Best 2/3 day hikes in the Blue Mountains or Ku Ring Gai?

[gisnd]

Hi all,

Looking for your recommendations of not to be missed two or three day hikes in NSW.

Focusing on Blue Mountains or Ku Ring Gai because they are within reach of Sydney Airport (coming from interstate) but open to other walks close to other airports in NSW

Thanks in advance!

[sodahiker]

Classic from Blue Mountains and accessible via train: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/austral ... itary-loop

[ribuck]

I second sodahiker's suggestion of the Mt Solitary loop. It's probably best done in three days the first time you visit. Doing it in two days requires confidence in finding the seasonal water for the high camp on top, but with three days you can use the tank water below Ruined Castle, and water from the Kedumba River (probably best treated). Train to Katoomba, although you can finish at Leura Station or Wentworth Falls Station if that suits your plans better.

Another suggestion is to hike the Grose Valley past Blue Gum Forest. Train to Mt Victoria Station, a longish walk on a fire trail to Mt Victoria lookout, down the track past Victoria Falls to the Grose River, camp either well before Blue Gum Forest or at Acacia Flat just after, and exit the next day to Blackheath via Govetts Leap.

[crollsurf]

Grose Valley is so much better than the Solitary Kedumba loop but I'm not sure the track up to Govetts has reopened yet.

Ku ring gai is almost exclusively day walks but there is a section of the Great North Walk that can be walked overnight from Cowan to Brooklyn, camping at the Dam.

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[sodahiker]

I think this is the loop that ribuck described above: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail ... ose-valley

[sodahiker]

And yes it does seem to be closed:

Blackheath, Medlow Bath, Megalong Valley, Mount Victoria and Bells Line
- Govetts Leap descent and Rodriguez Pass to Evans lookout walking track, due to fire damage to infrastructure and landslides after storms.

https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/th ... cal-alerts

[Avidbushwalker]

FYI, there are a couple of alternate options that still remain open ... If leaving from Mt Victoria Falls, you could come up at 1. Perry's Lookdown at Blackheath and also 2. Lockley's Pylon Leura (which isn't actually too much further).

All the best.

[johnw]

The BM options are all good and yes, the current closure of Govetts Leap, Rodriguez Pass and Pulpit Rock tracks unfortunately limits the possibilities.
Still absolutely worth doing for the scenery and sense of remoteness, which is less evident with Ku-ring-gai possibilities.
Although nothing wrong with those either, I've done a fair bit of walking around there and still do on occasion, but views are not on the same scale.
Mainly day walks as crollsurf said, but camping is possible in some places on the GNW. In addition to Brooklyn Dam I know I've passed camp sites elsewhere.
Near Crosslands Reserve comes to mind and I thought also somewhere between Berowra Waters and Cowan?
Actually this may help with planning if you decide that way - http://www.thegreatnorthwalk.com/
Another thing to consider with the Blue Mountains is that it's still a fair walk to/from the nearest railway stations, assuming you won't have a car.
Not a showstopper if you don't mind adding the required road/street/FT walking, or prepared to pay for a taxi.
Accessibility to railway stations is generally easier with the Ku-ring-gai/Berowra Valley area, so that's where it does have some advantage.

[shavedanddangerous]

You could do the GNW from Hornsby to Brooklyn over 2 days / 1 night, camping at Ridge Top Campground at Berowra Heights. Approx. 20km each day.

[sandym]

You could do the GNW from Hornsby to Brooklyn over 2 days / 1 night, camping at Ridge Top Campground at Berowra Heights. Approx. 20km each day.

This sounds great for my next "get out of Sydney" visit when I have to go visit aged family in Sydney. Thanks for the suggestion.