Reynolds Falls

[bushwalker zane]

Hello all!

Planning on going to reynolds falls soon, and I have knowledge of it what so ever other than where it is on the map. I need dirt on the walk, what's it like, where's it start etc.

Cheers!

[Nuts]

The track doesn't get much use and can be hard to follow, some friends did it recently and got lost chose another destination
iirc tastrekker put some notes here somewhere??

[bushwalker zane]

The track doesn't get much use and can be hard to follow, some friends did it recently and got lost chose another destination
iirc tastrekker put some notes here somewhere??

Ah, good old 'choosing another direction'

I'll have a look around and see if I can find it

[Ent]

Hi

The walk starts at the Cradle Lodge around the back. The big trick, and I mean big trick, is when you get to the HUGE sign about ten minutes up the track pointing to Reynold Falls or more accurately the PCT, walk around it and you will see the track Else be prepared for a lovely scenic walk that will put you back at the Lodge. The track is very expose until it drops into bush about forty-five minutes to an hour later. There is a sign to Reynolds Fall but when we encountered it time was short and we were low on blood supply after feeding the leeches at Four Ways "Camping Spot". If you wind up crossing a gravel road then you have missed the junction. Back-track maybe a hundred metres and look around again as it heads westerly. Now, something tells me that the track actually crosses the road again further down but that is only supposition. The area is crisscrossed with old mining and survey roads and tracks.

Maps are a huge issue as the gravel roads are not marked on Park’s maps so you can be confused by standing on a gravel road and it not appearing on the map. The 1:100,000 has some of the roads but not the tracks. The 1:25,000 appears to have all the roads but not of the tracks. This area is probably the worst example of politics and Park’s bureaucracy creating a situation to get people lost by stuffing up the maps. A couple of weeks later another group, “experienced” Southern walkers, got lost and called the big yellow flying taxi. If you do not panic and stay awake at worst you will get to see some (ok a lot) of scenic landscapes. The destination might be hard to find but straightforward to get home, at least at the beginning.

Wish I could say more but we spent a lot of time “choosing” increasingly more novel ways of finding alternative ways to the Reynold Falls track. Oh and Tumbling Creek is well named

Cheers

[shazcol]

I walked it a few weeks ago and it was very easy to follow. The XPD World Adventure race people had been through there and the track was well trampled at the time. I found it well marked anyway regardless with plenty of markers in trees. It is a bit of a relentless up and down track and the final scramble is difficult when it is raining and very wet but if you get that far you would have no issues.

One of Chapman's books has a description of it as a sided trip of the PCT trail. We did it as an overnighter camping at the second last camp site before the falls so we could visit them that afternoon and early the next morning as well. Another couple did it at the same time as us but they camped well before the falls and did the last bit with day packs on and only visited the falls once.

EDIT: There was one place towards the middle that we took a wrong turn (as everybody else had by the tracks). It was an easy recovery going back to the last marker. The track took a very sharp turn to the right at that point and everybody goes straight ahead on the well marked wrong way!

[Orion]

The big trick, and I mean big trick, is when you get to the HUGE sign about ten minutes up the track pointing to Reynold Falls or more accurately the PCT, walk around it and you will see the track Else be prepared for a lovely scenic walk that will put you back at the Lodge.

That's funny. We encountered that well-signed junction (there was even a paper map attached to the sign) and somehow went the wrong way. I'd like to blame it on the fact that we were in a hurry and it had just started raining, but the truth is that we just blundered. After a long and silly detour we ended up deciding to visit Fourways instead. There were lots of lovely leeches along the way (and especially at Fourways) so I would expect the route to Reynolds has them as well.

Although we didn't get to see the Falls that bit of the Penguin-Cradle track we walked was very beautiful.

[bushwalker zane]

Thanks a bunch! This is all very helpful! But looks like we'll have fun following the path Also, the plan is to spend a night out there, is there suitable camping areas anywhere along the track?

[shazcol]

There are several camping possibilities. Most are reasonably small. From memory three are right next to creeks. Most of the other camp sites sites would be no more than about 5-10min walk from the previous creek or next creek from memory. The small site we used was suitable for 2 maybe 3 tents at a squeeze and it was about 1.2km from the falls. There was another slightly larger camp site about 500M after this one but the creek was right next to this one and we had had enough walking with packs on. There were at least three others in the forest before we got here spread over the last half of the walk. There is a reasonably large one just off the track on your left after you walk across the small waterfall face and up the next rise (you will know it when you walk it). Just keep your eyes open and you will find them. They do vary in quality. All depends on how far out you want to camp from the falls.

[bushwalker zane]

Sounds good, so my father wants to take 3 days for it, but I would have thought 2 would be good enough for this walk? At least there is a lot of places to camp by the sounds of it!

[Nuts]

Come in over Beecroft and do a circuit?

[sthughes]

The big trick, and I mean big trick, is when you get to the HUGE sign about ten minutes up the track pointing to Reynold Falls or more accurately the PCT, walk around it and you will see the track Else be prepared for a lovely scenic walk that will put you back at the Lodge.

That's funny. We encountered that well-signed junction (there was even a paper map attached to the sign) and somehow went the wrong way. I'd like to blame it on the fact that we were in a hurry and it had just started raining, but the truth is that we just blundered. After a long and silly detour we ended up deciding to visit Fourways instead. There were lots of lovely leeches along the way (and especially at Fourways) so I would expect the route to Reynolds has them as well.

Although we didn't get to see the Falls that bit of the Penguin-Cradle track we walked was very beautiful.

lol that is exactly what we did! Pretty silly in hind site, but we had fun anyway.

[Ent]

The big trick, and I mean big trick, is when you get to the HUGE sign about ten minutes up the track pointing to Reynold Falls or more accurately the PCT, walk around it and you will see the track Else be prepared for a lovely scenic walk that will put you back at the Lodge.

That's funny. We encountered that well-signed junction (there was even a paper map attached to the sign) and somehow went the wrong way. I'd like to blame it on the fact that we were in a hurry and it had just started raining, but the truth is that we just blundered. After a long and silly detour we ended up deciding to visit Fourways instead. There were lots of lovely leeches along the way (and especially at Fourways) so I would expect the route to Reynolds has them as well.

Although we didn't get to see the Falls that bit of the Penguin-Cradle track we walked was very beautiful.

Um? Sounds very much like our attempt except we decided to head to the start of Tumbling Creek after "missing" the turn with good intentions to follow it down to the track. After a "pleasent" half hour going through the only scrub belt in miles we got to the head waters and realised that the creek was well named When we turn around we saw the old 4wd track cut in the scrub belt and it took no more than two minutes to walk through it Then followed a valley that gradually became the road that you cross just after the turn to Reynolds Fall.

The Reyonld's Falls track would have had to cross the road and we saw what look like two clear tracks coming from that direction but rather defeated by time we trudged on to Four Ways. I blame the flue that I had at the time but it was a walk where we all mucked up (except maybe one) in a multitude of ways. Not our finest feat of navigation and thankfully when we stopped to look at amazement at a four wheel motor bike parked on the track we noticed the PCT crossing. Um? It was rather well marked but without the bike we would have likely trudged past it.

Still great to have a look around at the back and side area of Cradle Park. The view from the headwaters of Tumbling Creek were excellent or should I say “most excellent” given our navigation

Cheers

[Orion]

Well it's always nice to be in good company when you do something humbling.

[Leverett]

Hi folks,
First time blogger here so be gentle. I have been travelling the state capturing a waterfall a week. My goal is to photograph one waterfall each week and so far, so good. I am up to 22 waterfalls but I now need to get to Reynolds falls. I am a pretty experienced hiker so I don't think I will have issues finding the falls. What I want to know is time. I see some say overnight best, others say 10hrs return, others say 16km return. DOes anyone have a recent trip time to the falls from Cradle Lodge? I am thinking of heading in this weekend.
These falls look like some of the amazing falls you come across on the Franklin, so i'm super excited.
Cheers.
PS - you can see the other waterfalls at www.leverett.com.au or follow the Facebook links on the site.

[Ent]

Hi

It would be a long day walk in winter, especially if you want to spend time photographing them. Best done as an overnight walk so you can have two chances at photographing them. The volume of spray may make the track vantage point not suitable.

Pm with your email address if you want the GPS track. Might help minimized te chance of missed turns.

Cheers

[Leverett]

Thanks for the info. Still want to try and get in there for some photos. Looking at map it crosses a lot of contours so expecting hills and lots of them. The camp spots on there, are they wet and muddy or not too bad? And I think your are right, you want to be able to get some good time to shoot photos, not just 5 minutes. Thanks again

[bushwalker zane]

Do it in 2. We did it this summer, and the tracks were hard enough to follow. We took 3 days, because we had some older members, but us youngn's thought 2 days would be best.

[sthughes]

My favourite waterfall. 3 days would be awesome, 2 days was great, 1 day would be undesirable (to me) but doable (leave at first light at this time of year).

Yep there are plenty of ups and downs, but nothing exceptional.

Camp sites aren't muddy, just the usual dead foliage etc., but take a bladder or a couple of big bottles - it's a short walk to the creek even from the best site.

It can be a bit confusing in the area where you turn off the Penguin Cradle Track and follow some old 4x4 tracks (maybe because the leeches are making you light headed with blood loss!). You'll figure it out if you have a decent map (unlike us the first time!). Also make sure you don't keep following the giant 4x4 track when you get here:

[Joel]

Hello Leverett,

I've been to the falls a few times, during both summer and winter and I am working all weekend at Cradle Mt. Lodge. If you want some beta pop into reception and ask for Joel and I'll give you a bit of a run down before you leave if you want. But my biggest advide is to stay at least one night unless you are seriously fit and fast.

[bushwalker zane]

Great to see this map! I can't remember what 1:25,000 map it was, but it is currently out of print. Or so I've heard. Such a good walk.

[Leverett]

Thanks Joel. Making my decision tonight as to whether I attempt it not. By the sounds of it overnight is most desirable. I think if I get going early I can do in a day. Might see you tomorrow or Sunday. Thanks everyone.

[Joel]

It is certainly doable in a day, but it would be a heart braking trip. I usually walk at round 60 km a week in the Park and I would not consider doing it as a day walk in winter.
Let us know how you go. If you complete it in a day with time to take photos and get back by 5pm I will take my hat off to you and maybe start working out a bit more.

[bushwalker zane]

I would also partake in the hat removal for you. I would be keen to see some pics from the trip if you go, do post!

[Leverett]

Well I can't promise any hat removing will happen, but I would love to get in there this weekend, and with the weather looking pretty good I think its a goer. And if I get in there I will most def post an image of it,
Thanks