Six Foot track

The Six Foot track is a hard, 42 km one-way point-to-point walk from the former Explorer Tree near Katoomba to Binda Bush Cabins. Most walkers take three days. It links the steep timber steps of Nellies Glen, the open farmland of Megalong Valley, Coxs River and the climb toward Black Range. Choose it for a real multi-day crossing; it needs a start-to-finish transport plan and overnight bookings.

The start is near the former Explorer Tree, about two kilometres outside Katoomba. A dirt car park is about 200 metres down Nellies Glen Road; from Katoomba Station, take a taxi to the trailhead. There’s no public transport from Binda Bush Cabins, so arrange a pickup before setting out. The four overnight sites are Old Ford Reserve, Coxs River, Black Range and Allum Creek; register or book before you go. A PLB can be borrowed free from the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre in Blackheath.

The track begins beside the place where Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson carved their names during their 1813 crossing of the mountains. Timber steps and narrow glens then drop steeply toward Megalong Valley. This first descent is the sharpest change in footing; the official advice notes that the track can get boggy after rain.

Below the escarpment, the route passes the old cemetery and winds through farmland, past Dryridge Estate and Megalong Creek Estate, before descending again to Coxs River. This is the more open part of the walk, with pasture and wooded ranges replacing the close, shaded gullies above. The wineries sit along the route, but visitor access and opening times are not established, so don’t plan a resupply stop there.

Bowtells Swing Bridge carries the route over Coxs River. It’s the walk’s defining crossing and the best place to pause for a view of the bridge and river together. After the river, the route climbs back into forest and across the range toward Black Range and Allum Creek, then reaches Binda Bush Cabins. The long climb makes this a demanding multi-day walk even though much of the route follows service tracks.

The track follows an 1884 horse route planned to be six feet wide, which is where its name comes from. The familiar historic journey continued from Katoomba to Jenolan Caves; the route described here follows the official 42 km line to Binda Bush Cabins. Keep those endpoints distinct when comparing maps and mileage.

If you want the Coxs River crossing without a three-day trek, the popular Megalong Road or cemetery walk to Bowtells Swing Bridge and back is about 12.6 km. It’s a separate return walk with a different start, not a shortcut on the full point-to-point route.