Fans Horizon - Warrumbungle National Park

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Route: Pincham Car park, Fans Horizon Track, Fans Horizon, Mamos Mountain

Date: 21/12/2021
From: Camp Pincham

Parking: Pincham Car Park
Start Point: Pincham Car Park
Finish Point: Pincham Car Park
Region: Warrumbungle National Park

Route length: 4.1km
Time taken: 01:14
Average speed: 3.8km/h
Ascent: 226m
Descent: 216m

Points of Interest: Fans Horizon

On a recent visit to Warrumbungle National Park, I had a couple of hikes in mind, this one included. Though short, it promises great views of the impressive Warrumbungle mountains.

The entire Warrumbungle area was once an enormous shield volcano, some 50km wide and 1km high. Millions of years of erosion have worn away the softer rocks, leaving behind the weird and wonderful dykes, plugs, and domes of trachyte. The features are clustered around the Grand High Tops and are all named - Belougery Spire, Belougery Split Rock, Crater Bluff, Bluff Mountain, Mount Exmouth, and The Breadknife. The Breadknife, a straight wall of jagged rock nearly 100m high, is particularly rare and the poster child of the national park.

The Fans Horizon Track starts at the Camp Pincham car park - the same starting point for the popular Grand High Tops Hike. To begin with, it heads westwards, away from the car park, following a shallow creek valley.

Some new signage in the Camp Pincham car park

The valley of Spirey Creek

After around 0.5km, the path begins to climb using a series of steps and continues to climb all the way to the lookouts atop the mountain. The Fans Horizon Track was one of the final tracks repaired after a devastating bush fire in 2013 destroyed 80% of the national park. The National Parks Service had to replace over 1,000 timber steps that make up the path.

The Fans Horizon steps

Still climbing.....

More steps.....

Views to the north begin to emerge

Eventually, drenched in sweat, we reached the top of the steps and the lookouts atop the exposed Mamos Mountain. There are two, with the first having a view of the Grand High Tops, including the iconic Breadknife, Belougery Spire and Crater Bluff, with the second looking more in the direction of Bluff Mountain and the Grassy Glades.

The Grand High Tops seen from Fans Horizon

Bluff Mountain and Airmid Dome

The extensive remains of the Warrumbungle volcano

Looking northeast towards Mount Woorut

The Siding Spring Observatory atop Mount Woorut

Mata Hill and the Grand High Tops

Balor Peak and Crater Bluff

Mount Exmouth

With the difficult part complete, and having soaked up the view, we began the steep descent back to the Camp Pincham car park. The Fans Horizon track is perfect for hikers pressed for time. This short but challenging hike gives you a taste of the famous volcanic rock spires and domes of Warrumbungle National Park.