The Six Foot Track is a challenging 27 mi point-to-point trail that starts in Katoomba, New South Wales and ends at the Jenolan Caves – one of the world’s oldest cave systems, believed to be more than 340 million years old. This historical trail begins at the ‘Explorer Tree’ in Katoomba where explorers Gregory Blaxland, William Lawson and William Wentworth engraved their names in 1813 whilst on their great traverse of the Blue Mountains. A bushwalker’s paradise, this popular backpacking trail is graded as Difficult and is usually completed in 3 days. A tough but rewarding mountain route, it leads you down into the Megalong Valley and through the impressive and vast Blue Mountains National Park and state forests on an old heritage track, with a total elevation gain of 4024 ft. (For information on how we grade trails, please click here, and caution is advised on trail times as this depends on multiple variables. For more info, click here.) Wild and beautiful, the terrain is predominantly fire trails and dirt tracks traversing mountain ridges and clifftop, with some steeper challenging sections, and areas of forest path. Highlights include crossing of Coxs River via the Bowtell Swing Bridge, free camping at the Black Range Campground and endless opportunities to see kangaroos and birdlife on route. There are four campgrounds nearby with basic facilities, but if camping isn’t for you, accommodation is available at Jenolan Caves Cottages just 4km from Jenolan Caves or at the Six Foot Track Eco Lodge, where you can also book meals and drinks and use toilets and shower. Booking or registering in advance at any of the campsites or accommodations is always recommended. It’s vital to be self-sufficient on this trail, a route plan is recommended and carrying plenty of food and water, a compass, a trail map and a personal locator beacon, especially if hiking alone. Dogs are not permitted on this trail for the protection and conservation of the national parks and wildlife.
