Parking
Start at the signed Dell Street entrance. Road parking near Govetts Leap Road and Prince Edward Street is the suggested drive-in access; no dedicated trailhead lot or capacity was found.
Overview
About Popes Glen Track
Why go
- Ferny creek walking with bridges, a pool-side spur and a rock pagoda.
- Finishes at the Govetts Leap lookout above the Grose Valley.
Heads up
- Point-to-point logistics; walking back the same way roughly doubles the distance.
- Steep climb from the creek valley to the escarpment.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Blue Mountains map
Full mapElevation925–1,054 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 Popes Glen 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 tourRecorded for this area
Baltzer Lookout and Hanging Rock0:00 / 0:26
“You're approaching the Ridgewell Road access for Baltzer Lookout and Hanging Rock. From the gate, it's a ten kilometre return walk of about four hours, mostly along a broad fire trail with the big view saved for the end.”
Plays on the road 1 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Blue Mountains Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Blue Mountains Heritage Centre
- How Rain Sends Up a Scent
- The Surveyor Behind the Leap
- Govetts Leap and Bridal Veil Falls
- 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 Popes Glen Track
Creek to cliff topPopes Glen Track is a 3 km, one-way walk from the signed Dell Street entrance in Blackheath to…
Popes Glen Track is a 3 km, one-way walk from the signed Dell Street entrance in Blackheath to Govetts Leap lookout. It descends into the ferny Popes Glen valley, follows the creek across several small bridges, then climbs steeply to the escarpment for views over the upper Grose Valley. Allow about 1½ hours one way. Arrange a pickup, or reverse the route for roughly 6 km and another climb out of the valley.
Follow the creekThe opening path is narrow, unsealed dirt and gently descends.
The opening path is narrow, unsealed dirt and gently descends. By the creek, ferns crowd the damp understory and the path crosses the water several times on small bridges. Ignore early side tracks that climb out toward nearby streets. A signed spur drops to Boyds Beach, a small sandy patch beside a pool; continue on the main track past a rock pagoda and a small waterfall.
Choose the lookout branchAt the Pulpit Rock Track junction, take the branch toward Govetts Leap, not the route to Pulpit…
At the Pulpit Rock Track junction, take the branch toward Govetts Leap, not the route to Pulpit Rock. The climb out of the glen is steep; several lookouts break it up with views across the Grose Valley. The walk ends at Govetts Leap lookout, where seats and picnic shelters make a good place to pause before your ride back.
Start and footingEnter from the signed Dell Street track entrance.
Enter from the signed Dell Street track entrance. Road parking near Govetts Leap Road and Prince Edward Street avoids the walk down from Blackheath Station; no dedicated trailhead lot or capacity was found. The narrow dirt tread is harder underfoot when wet. Dogs are not allowed on the national park route.
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.
