, are walking distance from train stations across the blue mountains line. Waterfall and Heathcote stations provide good accessibility to the national parks in the south, and Berowra and Cowan stations, to trails in the North. The Great North Walk now winds its way through numerous train stations, making it easier to partake in these multi day adventures.
Car parks are also well catered for, in particularly popular places, where accessibility via public transport is low. Some central places that cater well to cars include the Grand Canyon Walking Track, and Victoria Falls in the Blue Mountains, Crosslands Reserve in Ku-ring Gai National Park, and Audley in the Royal National Park. All of these places are hubs with numerous trails and even camping to be found at some. Together with the accessibility that public transport provides, shows how the national parks are increasingly capable of handling a larger scale of tourism.
Plentiful Information
Information on most trails are now easily found online on websites such as Wildwalks, clearly outlining what to expect, distance, elevation, and difficulty grade, that makes preparation a breeze. However, it is important to know your skill level and to go accordingly, bring enough water, food and a personal locater beacon (PLB) if possible.
Some locations offer free PLB hire, which can be found here.
You don’t need much to start hiking. Unlike other sports such as cycling and sailing which require high initial costs to partake, all you need to go hiking, is a good pair of grippy sports shoes, normal active wear, and a backpack. Of course, there are many upgrades that you can buy along the way, including hiking boots to give yourself more support, and proper hiking packs, to provide more comfort when carrying heavy loads for longer hikes, however at a bare minimum, most people can go hiking with everyday items found in their house.
Support Local
Going hiking in Sydney provides you with the opportunity to support numerous local small businesses that line the edges of the national parks. These areas are usually known for the lack of large cooperations and thriving local communities. The Blue Mountains for example, known for the absence of major fast-food chains, bar one McDonalds in Blaxland, and simultaneously the quality of the pies made by local bakeries. With the most established community out of the three national parks, they also known for their beer with the Mountain Culture brewery in Katoomba and their nightlife, numerous character-filled bars between Blackheath and Katoomba. Down south the Heathcote Fish and Chips shop is a personal favourite when around the Royal National Park area, as is Fitzies Fish and Chips when up north in Brooklyn.
These local businesses don’t all revolve around food with numerous tours and experiences that could supplement an excellent hike to really make a day out. The blue mountains, known for their thriving arts scene have several galleries to check out including the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre, and their adventure tours to bring out your wild side, with numerous canyons to be explored with tour companies such as the Blue Mountains Adventure Company. Up north, the Hawkesbury has a thriving oyster farm scene, with tours leaving out of Brooklyn and Mooney Mooney showcasing the farming process and the produce made.