River Walk (Blue Lake) walking track

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River Walk (Blue Lake)

Bushwalking track notes, photographs, maps and more for River Walk (Blue Lake) are found in each of the tabs below

River Walk (Blue Lake)

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Time:	1 hr 30 mins Walking time Please allow extra time to rest and to explore	18.5 km SE of Oberon
Length:	2.6 km Walk Length As this is a Circuit style walk, the 2.6 km includes the walking distance from the start around the loop and back to the start again	Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve
Climb:	216 m Total Climbing This walk has a total cumulative climb of 216 m, this is the total of the elevation gains made in each of the walks uphill sections
Style:	Circuit

This walk takes you from the Grand Arch along the surreal Blue Lake, following the hillside downstream to the old Jenolan Caves Hydroelectric Station. The track is dotted with magnificent views of Carlotta's Arch and the top of the Grand Arch. The circuit-style walk brings you underneath the bridge and back to the amazing Grand Arch. (open in app)

There are Closed areas in Blue Mountains National Park
Today's Fire rating
LOW MODERATE (No fire ban)

Bushwalking track notes photographs, maps and camping spots for River Walk (Blue Lake)

Map of Walk

Location

Sponsor of River Walk (Blue Lake) bushwalking tracknotes

Map of River Walk (Blue Lake)
Problem loading PDF Try here
Map Controls - Show Contours | Hide Path | Hide Distances | Hide Names
Map Scale

1 km

Base maps are used under licence and is © Department of lands Panorama Avenue Bathurst 2795 www.lands.nsw.gov.au

Maps that cover the walk area (please always carry maps of the area)

Print a map and track notes here

Six Foot Track

1:50 000 Map Series

NSW-six-foot-track

Jenolan

1:25 000 Map Series

NSW-89303N

Katoomba

1:100 000 Map Series

8930

Photo Gallery




	Start of River Walk +




	Access to Blue Lake +




	Blue Lake weir +




	Waterfall below Blue Lake +




	River Walk track +




	One of the bridges on the River Walk +




	Picnic area at Jenolan Caves Hydro Electric +




	Intersection above the bridge +




	DeBurghs Bridge +

Terrain

Cross sectional view of the River Walk (Blue Lake) bushwalking track

Cross Section of the River Walk (Blue Lake) bushwalking track

Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the River Walk (Blue Lake) bushwalking track

Summary of the gradients over the the lenght of the River Walk (Blue Lake) bushwalking track

Overview of this walks Grading - Based on the AS 2156.1 - 2001
These details are new. This new feature still requires more testing and refining. Please use the 'Walker Feedback' for report specific issues. Please e-mail Matt if you have any general comments. Hope you find it helpful.

Under this standard, a walk is graded based on the most difficult section of the walk.

		Length	2.6km
		Time	1 hr 30 mins
		.
Grade 3/6 Track: Moderate	AS 2156.1	Gradient	Short steep hills (3/6)
		Quality of track	Clear and well formed track or trail (2/6)
		Signs	Clearly signposted (1/6)
		Experience Required	No experience required (1/6)
		Weather	Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)
		Infrastructure	Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)

*This summary of grading information is new and still in testing

Some more detail of this walks Grading
Here is a bit more details explaining the grading looking at sections of the walk.
Gradient
Around 2.5km of this walk has short steep hills, whilst the remaining 110m has gentle hills with occasional steps.

Quality of track
This whole walk, 2.6km follows a clear and well formed track or trail.

Signs
This whole walk, 2.6km is clearly signposted.

Experience Required
This whole walk, 2.6km requires no previous bushwalking experience.

Weather
This whole walk, 2.6km is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation).

Infrastructure
Around 2.3km of this walk is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats), whilst the remaining 260m has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced).

Track Notes

Wildwalks
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Drive to Grand Arch East
Drive to Grand Arch East
There is free parking available. You can drive or ride to the start of this walk Use these links to plan your trip to the start of this walk. Plan your trip from --> Castle Hill\|Chatswood\|Dural\|Epping\|Gosford\|Hornsby\|Katoomba\|Manly\|Parramatta\|Penrith\|Strathfield\|Sutherland\|Sydney\|

(0 km) Grand Arch East to Blue Lake Access Walk: Easy - footpath	Length = 114 m	Time = 5 mins
	Climb = 10 m	Descent = -52 m
From the eastern side of the Grand Arch, the walk heads over the road to the right of the bridge and the lake behind. The walk then tends left around the lake for approximately 40m to an intersection marked by a 'No swimming fishing or throwing stones' sign.

Blue Lake	Alt = 771 m
Blue Lake
Blue Lake, or Lake Jenolan, is a small lake on the eastern side of the Grand Arch. The lake is fed by the River Styx and the Jenolan River. Blue Lake's intense colour comes from the refraction of light through limestone sediments.

(0.11 km) Blue Lake Access to Jenolan Hydroelectric Station Track: Moderate - footpath	Length = 1.15 km	Time = 27 mins
	Climb = 40 m	Descent = -114 m
Continue straight: From the intersection, the walk follows the railing around the hillside, with the water to the left. The path passes a large weir on the left and continues past some old piping (which is sign marked). The track continues around the hill for approximately 50m to the unsignposted intersection. Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk rounds the hillside and down a suspended bridge. The walk winds to the bottom of a waterfall and continues above the creek (on the left) for a short time. The track then turns right, following the hillside around to comes to a bridge. The walk passes over the bridge then winds further around the hillside and banks of the creek to the old Jenolan Hydroelectric Power Station and picnic area.

Jenolan Caves Hydroelectric Power Station	Alt = 689 m
Jenolan Caves Hydroelectric Power Station
Jenolan Cave Hydroelectric Power Station was originally a Leffel Wheel, built in 1889 on the Jenolan River. The building has a glass front with a light switch to show the large machinery which was once used to power Jenolan. Near the hydroelectric building, there is a nice picnic area by the weir.

(1.26 km) Jenolan Hydroelectric Station to Int. above bridge Track: Moderate - footpath	Length = 1.05 km	Time = 25 mins
	Climb = 106 m	Descent = -37 m
Turn around: From Jenolan Caves Hydroelectric Power Station, this walk heads through the picnic area, with the creek below on the left. The track winds around the hillside and banks of the creek, then passes over a bridge. The track winds along the creek a little more before turning left around the hillside, following the left bank of the creek for approximately 300m to the bottom of a waterfall. The track then zigzags up the suspended bridge to round the hillside to an intersection above a bridge.

(2.31 km) Int. above bridge to Grand Arch East Track: Moderate - footpath	Length = 263 m	Time = 11 mins
	Climb = 60 m	Descent = -13 m
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk heads down to the creek bed and over the bridge to the other side of the creek. The walk then heads around and up the hillside for a little while, passing old pipes, the weir and some seats on the left. The track leads to the right, under a bridge, and heads up some stairs, then follows the railed track to the road before the Grand Arch.

De Burghs Bridge	Alt = 783 m
De Burghs Bridge
The bridge spanning out from the Grand Arch was designed by Mr Ernest M. De Burgh, and built by the Public Works Department in 1896. The bridge allowed greater access to the caves and was built from locally cut limestone.

Drive from Grand Arch East
Drive from Grand Arch East
There is free parking available. You can drive or ride from the end of this walk Use these links to plan your trip from the end of this walk. Plan your trip to --> Castle Hill\|Chatswood\|Dural\|Epping\|Gosford\|Hornsby\|Katoomba\|Manly\|Parramatta\|Penrith\|Strathfield\|Sutherland\|Sydney\|

Getting there

Plan your trip to the start of the walk and back from the end of the walk

Public Transport links currently not working, sorry

Driving Directions

	To the start of the walk Drive from:		From the end of the walk Drive to:

Near by

Nearest know Outdoor Stores near the start of this walk

Store	Address	Phone	Distance (straight line)
Paddy Pallin	166 Katoomba St , Katoomba	(02) 4782 4466	29 km
Summit Gear	80- Bathurst Rd , Katoomba	(02) 4782 3018	29.1 km
Lithgow 4WD Centre	281 Main St , Lithgow	(02) 6353 1899	39 km
Simdra Pet & Hobby Mart	45 Main St , Lithgow	(02) 6352 4422	39.7 km
Summit Gear	11 Ross St , Glenbrook	(02) 4739 4373	55.6 km

A list of the nearest UHF CB repeaters I found to River Walk (Blue Lake).

Channel	Call sign (more info)	Site	Distance and dir from River Walk (Blue Lake) Click to re-center search
5	BIN05	Fire Tower MT BINDO Emergency use only	16 km (to the N)
7	VMC7	Fire Tower MT BINDO	16 km (to the N)
6	LGW06	Lithgow Council Site HASSANS WALLS	37 km (to the NNE)
3	GAR03	Wide Area Comms Site (off) Portland - Sunny Corner Road GARLANDS HILL	46 km (to the N)
2	RYN02	Evans Shire Council Hut Mt Ryan Triangle Flat via ABERCROMBIE	53 km (to the W)

Weather and Park info

Fire Danger
This walk passes Central Ranges fire area which currently has a LOW MODERATE rating and No fire ban in place.
(Tomorrow the Fire Danger Rating is LOW MODERATE, No fire ban.) (Downloaded 8 years ago)
Please Note: Each park may have its own fire ban, this rating is only valid for today and is based on information from the RFS Please check the RFS Website for more information.

Weather and Climate
Weather and Climate summary detailed weather and climate information here

°C (feels like °)

km/h from the

% humidity (as at )

A graph displaying the average daily temperature range for the year

Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve Link to official closures and fire bans page
This Reserve is home to the world famous Jenolan Caves. The are a number of guided tours avaible paying visitors to explore the underground on well maintianed tracks through the caves. There are also a number of self guided caves that you can walk through at your own leisure, including the masive Grand Arch which you can drive through. There is accomodation and food avaialble in the area and a number of nice walks.
Region:
Park fees I am not aware of any closures in this park at the moment.

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not too much longer now :)