Despite being part of the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains, the Rileys Mountain Track sees relatively few visitors. Located in one of the closest sections of Blue Mountains National Park to Sydney, this out-and-back trail follows a ridge above the Nepean River gorge. The route is primarily along a fire trail, with occasional short bush walking sections. Several lookouts along the way offer views over the gorge and surrounding landscape.
While most of Blue Mountains National Park lies west of the Nepean River, the Rileys Mountain Track runs through a narrow section on the eastern side, sandwiched between the river and private land. The trail begins at the end of Fairlight Road, where there is a basic parking area. It is accessible to bush walkers, mountain bikers, and, unusually for the Blue Mountains that I am familiar with, horse riders.
While the Rileys Mountain Track involves mostly fire trail, there are various lookouts with fantastic views. The first located less than ten minutes from the car park. A short side track leads to The Rock Lookout, a large sandstone outcrop offering expansive views over the Nepean River and surrounding gorge. It’s a convenient stop close to the car park and the busiest of all the lookouts.
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| The Rock that gives the lookout its name |
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| Nepean Gorge |
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| View from The Rock |
A small trail runs from The Rock, linking a series of unnamed lookouts with various vantage points over the Nepean River and the cliffs above it. While this side trail adds around 1.5 km to the overall hike, it's far more impressive than the main fire trail.
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| Tracks lead away from The Rock |
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| This ledge is unfenced so tread carefully |
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| Looking down to the Nepean River |
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| Re-joining the Rileys Mountain Track |
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| Nepean Gorge |
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| The wider Blue Mountains |
The Rileys Mountain Track continues downhill, following the fire trail still. Partway along you'll find a rough path marked on the map which climbs back to the ridge — a route I couldn't resist following. There's nothing really to follow and involves a bit of bush bashing, but you can access some quiet areas along the ridge to get a view of the river.
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| Heading off the Rileys Mountain Track |
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| In some places, there is no track to follow |
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| Nepean Gorge |
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| Nepean Belle Paddlewheeler |
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| Looking along the Rileys mountain ridge towards Penrith |
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| The Nepean Gorge |
At the far end of the path, it becomes a little more noticeable before meeting the fire trail again. Another path now descends to the end of the ridge. Nepean Narrows Lookout features several rock platforms that have a beautiful view of the Nepean River and Glenbrook Creek. The lookout marks the furthest part of the hike.
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| Nepean Narrows Lookout |
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| Nepean River |
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| Glenbrook Creek joins the Nepean River |
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| Nepean Gorge |
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| The plains of Western Sydney |
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| Mount Portal |
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| The Nepean River |
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| The Nepean River |
Being a one one-way hike, I retraced my steps along the fire trail, this time avoiding the scruffy ridge path and keeping to the main trail itself. A long stretch of track runs alongside a fence, showing how narrow this section of the National Park is, confined between private property and the Nepean River gorge.
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| Rileys Mountain Track |
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| Rileys Mountain Track |
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| Rileys Mountain Track |
After a couple of hours on the fire trail, I eventually made it back to The Rock, revisiting the lookout to enjoy the views of the river in the late afternoon, before jumping in the car and setting off for home.
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| The Rock Lookout |
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| Nepean Gorge |
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| Nepean Gorge |
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| Nepean River |
The Rileys Mountain Track is an interesting hike, with memorable views from spots like The Rock and Rileys Mountain — the highlight being the immense Nepean River gorge. The combination of fire trails with bush tracks make it a great option for walkers, cyclists, and horse riders seeking Blue Mountains scenery close to the city.
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