The Resolute Track, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, is a great way to see two major Aboriginal sites and Resolute Beach. The return-style walk starts from Resolute picnic area and heads down to Resolute Beach, passing a Red Hands Cave and an Aboriginal engraving site. The Resolute Track uses management trails and bush tracks which have views over the sea as they pass through heath, rainforest and bushland.
(open in app)
Please note: This is a 'return' style walk and therefore these graphs only show the terrain for the first half of the walk (until the turn around point.)
Cross sectional view of the Resolute Track bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Resolute Track 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
3.7km
Time
1 hr 30 mins
.
Grade 4/6
Track: Hard
AS 2156.1
Gradient
Short steep hills (3/6)
Quality of track
Rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely (4/6)
Signs
Minimal directional signs (4/6)
Experience Required
Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6)
Weather
Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)
Infrastructure
Limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged) (4/6)
*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
1.3km of this walk has short steep hills and another 360m is flat with no steps. The remaining (150m) has gentle hills with occasional steps.
Quality of track
1km of this walk follows a clear and well formed track or trail and another 600m follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles. The remaining (190m) follows a rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely.
Signs
1.4km of this walk is clearly signposted and another 260m has directional signs at most intersection. The remaining (190m) has minimal directional signs.
Experience Required
Around 1.3km of this walk requires no previous bushwalking experience, whilst the remaining 510m requires some bushwalking experience.
Weather
This whole walk, 1.8km is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation).
Infrastructure
1km of this walk has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced) and another 510m has limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged). The remaining (290m) is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats).
Online bushwalking Magazine. Download the full magazine for free Bushwalk Australia eMag The Online Magazine is produces by the community at bushwalk.com and the Wildwalks team Bushwalk.com Australia's most active bushwalking forum - Check it out. Happy Reading. Matt :)
Resolute picnic area, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, is a large grassed area with benches, shelter, interpretive signs, electric BBQ's and an environmentally-friendly toilet block. The picnic area does not have drinking water, but does have a pay phone and wheelchair-accessible bathroom with baby-changing area. Resolute picnic area is a great place for lunch, with Red Hands Cave, West Head and Resolute Beach and West Head Lookout tracks starting from the picnic area. The picnic area has adequate parking and a bus turn-around area.
(0 km)
Resolute Picnic Area
to
Int. West Head Lookout Trk and Red Hands Cave Trk Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 132 m
Time = 3 mins
Climb = 1 m
Descent = -6 m
From Resolute Picnic Area car park, the walk heads through the picnic area, away from the road, to follow the 'Red Hands Track 50m' sign. The walk then descends a flight of stairs to the intersection at the bottom.
(0.13 km)
Resolute Picnic Area
to
Int. West Head Trk and Red Hands Cave Trk Alternate Route:
Track: Moderate - servicetrail
( Show detail)
Length = 117 m
Time = 2 mins
Climb = 2 m
Descent = -3 m
Continue straight: From Resolute Picnic Area, this walk follow the signs for 'Red Hands Cave' away from the picnic area. The track heads down the sandy service trail for approximately 100m to the intersection marked by the sign on the left. Continue straight to rejoin the main walk, following the notes from 0.29km 'Int. West Head Trk and Red Hands Cave Trk'.
(0.13 km)
Int. West Head Lookout Trk and Red Hands Cave Trk
to
Red Hands Cave Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 22 m
Time =
Climb = 0 m
Descent = -1 m
Continue straight: From the intersection, the walk heads down the hill, following the rocky outcrop to the right of the track. The walk follows this for approximately 30m to the interpretation signs for Red Hands Cave.
Red Hands Cave
Alt = 163 m
Red Hands Cave, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, is a small rock overhang just near Resolute Picnic Area. The red hands are made by ochre, clay, being blown over an outspread hand. This Aboriginal rock art has been given an estimation of approximately 2000 years in age.
(0.15 km)
Red Hands Cave
to
Int. West Head Trk and Red Hands Cave Trk Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 132 m
Time = 2 mins
Climb = 5 m
Descent = 0 m
Continue straight: From Red Hands Cave, this walk heads along the bottom of the rocky outcrop, keeping it to the right of the track. The walk then ascends some stairs, passing up and around the rock shelf. After this, the track turns left as it continues, climbing slightly to the signposted intersection with the service trail.
(0.29 km)
Int. West Head Trk and Red Hands Cave Trk
to
Engravings Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 359 m
Time = 6 mins
Climb = 1 m
Descent = -17 m
Turn left: From the intersection, this walk heads down the hill for a short time, to the information sign on the left of the track.
Engavings
Alt = 151 m
The engravings on West Head were made by the indigenous Guringai people. The engravings depict a man, shark/whale and two eels.
(0.65 km)
Engravings
to
Int. Headland Track and Engravings Bushtrack Track: Hard - bushtrack
Length = 188 m
Time = 4 mins
Climb = 0 m
Descent = -18 m
Turn left : From the engraving of the man, this walk heads off the rock shelf near a vegetation-covered sign indicating the 'Headland Track'. The track winds through dense scrub for about 200m to the intersection with the management trail, the Headland Track.
(0.83 km)
Int. Headland Track and Engravings Bushtrack
to
Int. Headland Track and Resolute Beach Trk Track: Moderate - servicetrail
Length = 683 m
Time = 14 mins
Climb = 8 m
Descent = -51 m
Veer left: From the intersection, this walk heads down the hill towards the water for some time. After a few turns in the service trail, the track winds down a steep slope for approximately 300m to the intersection, where there is a sign indicating the way to 'Resolute Beach'.
(1.52 km)
Int. Headland Track and Resolute Beach Trk
to
Int. Cave Trk and Resolute Beach Trk Track: Hard - bushtrack
Length = 63 m
Time = 2 mins
Climb = 2 m
Descent = -12 m
Veer left: From the intersection, this walk heads down a flight of stairs following the sign to 'Resolute Beach'. The walk then turns left down more steps to head below a small cliffline, and comes to a sign at an intersection with a track on the left (which heads down to a cave).
(1.58 km)
Int. Cave Trk and Resolute Beach Trk
to
Cave Optional sidetrip: Track: Hard - bushtrack
Length = 22 m
Time = 1 mins
Climb = 2 m
Descent = 0 m
Veer left: From the intersection, this walk heads towards the rock formations, following the hillside. The track then enters an overhang of a cave. (Retrace your steps back to the main track, then veer left to continue along this walk.)
(1.58 km)
Int. Cave Trk and Resolute Beach Trk
to
Resolute Beach Track: Hard - bushtrack
Length = 255 m
Time = 8 mins
Climb = 3 m
Descent = -76 m
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk heads down the hill for approximately 50m towards the sea. The track then heads down a flight of stairs and continues down another staircase to the intersection, marked 'Mackerel' and 'Resolute' beaches. Turn left : From the intersection, this walk follows the 'Resolute' Beach arrow along the hillside to an un-signposted intersection.
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk heads down the hill towards the water, following the creek line to the beach. The track winds down the hill for approximately 30m to a small creek waterfall. The track is hidden in parts by grasses for approximately 20m before it heads down a few flights of stairs to where the track reaches the beach.
Resolute Beach
Alt = 3 m
Resolute Beach, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, is a small stretch of sand sitting on the West Head Peninsula between steep headlands. The easterly aspect of the beach overlooks Barrenjoey Headland across the Pittwater.
Fire Danger This walk passes Greater Sydney Region 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 7 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.
Ku-ring-gai Chase National ParkLink to official closures and fire bans page A largely untouched wilderness on the northern boundary of Sydney, Ku-ring-gai Chase NP is one of Australia's oldest national parks. Here at the head of the Hawkesbury River, you'll find Aboriginal engravings and sites, as well as sandstone escarpments, Region: Sydney & Surrounds Park feesCampingFacilities I am not aware of any closures in this park at the moment.
Hiking near Sydney 
Track: Hard
1 km
A park entry fee is required for driving into the park.
not too much longer now :)