Kanangra Walls to Crafts Walls
Kanangra Walls to Crafts Walls Kanangra Walls National Park
Kanangra Walls to Crafts Walls: One of the most spectacular walks in the Blue Mountains especially given the distance walked!
We started at the car park to Kanangra Walls lookout at the end of Kanangra Road it’s a long drive if coming from Sydney but there is a very good camp site at Boyd River campground about 6km before the lookout and along the way from Sydney so handy to camp overnight
From the end of the car park follow the signs straight along the footpath, there is only one and its clearly marked, walk past the fork to the right to Dance Floor Cave, you will return to this later.
At the end of the path on our right you come to the spectacular Kanangra Walls lookout, amazing views across Kanangra Boyd National Park, Thurat Spires to your left Mount Cloudmaker infront to your right and below to your left Kalang Falls worth the trek down the steps but on your return not just yet.
After taking in the views and all our photos we walked back up the path we just came in on and turned left following the sign for Dance Floor Cave this followed a mix of steps and path down to a junction with a right fork the cave appearing through the trees just a few metres in front, this was a cave locals used to hold dance parties at, a wooden dance floor constructed and local muscians danced the night away in the remote bush with tourists from Sydney.
We returned to the fork and turn a sharp right up the steps to the Boyd Plateau, here it gets a little tricky there is one clear path running through the heathland with plenty of small side paths to the top of the walls, these make spectacular view points and followed the path in a general east north east direction. After around 3km or so from the car park a large flat rock platform appears on the cliff tops nice views back to the walls lookout and Kalang Falls a three tier waterfall.
We took the clear path although small and overgrown in parts, good idea to wear long pants and climbed slightly through burnt out Casaurina trees, this part is a little trick too, general east north east direct looking out for paths created through low bush but islands of stone make it difficult to follow, however keeping the cliff line reasonably close to our left we found at the end of this section a gully, it’s a bit of a scamble down but great fun working your way down a marked path with cairns and at the bottom the track appears to go straight along the bottom of the cliff, we made the mistake of taking this trail which was wrong, only realising our mistake after about 1.5km!
At the bottom of the gulley a trail leads to the left down some natural steps and leads down and away into the trees a fairly easy trail to follow it meanders up over a small ridge offering amazing views back to Kanangra Walls and out to the west, we continued on fairly close to another cliff line not such a long drop over the edge but long enough to say wow!
Its only a couple of kilometres from the bottom of the gully to the junction at the base of Crafts Walls and Mount Cloudmaker, this you can take either to the right or left, it circles and comes back again so if time permits have a wander around, for us unfortuanately time was not on our side so after a rest under Crafts Walls we headed back the way we came, much quicker than earlier as we knew the track and arrived at Kanangra Walls lookout fairly quickly, the junction to Kalang Falls to our left beckoned on a hot sunny afternoon and down the steps we trod around 5-7 min worth fairly steep but arriving at a gorgeous little water hole, in everyone jumped to cool off and yes the water was rather chilly. A small rock slide offers some fun sliding into the water fall but soon its time to head back to camp.
Kanangra Walls to Crafts Walls getting there: It’s a long drive from Sydney take the road to Jenolan Caves and continue on through the caves up the other side then turn left onto Kanangra Road this is a gravel road fairly good condition although have noticed it has deteriorated over the last 12 months, drive carefully its about 27 km to the lookout car park from the turn off.
Kanangra Walls to Crafts Walls is a fairly easy walk with spectacular views if you are reasonably fit and good with navigation, easy to lose the trail in places but with patience and good navigation will enjoy this walk
Camping at Boyd River campground is a very good weekend option, good facilities with long drop toilets, water tank, stream close by and shelter with picnic tables and fire place.
Kanangra Walls to Crafts Walls tip: If you are travelling through Katoomba make a stop off at the Yellow Deli Katoomba Street, wonderful organic food however they do not open Saturdays its Sabbath!
Kanangra Walls to Crafts Walls note: Always be prepared when bushwalking, carry enough water, purification and adequate food/snacks for your walk, never go without a map, compass, and personal locator beacon, first aid kit. For more information see the NSW National Parks website about staying safe: http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/safety/bushwalking
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