Hunting for the best dog-friendly bushwalk Blue Mountains trails have to offer? Ditch the restricted national parks. Take your pup to the Birdwood Gully Round Walk in Springwood instead. Located in Sassafras Park, this short rainforest circuit allows dogs on a leash. The track dives from dry eucalypt ridges into a deep, mossy canyon. Your dog can splash through Springwood Creek beneath towering sandstone cliffs, ferns, and hidden caves.
Birdwood Gully
📍 SASSAFRAS PARK / LOWER BLUE MOUNTAINS
Distance2.6 km
Duration02:02 hrs
Elev Gain+213 m
Elev Lost-211 m
Date
07 December 2025
Starting Point
Bednal Road
Difficulty
Easy
Pace / Gear
3.2 km/h — Water bottle
Highlights
Springwood Creek, Glow-worm Cave
🗺️ Interactive Route MapPinch or use wheel to zoom
Birdwood Gully, close to the village of Springwood, is often touted as one of the best dog-friendly hikes in the Blue Mountains. The gully was officially named after Field Marshal William Birdwood, the esteemed commander of the ANZACs during the 1915 Gallipoli campaign. Following the war, his popular tours of Australia inspired local communities to name landmarks in his honor.
As the name suggests, the walk centres on Birdwood Gully, a small sandstone creek that feeds into Springwood Creek, which in turn winds its way north through bushland before eventually joining the Grose River system. Like much of the upper Grose catchment, these creeks have quietly carved their way through the plateau over millions of years, shaping the narrow gullies and rock overhangs that make this area so appealing.
A sign marks the beginning of the hike
The circuit around the gully is only 2.6 km, making it ideal for a relaxed morning or afternoon walk with a dog.
The land here lies within Darug Country, and long before Springwood became a railway village, these gullies and creeks would have been used as travel corridors and reliable water sources. Rock overhangs, like those found along the walk, often provided shelter, and nearby sandstone country is rich in Aboriginal rock art and occupation sites.
There are several access points to the circuit and plenty of on-street parking — Perry Avenue was our choice, giving easy access via Bednal Road. After negotiating an awkward bend in the road, we entered Birdwood Gully Park, with the dog enthusiastically leading the way. Almost immediately, the track crosses Birdwood Gully itself, which on a hot day like this was reduced to a series of shallow pools.
Birdwood Gully Park
Birdwood Gully Park
Birdwood Gully Park
The path follows the creek downstream through open bushland, passing sculpted sandstone outcrops and pockets of lush, creek-side vegetation. The sandstone here is classic Triassic Hawkesbury sandstone, laid down around 200 million years ago and later eroded into ledges, alcoves, and cliffs by flowing water.
Tidswell Reserve
One of the more interesting rocks on the way to Springwood Creehk
Further along, Birdwood Gully Park merges into Sassafras Park, and the track descends to the confluence of Birdwood Gully and Springwood Creek. This shady junction is one of the highlights of the walk — a quiet, sheltered spot with plenty of room for a splash, which was mandatory for the dog on a warm afternoon.
Springwood Creek
From here, the Birdwood Gully Loop follows Springwood Creek upstream through the most scenic section of the hike. The track ducks beneath shallow rock overhangs before entering a narrow sandstone corridor where the creek has cut a small gorge. A low waterfall spills over a rock shelf here, though you’ll need a wet spell to see it at anything approaching full flow.
Springwood Creek
Springwood Creek
Springwood Creek
Some directions etched onto the floor
Springwood Creek
Dry cascade on Springwood Creek
Old graffitti
The path climbs beside the cascade, still shadowing the creek, before turning away from the water and heading uphill. Stone steps guide you to a large sandstone cave, home to a small colony of glow worms — a reminder of how these shaded, damp gullies support pockets of rainforest and specialised wildlife even so close to suburbia.
Springwood Creek
Birdwood Gully Round
The glowworm cave
A final climb through a cleft in the cliffs brings you out onto Lucinda Avenue, marking the western side of the circuit. From here, it’s a short stroll back to the starting point, completing a compact but surprisingly varied loop.
Climbing back to Lucinda Avenue
For such a short walk, Birdwood Gully packs in a lot: layered sandstone geology, cool creek lines, quiet bush, and a glimpse into how both people and water have moved through this landscape for thousands of years. It’s an ideal introduction to Blue Mountains walking — especially if you’ve got a four-legged companion in tow.
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.
