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Katoomba to Megalong Valley

todo
Length: 7.9 km
Walking time: 2 h 30 min to 4 h
Climbing: 57m
Descending: 534m
  • Starting from the historic Explorers Tree in Katoomba, you follow the road to the car park and small shelter at the main Six Foot Track trackhead. You can read some information about the area before following the management trail downhill around the gate. You will pass the optional side trip to Norths Lookout (very worthwhile view) before starting to head steeply down the Nellies Glen canyon steps, passing a waterfall in the cool fern tree valley. At the bottom of Nellies Glen, you soon join a quiet dirt road and wander among a mix of farmland and natural bushland.

    You will also pass the signposted historic Megalong Village, that was a thriving kerosene shale mining town in 1870, and now a horse paddock. Keep wandering through this lovely valley visiting Megalong Creek a few times, climbing a series of stiles before turning off the road by climbing another style (just before the road crosses Megalong Creek) and start walking through a farm with lovely open grassland on a narrow walking track. Passing a few dams visiting before finishing this section of the Six Foot Track by climbing another style to find the trackhead on Megalong Valley Road.

    There is an optional side trip that follows Megalong Road north for 500m that brings you to Old Ford Reserve campsite, a road and creekside campsite, this is not often used by people walking the Six Foot Track, but can be used especially if you want to spend extra time on track.

  • Creek Crossings
    Typically the creeks that require crossing are culverted or can be stepped over whilst keeping your feet dry. Flooding is a risk (see hazards below).

    Water
    Carry enough water for the whole walk. Start with full water bottles. Water can be collected from Megalong Creek, but requires treatment before consumption.

    Signage
    The start and end of this walk is well signposted with trackhead signs, the start has information signs and a large map. Intersections are generally signposted and there are regular 'throw-over' signs about every 1km.

    Toilets
    There are no toilets at the start, end or along the main spine of this walk. There are pit toilets at Old Ford Reserve, on the 500m side trip at the end of this walk.

    Seats
    Other then in the shelter at the start of this walk there are no seats along this walk. There is plenty of informal seating on steps, stiles, rocks.

    Shelter
    There is a small three-walled shelter near the start of the walk.

    Mobile Phone Coverage
    Mobile phone coverage is not reliable - carrying a PLB is recommended.
    Telstra & Optus: No coverage between the Top of Nellies Glen and near the historic Megalong Village, otherwise reasonable but patchy coverage for much of the rest of the walk on both 3G and 4G.

  • About half this walk follows a wide dirt road (or management trail) and for the most part, is generally undulating - there are some locked gates that either has a stile on the side to climb the fence. If you open a gate, close it again.
    Nellies Glen has a long and very steep series of earth/timber steps with no handrails.
    The last 1km of this walk follows a narrow dirt track through mostly open private farmland (keep to the track), with one creek crossing a style at the end.

  • Although most people complete walks safely we need to be area and respond to the many potential hazards that a bushwalk presents, this page just looks are some of the more unique risks to this walk.

    This walk is exposed to extreme weather (flooding rain, hazardous wind, thunderstorms, hail, icy conditions and extreme heat). Carefully study weather forecasts and current conditions before starting this section and heed BOM warnings. It is recommended that you postpone your walk during days of Total Fire Bans or when there are nearby fires. Also, postpone your walk if there is extreme weather forecast such as thunderstorms. Ensure you and your group are well enough prepared considering the potential conditions you could face.

    It is recommended that you carry and PLB and know how to use in case of a life-threatening emergency outside of mobile phone coverage areas.

    Nellies Glen is especially steep and slippery. Take your time and extra care to avoid slips and falls.
    Climbing stiles, especially with a full pack presents overbalancing/fall and slip risks.
    Walking on even quiet roads presents a traffic risk, walk in a way that maximises your visibility to drivers and keeps you clear of traffic.
    After prolonged rain or after a heavy downpour Nellies Glen can become unsafe to travel through, this is rare and will usually settle quickly. The creek crossings on the dirt road all have culverts allowing dry crossings. There is a small creek in the farm that also floods and can become impassable after prolonged rain or after a heavy downpour. Never enter flood or fast-moving waterways.

Old Ford Reserve
A simple roadside campsite a 500m sidetrip north of the Six Foot Track crossing of Megalong Valley Road