Looking for a fantastic dog-friendly walk in the Blue Mountains? The Birdwood Gully and Gooch’s Track loop in Springwood is a beautiful 4.9 km hike perfect for a morning or afternoon adventure with your pup. This easy-to-moderate trail dives deep into a lush rainforest valley filled with cool creek crossings, unique sandstone rock formations, and even a hidden glowworm cave. It is an ideal escape to beat the heat, stretch your legs, and let your dog splash around in Springwood Creek.
Birdwood Gully & Gooch's Track
📍 LOWER BLUE MOUNTAINS
Distance4.8 km
Duration02:02 hrs
Elev Gain+213 m
Elev Lost-211 m
Date
15 December 2024
Starting Point
Bednal Road
Difficulty
Easy
Pace / Gear
3.2 km/h — Light day pack
Highlights
Springwood Creek, glowworm cave
🗺️ Interactive Route MapPinch or use wheel to zoom
Birdwood Gully near Springwood is famous for being one of the best dog-friendly hikes in the Blue Mountains. I’ve been counting down the days until our new puppy was old enough to finally tackle it with us.
As its name suggests, the hike is centered around Birdwood Gully, a small creek that feeds into Springwood Creek before it disappears into the bush toward the Grose River. While the standard circuit around the gully is only 2.6 km, we tacked on Gooch's Track to stretch it into a 4.9 km loop—making it the perfect length for a morning adventure.
You'll find a few old signposts dotted around
There are several 'entrances' to the circuit and numerous streets to park on — Perry Avenue in my case to access the creek from Bednal Road. After negotiating an awkward bend in the road, we entered Birdwood Gully Park, with the dog leading the way. Almost immediately the path crosses Birdwood Gully which, on a hot day like today, was looking rather dry.
Birdwood Gully
Birdwood Gully
The track follows the creek line downstream, guiding you deeper into the gully where the landscape shifts dramatically. You'll weave past some incredible, eroded rock formations that look like giant caves carved right into the valley walls. The environment here feels worlds away from the town above, switching to a damp, green rainforest ecosystem that keeps the air wonderfully cool—a total lifesaver if you're hiking with a puppy on a warm day.
Birdwood Gully Park
Birdwood Gully Track
Birdwood Gully Track
Birdwood Gully Track
There are some interesting formations close to Tidswell Reserve
Further down the track, the trail crosses over into Sassafras Park, dropping you right at the edge of the creek junction where Birdwood Gully flows into Springwood Creek. This spot is an absolute gem of a clearing with plenty of shallow, flowing water and wide sandy banks. Our pup wasted no time diving right in; it's the ultimate place for some serious splashing around and a lifesaver for keeping a dog cool and happy on a hot bushwalk.
Springwood Creek
Springwood Creek
Springwood Creek
Springwood Creek
Springwood Creek
Gooch's Track is not far from this location, a short, additional loop to the north of Birdwood Gully. According to local sources, the track was probably made by a former local resident – Nicholas Gooch, who is credited with naming Gooch's Crater near Bell. An avid cyclist, Nicholas was sadly killed in an accident in 2003. The track follows Springwood Creek upstream, culminating with a short climb to Tom Hunter Park.
Sassafras Park
Gooch's Track in Sassafras Park
Gooch's Track
Gooch's Track
Gooch's Track
Tom Hunter Park
To finish off the Gooch's Track side-loop, the trail climbs up onto a striking ridge of wide, bare sandstone. It's a fun change of pace from the valley floor—just keep an eye on your dog's paws if it's a hot day, as the exposed rock can heat up quickly! After soaking in the open ridge views, the track drops back down into the shade, crossing Springwood Creek again to link right back up with the main Birdwood Gully track.
The ridge in Sassafras Park
Hot paws
Sassafras Park
Gooch's Track
Once back at Springwood Creek, the Birdwood Gully Loop follows it upstream along the best section of the entire hike. After passing beneath some interesting rock overhangs, the path follows Springwood Creek upstream where it carves a route though a narrow section of sandstone gorge, creating a small waterfall where the water has to flow over a shelf of rock. You'll have to pick a wet day if you want to see it in full force.
Back on the Birdwood Gully Track
Birdwood Gully Track
Springwood Creek
Springwood Creek
The small waterfall on Springwood Creek
The path climbs alongside the small tumble of rocks, still following the creek until it's times to exit the valley. Steps guide you away from the creek to a large cave, home to a colony of glowworms. Further climbing up the carved steps takes you through a gap in the cliffs until the path emerges on Lucinda Avenue — the western side of the circuit. From here, it's a short distance to the starting point.
Springwood Creek
The glowworm cave
One happy dog
The final climb out of the valley
Birdwood Gully lived up to the hype as one of the absolute best dog-friendly tracks around. Between the cool rainforest creeks to splash in and the awesome glowworm cave at the end, it’s the perfect day out for both humans and pups. If you're looking for a shady, scenic escape in the lower Blue Mountains, this loop is a winner.
Experience the best of the Blue Mountains on the spectacular Undercliff Track and Wentworth Falls loop. Even with sections of the National Pass closed, this short 2.4 km trail delivers massive rewards, guiding you from the Wentworth Falls Picnic Area to panoramic lookouts over the Jamison Valley. You'll hike directly beneath the towering cliff faces of the Kedumba Walls, cross the stepping stones at Queens Cascade, and stand right at the top of the iconic hand-carved Grand Stairway. It is the ultimate bite-sized cliffside adventure for your next weekend trip.
The Undercliff Track & Wentworth Falls
📍 BLUE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
Distance2.4 km
Duration01:02 hrs
Elev Gain+96 m
Elev Lost-91 m
Date
17 November 2024
Starting Point
Wentworth Falls Picnic Area
Difficulty
Easy
Pace / Gear
4.2 km/h — Light day pack
Highlights
Wentworth Falls, National Pass
🗺️ Interactive Route MapPinch or use wheel to zoom
Wentworth Falls is one of the most popular hubs in the Blue Mountains, but relentless heavy rain and landslides have taken a toll in recent years. Iconic trails like National Pass and Wentworth Pass remain closed indefinitely. Fortunately, you can still experience the area's magic, and the Undercliff Track is one of the best ways to do it. At just 2.4 km, this loop packs a massive punch and is perfect for a quick morning or afternoon adventure.
We kicked off the hike from the Wentworth Falls Picnic Area, an excellent spot featuring plenty of lawns, barbecues, and amenities. It gets incredibly packed on weekends, so if you struggle to find a park, spilling out onto Wilson Street is a great backup option - just be prepared to pay the parking fees.
The trail starts right from the edge of the car park, leading you first to Jamison Lookout for your first taste of the sweeping valley views. From there, a short stroll along Sir H Burrell Drive brings you to the start of the Princes Rock Track. Follow the stone steps downward, where a clear sign guides the way out to the spectacular Princes Rock Lookout.
Views from Jamison Lookout
The fenced lookout at Princes Rock has one of the best 'front on' views of Wentworth Falls — you can almost see both tiers (the lower portion gets hidden among the trees a bit). There is also a good view of the Grand Stairway on the opposite side of the valley; look out for tiny people hiking up and down the carved steps.
A view along Jamison Valley, leading towards Mount Solitary
Wentworth Falls and the Kedumba Walls
Wentworth Falls
Wentworth Falls
The top of the Grand Stairway
We headed back to the base of the steps and followed the sign pointing toward the Undercliff Track. True to its name, this spectacular path hugs the cliff line, carving a dramatic route directly beneath the massive sandstone overhangs of the Kedumba Walls on its way to Wentworth Falls.
Wentworth Falls through a gap in the trees
This stretch of the trail gets really fun as you duck beneath some low-hanging rock ceilings before coming out at Fletchers Lookout. It’s an awesome vantage point for checking out the very top of Wentworth Falls, even if the rest of the massive drop is tucked away out of sight.
Undercliff Track
Undercliff Track
Rocket Point
Wentworth Falls from Fletchers Lookout
Wentworth Falls
A trip to this area wouldn't be complete without seeing one of its most photographed landmarks—the top of the Grand Stairway [2.4]. You can easily reach it from Fletchers Lookout by following the trail downhill to Queens Cascade, where Jamison Creek tumbles over beautiful stone tiers. From there, a series of solid stepping stones allows you to safely cross the water right above the main drop.
Queens Cascade
Queens Cascade
Looking west along the Kedumba Walls
After crossing the falls, you will find the dramatic beginning of the National Pass and the Grand Stairway. The stairway is a very memorable section of the pass and is reported to be 'the tallest outdoor staircase in Australia'. It was built in the early 1900s by hand (and dynamite) by a team nicknamed 'the Irish Brigade' for the cost of £430. Today, the Grand Stairway is well-maintained and provides walkers access to the valley below Wentworth Falls.
National Pass
National Pass
The top of the Grand Stairway / National Pass
Wentworth Falls
From the top of the pass, it is a relatively quick walk back to your car, but you should definitely take the brief detour to Weeping Rock first. This gorgeous, mossy waterfall is well worth the extra steps. After soaking in the view, it is just a modest climb back up the Wentworth Falls Track to return to the picnic area.
Weeping Rock
Weeping Rock
Weeping Rock
The Undercliff Track is the perfect reminder of why Wentworth Falls remains a must-visit destination, even with its deeper valley trails closed. Between the dramatic cliffside overhangs and the rushing waters of Queens Cascade, this loop packs an incredible amount of scenery into a short walk. Pack a lunch, grab your camera, and make sure to add this classic Blue Mountains circuit to your weekend hiking list.
