Six Foot Track & Devils Hole 12-11-2023
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Route: Cahills Lookout, Cliff Drive, Cliff Track, Norths Lookout, Six Foot Track, Nellies Glen, Megalong Creek, Water Board Road, Devil's Hole Track, Devil's Hole, Cliff Drive
Date: 12/11/2023
From: Cahills Lookout
Parking: Cahills Lookout
Start Point: Cahills Lookout
Finish Point: Cliff Drive
Region: Blue Mountains National Park
Route length: 11.8 km
Time taken: 03:51
Average speed: 4.2 km/h
Ascent: 699m
Descent: 705m
Points of Interest: Cahills Lookout, Norths Lookout, Six Foot Track, Devil's Hole
Several long-distance tracks crisscross the Blue Mountains with one of those being the Six Foot Track. The track was originally built as a bridle trail in 1884 and was planned as a shortcut to Jenolan Caves, a nearby tourist attraction. Now the 44km route is used by hikers, typically completing the distance over three days. While I wouldn't be walking the entire thing, I'd be using the first steep section leaving Katoomba as a means of reaching the Megalong Valley and the base of the Devil's Hole, an impressive and accessible cleft in the sandstone cliffs.
The obvious starting point for this circuit is close to Cahill's Lookout, avoiding the newly installed parking meters. The lookout is named after Labor Party Premier John Joseph Cahill who, in the 1950s, was responsible for the approval of the construction of the Sydney Opera House. The lookout is one of the best in the national park, though sometimes overlooked, meaning it's typically quieter than the more popular sites at Lincoln's Rock and Echo Point. The western aspect makes it a fine place to watch the sun setting.
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| Sunset at Cahills Lookout |
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| The sun sets over the Megalong Valley |
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| Cahills Lookout |
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| Cahills Lookout |
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| The Boars Head rock formation |
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| Boars Head and Narrowneck Plateau |
The first part of the hike involves getting to the top of the Six Foot Track by passing Peckman's Plateau Lookout before following the urban streets to Cliff Walk. The Cliff Walk track does a quick trip through the bush at the head of Megalong Creek, crossing the stream before reaching Norths Lookout. The lookout peers down the Nellies Glen canyon where Six Foot Track disappears.
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| Part of the track to Peckmans Plateau |
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| Peckmans Plateau Lookout |
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| The lookout has a view across Nellies Glen to the cliffs beyond |
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| On Cliff Walk |
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| Therabulat Lookout |
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| Therabulat Lookout |
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| Megalong Creek |
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| Cliff Walk |
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| Norths Lookout |
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| Norths Lookout has a perilous view of the gorge below |
The beginning of the Six Foot Track is close to Norths Lookout. Initially, a wide fire trail slopes downhill, punctuated by warning signs about the steep descent approaching. The track passes through a wooden chicane, presumably designed to keep larger modes of transport out. However, I'm unsure what vehicle could tackle the steep wooden steps descending the canyon.
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| Six Foot Track close to Norths Lookout |
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| Six Foot Track |
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| Steps on the Six Foot Track |
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| Six Foot Track |
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| Six Foot Track at the bottom of the steps |
The steps of the Six Foot Track descend some 200m down into Nellies Glen, following the course of Megalong Creek. After crossing the creek and escaping the confines of the canyon the scenery begins to open up as you enter part of the Megalong Valley.
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| The cliffs tower above the track but are often hard to spot through the trees |
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| Much of Six Foot Track from here is along a fire trail |
Six Foot Track continues downhill as a wide fire trail - most of the views of the cliffs are hidden behind trees but you'll occasionally be rewarded. After a while, the track reaches the old Water Board Road which serves as a means of reaching Devil's Hole.
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| Six Foot Track |
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| Blue Gums in the valley |
The Water Board road was built as part of an ambitious 1960s project to transfer water across the Great Dividing Range from Oberon. A pipeline was built crossing Narrowneck Plateau, descending into the Megalong Valley via a cleft in the rock. Ladders were installed alongside the pipe and were often used by bushwalkers to scale the near-vertical cliff but have since been removed as they are no longer maintained. Unofficial ropes attached to the bottom of the ladders mean the route is almost useable but entirely at your own risk.
The Devil's Hole Track can be found partway along Water Board Road, marked by a mossy cairn low to the ground. Once off the road, the path is easy to follow as it weaves through the trees to Devil's Hole Creek.
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| The beginning of the Devil's Hole Track |
After crossing the creek the path begins to climb. The gradient isn't too bad to begin with but it does become very steep as it heads towards the base of the cliffs (unseen due to the trees and bushes). It's a very quick way to work up a sweat and is best avoided during the summer. Just as things seem that they couldn't get any steeper, the path reaches the base of Devil's Hole.
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| Existing the top of the canyon |
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| The dense bush atop the Blue Mountains cliffs |
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| The top of the track at Cliff Drive is marked by a sign |
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