Tag: big rocks

Lost City West Viewpoints, Gardens of Stone Conservation Area NSW

Countless spectacular rock pagodas at Lost City West in Gardens of Stone, a little known alternative to the popular Lost City Walking Track.

This walk takes in countless spectacular and ancient looking rock pagodas for little effort, and you probably won’t see a single person all day. For sure the varied and tracked circuit between Lost City North and South is a must-do. But on that walk you’ll be joined by many others, which can detract somewhat from that sense of having discovered, well, a lost city. This alternative to Lost City West doesn’t take you down into the valley, and requires some (easy) off-track walking, but the pay-off is having the place all to yourself.

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Dinosaur Ridge 공룡능선 Circuit, Seoraksan 설악산, South Korea

Korean mountain & valley scenery at its very best on this challenging circuit along Dinosaur Ridge and down Cheonbuldong Valley, in Seoraksan National Park.

Our first time in Seoraksan National Park was one of our enduring hiking highlights. This time we did what is supposedly the best and hardest walk in the park—Dinosaur Ridge 공룡능선—so named for the jagged peaks along its spine (looking like a Stegosaurus I guess). It was bound to be a classic walk with stupendous scenery lifted right out of a Daoist painting, especially in Autumn / Fall, whatever the conditions…

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Jack Evans Track – Erskine Creek – Pisgah Rock Circuit, Blue Mountains NSW

Erskine Creek in the Lower Blue Mountains near Glenbrook is very picturesque, and accessible from the plateau on the pleasant and easygoing Jack Evans Track. There are cliffs lining the creek, rock platforms, boulders big and small, sandy beaches, various big swimming holes, and in spring, lots of wildflowers. And you might have it all to yourself. There are also excellent views of Erskine Creek from the Jack Evans Track, and from Pisgah Rock, which is were I climbed out to.

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Lost City walking track, Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area NSW

An easygoing walk through spectacular rock pagodas & atmospheric canyons in the Lost City area of Gardens of Stone Conservation Area.

Over the years I’d seen photos of rock pagodas in Gardens of Stone National Park, but didn’t know much about how to access these areas. In 2022 NSW added Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area to the mix, and within this boundary is the amazing Lost City. This must be one of the most concentrated areas of pagodas, and a newly constructed track takes you on an easygoing 6km greatest-hits tour. Apart from the rock pagodas there is a very atmospheric canyon network to walk through.

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Booroomba Rocks Track, Namadgi National Park ACT

A short climb to Booroomba Rocks in Namadgi National Park provides excellent views of surrounding mountains, cliffs, and a rocky plateau at 1350m of elevation.

The relatively short climb to Booroomba Rocks delivers excellent views from a rocky plateau at roughly 1350m of elevation. The walk up through sometimes boulder strewn woodland is also pleasant. We encountered eucalypts we’d not seen before, and in early winter a number of impressive mushrooms.

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Bungonia Gorge Red Track, Bungonia National Park NSW

Uniquely spectacular scenery on the Bungonia Gorge Red Track, passing scenic pools, a giant boulder field & towering cliffs on either side of this enormous slot canyon.

I first visited Bungonia National Park a few years ago, walking two of the easy tracks on the plateau and visiting various impressive viewpoints. From one of them you get a clear view of Bungonia Gorge, but on that day I didn’t have time to visit. I’m kind of happy I waited to do the Bungonia Gorge Red Track together with my wife Sophia, because it ended up being one our more challenging walks. The scenery is uniquely spectacular, with scenic pools, towering cliffs, and giant boulders in the slot canyon, as well as grass trees, maidenhair ferns and a pleasant stretch of river.  Continue reading “Bungonia Gorge Red Track, Bungonia National Park NSW”

Goochs Crater Route, Newnes Plateau, Blue Mountains NSW

Discover an ancient landscape of large rock pagodas and hidden valleys on this walk to Goochs Crater on Newnes Plateau in the Blue Mountains.

Goochs Crater and surrounds on the Newnes Plateau is a very interesting area full of large rock pagodas and hidden valleys. It’s technically in the Blue Mountains but looks a lot like the typical terrain of neighbouring Gardens of Stone National Park. Depending on road conditions and whether you have a 4wd, some of the walk in will be on fire trails and perhaps less interesting. But the excellent and ancient looking landforms at the turnaround point will be worth it. 

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Mt Owen via Granity Pass Hut, Kahurangi National Park NZ

Mt Owen (1875m) in Kahurangi National Park is one of NZ’s most unique mountains, famous for limestone rock formations & spectacular views.

Mt Owen (1875m) is a fabulously gnarled and crevassed lump of limestone, and the tallest mountain in Kahurangi National Park, at the top of the South Island. As one of the most unique mountains in NZ, climbing it had been on my to do list for a few years. It ended up being the last mountain we climbed on the South Island, before leaving the country after four years living there. There’s not only spectacular views from the summit, but a good variety of plant and bird life, and the final rocky kilometre to the summit is otherworldly. Highly recommended.

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Treble Cone Summit from the Ski Field, Wānaka NZ

Half-day walk to Treble Cone summit (2058m) from the ski field car park for excellent views of Lake Wānaka and the Matukituki Valley.

When climbing End Peak from the Treble Cone Ski Field in 2023 we realised that climbing Treble Cone summit would make a good half-day walk. So on a sunny day when we got up too late to do a full day-walk, we headed on out to Wānaka. Walking through ski fields is never the best experience, but once on the tops the views are excellent. In particular views of Lake Wānaka, and north up the Matukituki Valley, bounded on the west side by very wrinkly and defined topography.

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Castle Hill Rocks / Kura Tawhiti, Canterbury NZ

Stroll through impressive limestone rock formations at Kura Tawhiti / Castle Hill, situated on SH73 between Christchurch & the West Coast.

Castle Hill Rocks / Kura Tawhiti are an outcrop of enormous limestone rocks just off the SH73 highway between Christchurch and the West Coast. You can take a 40 minute stroll through the rocks, which are an impressive sight. Expect to be joined by quite a crowd as they are a popular attraction and easy to access. Continue reading “Castle Hill Rocks / Kura Tawhiti, Canterbury NZ”