Discover the magic of the Glow Worm Tunnel walk in Wollemi National Park. This easy 3.7 km return trail follows an historic railway line into a subterranean world lit by thousands of bioluminescent glow worms. Benefiting from a recent $4.3 million upgrade, this family-friendly day trip near Newnes perfectly blends raw Blue Mountains adventure with easy accessibility.
The Glow Worm Tunnel
📍 WOLLEMI NATIONAL PARK
Distance3.7 km
Duration01:35 hrs
Elev Gain+77 m
Elev Lost-77 m
Date
25 October 2025
Starting Point
Glow Worm Tunnel Road
Difficulty
Easy
Pace / Gear
5.6 km/h — Light day pack
Highlights
Glow Worm Tunnel
🗺️ Interactive Route MapPinch or use wheel to zoom
The Glow Worm Tunnel is one of those walks that feels like a proper little adventure—part bushwalk, part history lesson, part natural light show. Hidden away deep in Wollemi National Park, this old railway tunnel is best known for its glow worms, but the walk in is just as much a part of the experience.
Getting to the trailhead is half the fun. Glow Worm Tunnel Road is unsealed and can be rough in places, especially after rain, but in dry conditions it’s usually fine for most vehicles. As the bush thickens and phone reception drops out, it starts to feel reassuringly remote—exactly what you’d expect from this corner of Wollemi. There’s a car park at the end of the road with basic facilities and clear signage marking the start of the walk.
The car park is reachable in a humble 2WD
The new visitor signage at the beginning of the track
The tunnel itself has recently had a major upgrade, with $4.3 million spent on safety improvements designed to protect both visitors and the glow worms. Inside, new raised walkways and handrails make it easier to move through the tunnel while helping preserve the delicate habitat that the glow worms rely on.
The walk to the tunnel is around 6 km return and follows the old Newnes railway alignment. It’s mostly gentle and easygoing, with a wide, well-formed track winding through open eucalypt forest and sandstone cuttings. One of the standout features early on is the series of hand-cut rock walls along the track—a reminder that this was once a working industrial railway serving the shale oil operations at Newnes in the early 1900s. Considering how remote the area still feels, the scale of the construction is pretty remarkable.
Glow Worm Tunnel Track
You'll pass a pond along the way
Glow Worm Tunnel Track
Heading through the rock cutting
Almost out of nowhere, the tunnel appears—an understated stone entrance set into the hillside. As you head inside, the change is immediate. The air cools, the light quickly fades, and the outside world begins to feel a long way away. Inside the tunnel, the darkness becomes absolute; however, using the handrail and a red light torch allows you to shuffle along its length.
Over this bridge
And between this rocks
The tunnel entrance
The entrance to the tunnel
The entrance to the tunnel
Leaving the light behind
About halfway through, the real magic reveals itself. Turn off your torch and let your eyes adjust, and tiny blue points of light slowly begin to glow overhead. Thousands of glow worms cling to the ceiling, their soft blue-green light created through bioluminescence as they lure insects into fine, sticky threads. In the total darkness of the tunnel, the effect is surreal—like standing beneath a quiet, underground night sky.
The glow worms begin to appear
The tunnel itself is 387 metres long and was built in the early 1900s as part of the railway servicing the shale mines in the Wolgan Valley. Its constant moisture, cool temperatures, and flowing stream have created the perfect conditions for a permanent glow worm population to thrive.
Glow worms
The glow worms found in places like the Glow Worm Tunnel are native to Australia and New Zealand, where several species occur. New Zealand is especially famous for them, particularly the colonies at the Waitomo Caves; however, those are typically only accessible as part of a guided tour.
Glow worms
At the far end of the tunnel, the passage opens into a small clearing. The area is shaded, with moss-covered rock walls and a trickle of water running through, providing the cool, damp conditions that help maintain the tunnel’s permanent glow worm population. This eastern opening also allows airflow and light to enter, contributing to the tunnel’s stable microclimate.
The tunnel exit
The tunnel exit is impressive
There is more visitor infrastructure in the clearing
Normally, you’d continue north along the Tunnel Track to meet the Old Coach Road as it climbs out of the Wolgan Valley. However, recent landslides have closed the track and, according to NPWS, it will remain closed until further notice. For now, the only option is to turn around, head back through the tunnel, and retrace your steps to the car park.
The Glow Worm Tunnel
The Glow Worm Tunnel
The Glow Worm Tunnel walk manages to strike a rare balance between being easy to access and feeling like a genuine adventure. You don’t need any special skills or equipment—just sturdy shoes, a torch, and a willingness to head a little off the beaten track for one of the most quietly memorable walks in the region.
Looking for a spectacular Blue Mountains slot canyon without the wet feet? The Dry Canyon walk (also known as Wolgan View Canyon) in Wollemi National Park is an easy return hike that punches well above its weight. Tucked away on the Newnes Plateau, this hidden gem guides you through towering sandstone walls, lush ferns, and two incredible rock constrictions. It is the perfect, non-technical introduction to canyoning.
Wolgan View Canyon / Dry Canyon
📍 WOLLEMI NATIONAL PARK
Distance3.5 km
Duration01:11 hrs
Elev Gain+81 m
Elev Lost-77 m
Date
25 October 2025
Starting Point
Glow Worm Tunnel Road
Difficulty
Easy
Pace / Gear
3.2 km/h —Light day pack
Highlights
Dry Canyon
🗺️ Interactive Route MapPinch or use wheel to zoom
Don’t let the short length fool you—Dry Canyon is one of the few slot canyon walks in the Blue Mountains that requires neither swimming nor abseiling, making it ideal for casual hikers like me. And wow, it is spectacular.
The trade-off? Dry Canyon is tucked deep within Wollemi National Park, about a 30 km drive along the unsealed Glow Worm Tunnel Road. Until recently, the road was rough going, but a multi-million-dollar investment in ecotourism around Lithgow has brought major improvements. Now, a standard 2WD car can reach the end of the road with ease. Since Dry Canyon is just a short distance from the Glow Worm Tunnel, it’s easy to combine the two into one adventure.
Also known as Wolgan View or Nobles Canyon, Dry Canyon is considered one of the Blue Mountains’ easiest slot canyons. It’s dry, accessible, and requires no abseils. The hike begins at an unmarked trailhead parking area. There’s no signage, but the path is obvious once you leave the car park.
The small parking area along Glow Worm Tunnel Road
TO get started, there is a low metal barrier to cross that leads to a clear footpad leading into the bush. Almost immediately, you’ll encounter rock pagodas—towering, beehive-like formations that define the Gardens of Stone region.
Starting along the track towards the canyon
The path is easy to follow for the most part
The trail gently descends into a small clearing that doubles as an informal campsite. Here, a large rock formation resembling a turtle—or maybe a hippo—awaits, complete with “teeth” added by numerous visitors.
The camping area
The interestingly shaped rocks
The path continues downward, narrowing between rocks and pagodas until a dead tree marks a brief scramble. A short climb to the left brings you down to the dry creek bed at the canyon’s head.
Dry Canyon
Approaching the top of the first canyon
Looking towards the first canyon from the top of the scramble
You'll need to negotiate this short scramble
The first section of Wolgan View Canyon is short, with high sandstone walls letting in generous sunlight. Soon, the gorge opens into a fern-filled clearing—a quiet oasis amid the rugged landscape.
Entering the canyon
The first constriction
The first constriction
Leaving the first constriction
The fern-filled opening between the first and second constrictions
The next section is longer, darker, and awe-inspiring. Towering walls soar above you like a natural cathedral. The air is cool and still, and the subtle patterns in the rock, along with small pockets of native plants clinging to the walls, make this stretch magical.
Approaching the second contradiction
Entering the dry canyon
Wolgan View Canyon
Wolgan View Canyon
Wolgan View Canyon
The canyon opens up towards the end
The canyon eventually leads towards a lookout above the Wolgan Valley Resort, where the trail continues a little further to a cliffline overlooking the valley. From this elevated vantage point, you get a sense of the canyon’s place within the broader landscape.
The view from the end of the canyon is limited by the trees
Wolgan Valley
After soaking in the serenity, retrace your steps to the car park. The return walk offers fresh views of the canyon, pagodas, and bushland. If you time your visit for early morning or late afternoon, the sandstone cliffs glow in golden light.
Wolgan View Canyon
Wolgan View Canyon
Wolgan View Canyon
Wolgan View Canyon
Wolgan View Canyon
Wolgan View Canyon
Wolgan View Canyon
Wolgan View Canyon
Wolgan View Canyon
Existing the canyon
Returning to the parking area
Wolgan Valley
Wollemi National Park
The pagodas that make the area unique
Glow Worm Tunnel Road
The valley of Tunnel Creek
Dry Canyon may be short, but it delivers an unforgettable experience—proof that you don’t need ropes or technical skills to find adventure in the Blue Mountains. With its towering walls, quiet beauty, and easy access, it’s a perfect reminder that some of the most memorable walks are the simplest ones.
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