Best Hikes of the Blue Mountains – Porters Pass and Colliers Causeway

Porters Pass and Colliers Causeway

The Porters Pass and Colliers Causeway tracks are part of a network managed by Blue Mountains City Council, as opposed to National Parks. Popular with rock climbers, these historic tracks give you a great view west across the Kanimbla Valley from above and lead you alongside dramatic sandstone faces and through rainforests below.

Rough hewn steps along the way

Allow half a day, bring everything you need and get ready to give those legs a work out on the way down… and up.

LocationBlackheath
Distance7.5 km
TimeAllow 3-4 hours
GradeMedium-Hard. Grade 4
StartCentennial Glen Carpark
Recommended forPeople with some bushwalking experience and reasonable fitness.
HighlightsDescend (many!) uneven hand-cut stone steps beside waterfalls and cascades. Pass through lush rainforest sections, scramble across rocks and stepping stones and admire this popular rockclimbing location.
Remember what goes down, must come up.
Notes and TipsYou’ll need proper hiking shoes for all the rough, uneven and slippery ground – no thongs.
Download an app like Pocket Earth (or any app that shows Open Street Maps) to reveal all the different tracks in the area. There’s lots of them and you want to make sure you take the right one, oh and that can be overgrown in parts!
There’s a toilet at the carpark.
What to takeCarry a small backpack with water, food, first aid kit, mobile phone, camera, jacket, sunhat. I’ve got a handy post on what to pack for a day hike here, which includes downloadable packing lists.
hiking trail beside sandstone cliff
The Porters Pass track leads you along beneath popular rockclimbing spots.
Looking south west from the Colliers Causeway / Porters Pass track.
sandstone cliffs
Looking up at the sandstone cliffs that surround the Colliers Causeway track.

Writer, producer and content creator by trade, search and rescue volunteer by passion, Caro Ryan started LotsaFreshAir.com to inspire, teach and encourage people to get into hiking and the outdoors safely.

It’s all about connecting people to wild places in meaningful ways, so they can look after themselves, their mates and these precious places we visit.

She teaches wilderness navigation, authored the book, ‘How to Navigate’ and hosts, ‘Rescued - an Outdoor Podcast for Hikers and Adventurers.

In the bottom of her pack you'll find coffee grounds, instant noodles past their used by date and an insatiable curiosity.

Bushwalking & Hiking Tips from an Unexpected Outdoors Chick

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