Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track, Blue Mountains NSW

A pleasant walk to Bald Head in the Blue Mountains with views along the way, and excellent views of the Grose Valley at the turn around point.

Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track, Blue Mountains

The route to Bald Head passes through open country and woodland to excellent views up and down the Grose Valley. We did the walk in early October and there were plenty of wildflowers blooming, including waratahs.

The views are not as spectacular as from nearby Hanging Rock, but the walk overall is a better experience. It’s on a foot track, (rather than a fire trail), and fairly open country means you get views for much of the way. It’s a lot less popular as well – we saw just a couple of climbers. Track notes at the end.

Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track: The Scenery

Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track, Blue Mountains
The view of Mt Hay from Hat Hill (1043m – but just a bump really).
Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track, Blue Mountains
The vegetation was open for much of the way, so you get good views.
Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track, Blue Mountains
Lots of beautiful wildflowers blooming.
Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track, Blue Mountains
Various wildflowers.
Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track, Blue Mountains
The waratahs were blooming. These ones were nearby at the side of the road, but there were a few besides the track.
Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track, Blue Mountains
Waratahs are the NSW state flower, and symbol of the NSW state government.
Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track, Blue Mountains
These wildflowers don’t fit into a collage very well, so they get their own frame.
Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track, Blue Mountains
This cicada hit me on the shoulder then dropped to the ground, where it just sat while I took photos.
Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track, Blue Mountains
Our lunch spot at Bald Head.
Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track, Blue Mountains
Looking up Hat Hill Creek. You can apparently walk up this with some scrambling and wading.
Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track, Blue Mountains
I thought I’d include this selfie of us with Mt Banks Behind.
Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track, Blue Mountains
Mt Banks
Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track, Blue Mountains
Looking up the Grose Valley.
Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track, Blue Mountains
A wide panorama looking up the Grose Valley.
Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track, Blue Mountains
I’m not sufficiently familiar with the physiology of cicadas to know what was interrupted here by the skin shedding process.

Track Notes

Bald Head via Hat Hill Canyon Exit Track, Blue Mountains
The track is obvious until the beginning of the steepish descent to a saddle. Just before you get to a rocky outcrop with views towards Bald Head, drop down on the right. The track is obvious again once you have crossed a short rocky section. At the end you can go left and right for views up and down the Grose Valley.

There is a small car park opposite the trail head. The route is obvious as it climbs Hat Hill (a very short scramble will get you good views). Continue through mostly open country and woodland until the beginning of a steepish descent. This begins just before a rocky outcrop with views. It wasn’t marked in October 2024 when we did it, but look for the way down on the right. The track soon becomes obvious again. After this short descent you’ll climb back up onto Bald Head. At the end the track forks left and right for views up and down the Grose Valley. Return the way you came.

The walk will take you about 2-3 hours return. You can find more information on the Blue Mountains National Park area around Blackheath on the NPWS website. (I couldn’t find reference to this walk however). You can drive a couple of kilometres down the road to visit Anvil Rock Lookout and a wind eroded cave, both very short walks from the road end. See that post here.

Author: Edward Hathway

I'm a clinical psychologist and keen hiker.

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