Visit and learn about the magnificent Gardens of Stone region on the western side of the Blue Mountains and easily accessible from Sydney or the Central West. The Gardens of Stone Visitors Map shows trails, views and other main attractions.
Only two hours drive from Sydney, the Gardens of Stone offer many family adventures from picnicking and sightseeing to day walks, camping, nature study, exploring industrial ruins, bird-watching, bicycling, photography, drawing and painting. Purchase The Visitors Map which is full of suggested walks and trips. It covers the entire Gardens of Stone region at a 1:100,000 scale, making it ideal for planning your next trip to the area.
There are lots of opportunities for multi-day walks, rock climbing, abseiling and cannoning. Accommodation is readily available in Lithgow and other nearby towns.
Walks in the Newnes Plateau
Short walks
Temple of Doom and Lost Ark Point
Newnes SF
Map: Cullen Bullen
Views, forest, pagodas, cliffs.
4WD, then 300m on track/off track walk.
1km off track walk beyond Temple of Doom.
Wolgan Falls
Cullen Bullen map (348, 101)
Turn right off the Blackfellows Hand Road at Fire Trail No. 5. Park near the locked gate. Navigation skills are needed to get near the falls (approximately 1.5km) where there are great views over pagoda formations and glimpses of the falls. Scrambling is needed to get down to the edge for a good view of the falls (tricky to find).
Vertigo Slot and Signature Cave
Ben Bullen SF
Map: Cullen Bullen
Views, cliffs, pagodas, heathland, cave, forest.
4WD, then 300m off track walk.
Then 4WD and 800m off track walk.
Cathedral Cave and Diamond Cavern
Newnes SF
Map: Cullen Bullen
Cave, forest, pagodas, dry slot canyon.
4WD, then 500m off track walk. 1km off track walk beyond Cathedral Cave.
Wolgan Gorge Lookout and Birds Rock (Carne Creek Gorge) Lookout
Newnes SF
Map: Cullen Bullen
Views, cliffs, pagodas, forest.
4WD, then 1km on track/off track walk.
Then 4WD and 300m on track walk. Then off track, if desired.
Reinits Pass and Centennial Glen
Western Escarpment
Maps: Mt Wilson, Katoomba
Forest, cliffs, caves, rainforest, rock formations, views, creek, waterfalls, canyon, heathland.
2WD, then 3km (circular) on track walk.
Then 2WD and 1km on track walk.
Day Walks
The longer walks in the unreserved Gardens of Stone are magnificent but also challenging. Anyone attempting these should have navigation skills and equipment for remote walking, such as a EPIRB or PLB.
Howling Arch, the Pool of Diana and the Pool of Aphrodite
Multi-day walks
The unreserved part of the Gardens of Stone connects to a number of major national parks, allowing for a number of epic multi-day walking routes through the region.
No formally tracked multi-day hikes exist in the area, but if you are skilled at navigation and route finding, you can see so many amazing features of the area.