Parking
Start at the informal dirt clearing off Sandham Road near Dargan, about 3 km from the Darling Causeway and Bells Line of Road junction. The last roughly 2 km are unsealed; this is a clearing, not a developed car park.
Overview
About Dargans Arch Track
Why go
- A distinctive sandstone arch is a memorable payoff for a short walk.
- The view from below rewards confident walkers who choose the optional scramble.
Heads up
- The final section is faint over uneven rock.
- The steep return and unsealed-road approach take more effort than the distance suggests.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Blue Mountains map
Full mapElevation1,002–1,086 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Blue Mountains alerts
- ClosureRoads and tracks closed across Blue Mountains National ParkMany roads, fire trails and walking tracks across Blue Mountains National Park are closed; do not enter closed areas.Official details
- CautionPark-wide solid-fuel fire banA park fire ban is active across Blue Mountains National Park: campfires and solid-fuel barbecues and stoves are prohibited. - Gas and electric cookers are permitted, subject to safety rules.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Blue Mountains Tour Guide
Your drive to Dargans Arch Track, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Blue Mountains National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Blue Mountains audio tourMore stories near here in the app
- The Brush-turkey's Compost Nest
- The Flannel Flower’s False Petals
- When a Cliff Retreats in Blocks
- The Branch with a Beak
- 188 audio storiesacross Blue Mountains’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grey Kangaroo, Wombat, Red-necked Wallaby, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 110 trails, 84 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Dargans Arch Track
A short walk to a sandstone archDargans Arch Track is an out-and-back of about 1.
Dargans Arch Track is an out-and-back of about 1.5 km return from the informal Sandham Road clearing to a sandstone arch in the bush. Allow about an hour including time at the formation. It’s a worthwhile short detour for a striking rock feature, but the distance hides a steep return and a rough finish. The walk is locally documented, though formal public access hasn’t been confirmed, so check access before setting out. Pets aren’t permitted in NSW national parks.
The track fades near the endThe walk starts on a broad fire trail through bushland, first gently downhill and then more…
The walk starts on a broad fire trail through bushland, first gently downhill and then more steeply. The fire trail gives way to a narrow path and open rock; the last couple of hundred metres are uneven and the tread becomes hard to follow. Retrace the same line back to the clearing. The climb out is the hardest part, so take your time rather than treating this as an easy stroll because it’s short.
At the archDargan Arch is a natural sandstone bridge left after a cave roof collapsed.
Dargan Arch is a natural sandstone bridge left after a cave roof collapsed. The main route reaches and crosses the arch; it’s unfenced, with open rock underfoot. A rough scramble down to the underside gives a closer look, and a separate overhang lies a little farther on, but those explorations are beyond the mapped route. Skip the descent if the rock is wet or you’re not comfortable scrambling.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Blue Mountains
58 sightingsGrey KangarooMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
43 sightingsWombatMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
18 sightingsRed-necked WallabyMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
53 sightingsSwamp WallabyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
23 sightingsBrushtail PossumMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
30 sightingsRing-tailed PossumMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Blue Mountains. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
