Porters Pass, Blackheath, Blue Mountains NSW

The network of trails on the western side of Blackheath, centreing on Porters Pass, offer an alternative to those on the more famous eastern side. They are a bit less spectacular, but you nevertheless get a typical Upper Blue Mountains experience with a variety of scenery, for not too much effort.

Porters Pass, Blackheath, Blue Mountains

When you’ve done the spectacular routes on the eastern side of Blackheath at the top of the Blue Mountains, try the network of tracks on the western side for an alternative mix of Upper Mountains scenery. The views are a bit less extensive, but you get up close and personal with sheer cliffs frequented by rock climbers, pass through rainforest, dry forest and heath vegetation, and can visit a small but atmospheric canyon along the way.

Track Notes

There’s a few options in this area and so you can choose your own walk, but we usually park at the end of Burton Road and walk in an anti-clockwise direction, with a possible side trip to Walls Ledge (not depicted in these photos, but we did it a few years ago so I’ll get to those photos eventually). We used the notes in the guide book A Day in the Bush, and this walk is also described on wildwalks.com. Not too strenuous, although there are steep sections.

Porters Pass, Blackheath: The Scenery

December 2017 was good for wildflowers around Sydney, and also in Victoria’s alpine regions, or else we just chose the right walks. Regardless, there’s a few more flower photos than usual in my selection below…

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Porters Pass, Blackheath, Blue Mountains
Cliffs popular with rock climbers.
Porters Pass, Blackheath, Blue Mountains
Cliffs popular with rock climbers.

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Porters Pass, Blackheath, Blue Mountains
This small canyon called The Grotto is a short side trip off the main track.
Porters Pass, Blackheath, Blue Mountains
Looking towards Kanimbla and Megalong Valleys.

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Author: Edward Hathway

I'm a clinical psychologist and keen hiker.

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