Looking for a hidden gem in the Blue Mountains? Tucked away off the Bells Line of Road near Bell and Clarence, Dargan Arch is a breathtaking natural sandstone bridge waiting to be explored. This short, off-the-beaten-track hike leads you to a massive stone span carved over millennia, offering the rare chance to walk across its summit and scramble down into the cavernous gully below.
Dargan Arch
📍 BLUE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
Distance4.1 km
Duration00:38 hrs
Elev Gain+113 m
Elev Lost-110 m
Date
30 September 2023
Starting Point
Sandham Road
Difficulty
Easy
Pace / Gear
4.1 km/h — Water
Highlights
Dargan Arch
🗺️ Interactive Route MapPinch or use wheel to zoom
Hidden in the quiet forests near Clarence and Bell, Dargan Arch is a remarkable natural sandstone bridge that frequently escapes the notice of Blue Mountains visitors. Formed over millennia as the ceiling of an ancient cave collapsed to leave a massive natural span, the arch offers hikers a chance to cross its rocky summit before scrambling down into the cavernous gully beneath. The structure takes its name from the nearby village of Dargan, which honors John Dargan—an Irish convict who arrived in the colony in 1820. Granted land by Governor Macquarie, Dargan established a farm and inn before helping construct the early road from Richmond over the mountains, laying the foundation for what is now the Bells Line of Road.
Located just off the Darling Causeway near Bell, the trailhead is accessed via Sandham Road—a dirt track branching off about 3 kilometres from the main intersection. The parking area is marked by a wide dirt clearing dominated by a set of high-voltage power poles, where you can safely pull off. While Sandham Road is unpaved, it remains well-graded and easily negotiable for standard 2WD vehicles in dry conditions.
The walk to the arch is short but direct, covering under a kilometre one-way on a continuous descent. The first 500 metres follow a fire trail that gently slopes downhill before steepening noticeably near the end of the track. Once the fire trail peters out, the marked path disappears completely, requiring a bit of light navigation over raw sandstone ledges, pagodas, and loose earth. By continuing in the general line of the ridge toward the gully, the massive profile of Dargan Arch quickly comes into view among the gums.
Dargan Arch
Tucked beneath a tier of towering sandstone cliffs, Dargan Arch is the dramatic remnant of a massive, ancient cave system that collapsed long ago. Approaching from above, your first glimpse of the cavern's dark, gaping void might make crossing the span feel a little daunting. Once you step onto the structure, however, you'll find the summit is surprisingly wide, level, and solid underfoot—offering plenty of space for a few people to safely stand, explore, and soak in the view down into the canyon below.
The real highlight is descending to the base of the span, which involves a brief, manageable scramble down high-friction, grippy sandstone. Looking up at the colossal rock bridge from below gives you a far better appreciation of its sheer scale and thickness. While there's no marked track, the obvious route down contours easily around the cliffline to the left of the arch.
To drop into the canyon floor, pick your way down a series of stepped sandstone terraces. The incline looks daunting at first, but the rough rock offers excellent traction, making the footwork straightforward. Once you reach the base of the bluff, cut right, step over a fallen tree, and head straight into the shadowy recess beneath the span. Clambering up the dirt and rock mound inside the chamber gives you a brilliant perspective, looking right back out through the massive stone frame at the forest canopy beyond.
A look back at the route down to the arch – it's easier than it looks
Approaching the arch
Dargan Arch
Dargan Arch
Dargan Arch
Dargan Arch
Dargan Arch
After soaking in the views from beneath the span, retrace your steps back up the sandstone terraces to the top of the arch. From there, it's a simple case of picking up the trail and following the steady, short climb back to the power poles and Sandham Road.
Dargan Arch
Above the arch and surrounding canyons
Dargan Arch is a brief walk that delivers a huge payoff, proving you don't need a multi-day trek to find something truly spectacular in the Blue Mountains. Whether you're making a quickpit stopp along the Bells Line of Road or pairing it with nearby lookouts around Bell and Clarence, this hidden natural bridge is an absolute must-visit. Just make sure to wear sturdy shoes for the scramble, take your time picking your line down into the cavern, and enjoy having one of the region's best-kept secrets largely to yourself.
Rigby Hill and Walls Lookout are two scenic spots in the Blue Mountains National Park that offer stunning views of the Grose Valley and its surrounding sandstone cliffs. Both are accessible by short, easy walking tracks from Pierces Pass Road that can be combined into a spectacular outing—perfect if you want some big views but are short on time.
Rigby Hill & Walls Lookout
📍 BLUE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
Distance4.3 km
Duration01:22 hrs
Elev Gain+201 m
Elev Lost-197 m
Date
30 September 2023
Starting Point
Walls Lookout Picnic Area
Difficulty
Easy
Pace / Gear
4.3 km/h — Water
Highlights
Rigby Hill, Walls Lookout
🗺️ Interactive Route MapPinch or use wheel to zoom
Perched high above the Grose Valley along the northern rim of the Blue Mountains, Rigby Hill and Walls Lookout are two outstanding vantage points that deliver sweeping cliffline panoramas with minimal footwork. Both lookouts are accessed via short, well-defined walking tracks branching off Pierces Pass Road—a quiet detour off the Bells Line of Road. Easily linked into a single, highly rewarding outing, this pair of short walks is perfect if you are chasing big mountain scenery, dramatic sandstone escarpments, and quiet trails without committing to a full-day canyon descent.
The approach via Pierces Pass Road connects directly to the historical fabric of the region. The Bells Line of Road follows an ancient pathway network long used by the Darug people to traverse the sandstone plateaus. In 1823, Darug men Emery and Cogy guided 19-year-old Archibald Bell along these ridge lines, leading to the surveying of "Bell's Line". Once cleared, it became the colony’s second major overland route across the Blue Mountains, offering an alternative to the southern crossing along the Great Western Highway.
Having never visited Rigby Hill, I decided to head there first by following Pierces Pass Road down to the lower parking area that serves Pierces Pass itself. The hiker's pass is one of the most used routes into the Upper Grose Valley and was constructed in the early 1930s by Bert Pierce and Clarrie Hungerford to access the Blue Gum Forest for cattle grazing (though the route is likely to be much older). The Rigby Hill Track begins from the car park, next to a large boulder.
Rigby Hill looms over Pierces Pass Road
The Rigby Hill Track begins behind this large boulder
The first 200 metres of the Rigby Hill Track weave through classic, open eucalypt bushland before meeting a tall sandstone ledge fitted with steps carved straight into the rock. Beyond this brief climb, the canopy begins to thin out, opening up clear views of Rigby Hill’s rounded sandstone dome rising ahead. While the summit looks surprisingly prominent from here, the remaining climb is far gentler than it appears, following an easy, gradual crest all the way to the top.
Accessing the ridge leading to Rigby Hill
Liversidge Hill is almost a carbon copy of Rigby Hill
I made short work of the trail, reaching the summit to find a simple wooden post confirming an elevation of 923 metres above sea level—a high return for remarkably little effort. The views from the top are sublime, but the real showstopper lies just beyond: pushing a few extra metres south-west along the rock platform brings you right to the cliff edge, where the Grose Valley opens up in full, uninterrupted drama.
Birrabang Ridge and Pierces Creek
Climbing to Rigby Hill
The Walls Lookout Track is easy to spot on the opposite ridge
The summit of Rigby Hill
Rigby Hill is named after John Rigby, a surveyor who worked in the Blue Mountains in the 19th century and was involved in the construction of the Bells Line of Road. He also surveyed the Grose Valley and the surrounding cliffs, which can be seen from the hill. Rigby Hill is a tribute to his contribution to the exploration and development of the area.
The view west towards Burra Korain and Liversidge Hill
The eastern vista along the Grose Valley towards Docker Head
The imposing cliffs surrounding Walls Lookout
A wider view of the western valley, including Bald Head, Burramoko Head, Burra Korain Head and Liversidge Hill
The Grose Valley
The deep Hungerfords Gully separates Rigby Hill from Walls Lookout, so it is necessary to backtrack to the Pierces Pass car park to find the link track, imaginatively called 'Pierces Pass to Walls Lookout Track'. The track makes an easy, gradual climb to Walls Lookout.
The Rigby Hill Track
A view of Rigby Hill from the link track
Heading for Walls Lookout
Walls Lookout and Rigby Hill
While similar in feel, Walls Lookout delivers a perspective that might just edge out Rigby Hill—offering a front-row seat to the colossal sandstone cliffs plunging straight beneath Rigby Hill itself, a view completely hidden while standing on its summit. The track opens onto several wide, flat rock platforms scattered along the rim, each serving up sweeping vistas across the Grose Valley. It’s an exceptional spot to linger, though keep your wits about you near the drop-offs, as these raw edge lookouts are entirely unfenced.
Walls Lookout
The Grose Valley
The cliffs of Wongarra Hill
Rigby Hill
Rigby Hill
After soaking in the views from the edge, it’s a straightforward walk back along the track to the Pierces Pass Road car park. With minimal elevation gain for such an expansive, front-row seat to the Grose Wilderness, this combination has to offer one of the highest view-to-effort ratios anywhere in the Blue Mountains—making it an absolute must if you're chasing big mountain drama on a tight schedule.
