Parking
Use the small parking area at the Entrance to the Blue Pool Nature Trails, just off Mangerton Road after Muckross Park Hotel. Leave the entrance clear; there is some room opposite it.
Overview
About Killegy Woods and Queen’s Drive
Why go
- A good chance of spotting native red deer.
Heads up
- Muddy sections can slow the walk after wet weather.
Map & elevation
The route
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Killarney Tour Guide
Your drive to Killegy Woods and Queen’s Drive, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Killarney 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.
Recorded for this trailhead
Blue Pool Woodland Trails0:00 / 0:24
“The Blue Pool woodland trails are ahead, with very limited parking at the entrance. The signed circuit leads to a small, clear blue-green pool tucked beneath the trees.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Killarney Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Muckross House and Gardens
- Muckross Abbey
- Torc Waterfall
- Torc Mountain from Torc Upper
- 18 audio storiesacross Killarney’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Red Deer, Sika Deer, Feral Goat, and 10 more
- Works offlinemaps, 29 trails, 32 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 Killegy Woods and Queen’s Drive
A manageable woodland circuitKillegy Woods and Queen’s Drive is a 3 km loop from the Entrance to the Blue Pool Nature…
Killegy Woods and Queen’s Drive is a 3 km loop from the Entrance to the Blue Pool Nature Trails, on the edge of the woodland. The park grades it moderate and a local visitor guide gives about an hour. It is a good short walk for a woods circuit, with a fair chance of spotting native red deer.
Follow the Queen’s DriveFrom the parking area, continue along Mangerton Road for about 200 m.
From the parking area, continue along Mangerton Road for about 200 m. At the bend, turn right through the barrier onto the minor road into the trees, then take the left fork uphill. At the next junction, turn right and descend; at the bottom, turn right again to return to the start. Keep to this circuit rather than following the separate Blue Pool paths.
Mud and wildlifeThe woodland trail is muddy in places, so expect softer footing and take care on the descent…
The woodland trail is muddy in places, so expect softer footing and take care on the descent after rain. Red deer are a likely sighting here. Dogs are allowed on park trails but must stay under control.
Starting outThe small parking area is at the Entrance to the Blue Pool Nature Trails, just off Mangerton…
The small parking area is at the Entrance to the Blue Pool Nature Trails, just off Mangerton Road after Muckross Park Hotel. Leave the entrance clear; there is some room opposite the entrance as well.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Killarney
104 sightingsRed DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
207 sightingsSika DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
12 sightingsFeral GoatMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
49 sightingsSwanMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
48 sightingsHeronMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
15 sightingsCormorantMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Killarney. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
