Kanangra-Boyd National Park

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Overview

Part of the Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Property, Kanangra-Boyd National Park is just 180km from Sydney. Enjoy superb scenery, abundant wildlife, cycling and walking.

Read more about Kanangra-Boyd National Park

Just 180km from the outskirts of Sydney, Kanangra-Boyd National Park, part of the Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Property, feels like you’ve crossed an ocean to get there. Take in the magnificent scenery – the sheer sandstone cliff faces of Kanangra Walls or mist-wreathed Mount Cloudmaker – before walking down forest-lined trails to one of the park’s waterfalls. Keep your eyes peeled for echidnas and lyrebirds, particularly during summer.

An easy day trip from the Blue Mountains, Kanangra-Boyd also has quiet campsites among the snow gums at Boyd River if you want to get away from it all. Cyclists will want to bring their mountain bikes to explore the park’s fire trails. For the fishing enthusiasts, trout can be caught along Kowmung River and, for the adventurous, canyoning is popular during the warmer months.

Current alerts in this area

There are no current alerts in this area.

Local alerts

For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/kanangraboyd-national-park/local-alerts

Contact

See more visitor info

Visitor info

All the practical information you need to know about Kanangra-Boyd National Park.

Map


Map


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Getting there and parking

Get driving directions

Get directions

    From Oberon:

    • Turn off the main street onto Ross Street at the National Australia Bank, then follow the signs to Jenolan Caves and Kanangra-Boyd National Park.
    • A pleasant 25-minute drive will take you to the park entrance

    From Katoomba:

    • Head west along the Great Western Highway through Mount Victoria and Hartley
    • Turn left onto Jenolan Caves Road.
    • Continue all the way through Jenolan Caves and 3km later you will come to the main park entrance
    • Northern sections of the park can be accessed from Jenolan Caves Road via Mini Mini Fire Trail or Black Range Trail, both of which are between Hampton and Jenolan Caves.

    Parking

    By bike

    Check out the Bicycle information for NSW website for more information.

    By public transport

    The main section of Kanangra-Boyd is not accessible by public transport. However there is a daily bus service from Katoomba to Jenolan Caves.

    Best times to visit

    There are lots of great things waiting for you in Kanangra-Boyd National Park. Here are some of the highlights.

    Spring

    A beautiful time of year to enjoy hiking and mountain biking – the temperature isn't too hot.

    Summer

    Take the family camping in the mountains. This is best time of year for canyoning, as well as spotting some of the park's wildlife including kangaroos, echidnas, wombats and lyrebirds.

    Winter

    With cold temperatures during these months, including the possibility of snow, it's best to walk and mountain bike as part of a day trip. You'll be rewarded with the yellow Kanangra wattle beginning to bloom in late winter.

    Weather, temperature and rainfall

    Summer temperature

    Average

    10°C and 23°C

    Highest recorded

    34.5°C

    Winter temperature

    Average

    -2ºC and 10ºC

    Lowest recorded

    -10.1ºC

    Rainfall

    Wettest month

    June

    Driest month

    March

    The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day

    200.3mm

    Facilities

    Maps and downloads

    Fees and passes

    Park entry fees

    Under review. No park entry fees collected.

    Annual passes and entry fees (https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/passes-and-fees)

    Safety messages

    However you discover NSW national parks and reserves, we want you to have a safe and enjoyable experience. Our park and reserve systems contrast greatly so you need to be aware of the risks and take responsibility for your own safety and the safety of those in your care.

    Mobile safety

    Dial Triple Zero (000) in an emergency. Download the Emergency Plus app before you visit, it helps emergency services locate you using your smartphone's GPS. Please note there is limited mobile phone reception in this park and you’ll need mobile reception to call Triple Zero (000).

    Prohibited

    Pets

    Pets and domestic animals (other than certified assistance animals) are not permitted. Find out which regional parks allow dog walking and see the pets in parks policy for more information.

    Smoking

    NSW national parks are no smoking areas.

    Nearby towns

    Jenolan Caves (6 km)

    Scientists from the CSIRO (Commonwealth Science and Industrial Resource Organisation) estimate that the limestone at the Jenolan Caves dates back at least 340 million years.

    Oberon (24 km)

    If the famous Jenolan Caves are on your travel itinerary Oberon in the Blue Mountains is the perfect spot from which to plan your caving adventure. There are a number of ways visitors can tour the caves.

    www.visitnsw.com

    Katoomba (79 km)

    Katoomba is at the heart of most of the stunning natural attractions that make up the Blue Mountains National Park. You can admire deep valleys, sandstone plateaus, waterfalls and native animals from the many walking trails and lookouts near Katoomba.

    www.visitnsw.com

    Learn more

    Kanangra-Boyd National Park is a special place. Here are just some of the reasons why:

    Wonderful wilderness

    Mount Emporer loop, Kanangra-Boyd National Park. Photo: Nick Cubbin

    High plateaus and sheltered slopes mean Kanangra-Boyd has a diverse range of plantlife, some of it unique to the national park. Heath and mallee dominate the areas exposed to wind and weather, while tall snow gum forests can also be found in the park. Look for the yellow Kanangra wattle that grows only on the rivers - it flowers from early spring to late winter. The wildlife population is extensive too. Keep your eyes peeled for red-necked wallabies, which thrive in this area. Honeyeaters, wrens and fruit-eating pigeons are just some of the 195 species of birds that can be spotted in the park on a daily basis.

    • Kanangra Waterfall walk Kanangra Waterfall walk in Kanangra-Boyd National Park offers marvellous views of the cascading water at Kanangra and Kalang Falls.
    • Kanangra-Boyd lookout You can see for miles at Kanangra-Boyd lookout, an easily accessible viewpoint overlooking Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker.

    Preserving nature for future generations

    Kanangra Boyd National Park. Photo: Botanic Gardens Trust/Simone Cottrell

    There was a time when Kanangra-Boyd was in danger from logging and the extraction of lime. That all changed after a five-year conservation effort resulted in it being declared part of Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Property in 1972.

    Amazing formations

    Kanangra Boyd lookout, Kanangra Boyd National Park. Photo: Simoe Cottrell

    You can see many unique formations in Kanangra-Boyd National Park, including Thurat Spires, Kanangra Walls, Mount Colong, and waterfall systems - Kalang, Kanangara and Morong. The park also features a series of karst landforms that can be explored by those with caving experience.

    • Kanangra Waterfall walk Kanangra Waterfall walk in Kanangra-Boyd National Park offers marvellous views of the cascading water at Kanangra and Kalang Falls.
    • Kanangra-Boyd lookout You can see for miles at Kanangra-Boyd lookout, an easily accessible viewpoint overlooking Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker.

    Action adventure

    Morong Falls Trail, Kanangra-Boyd National Park. Photo: Nick Cubbin

    Hardcore hiker? Mad for mountain biking? There's something for whatever level of adventure you desire. Fire trails that wind throughout the park can be explored by 4WD or bicycle. For those who are handy with a map and compass, there's plenty of opportunity for self-reliant bushwalking. There are also marked trails that take in the captivating landscape which are even suitable for the kids. You might even want to throw in a line at Kowmung River to see if you can hook a trout.

    • Boyd River loop Take the easy route to peaceful cycling on Boyd River loop, a 21km journey that follows fire trails and roads in Kanangra-Boyd National Park.
    • Kanangra-Boyd lookout You can see for miles at Kanangra-Boyd lookout, an easily accessible viewpoint overlooking Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker.
    • Mount Emperor loop A scenic 12.5km ride across the Boyd Plateau, Mount Emperor loop gives mountain bike riders the opportunity to explore some of the lesser-known corners Kanangra-Boyd National Park.

    Plants and animals protected in this park

    Animals

    • A spotted-tailed quoll walks across a moss-covered forest floor at night. Photo: Lachlan Hall © Lachlan Hall

      Spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus)

      The spotted-tailed quoll is the largest remaining carnivorous marsupial on the Australian mainland. It’s protected as a vulnerable species in NSW.

    • Echidna. Photo: Ken Stepnell

      Short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus)

      One of only 2 egg-laying mammals in the world, the short-beaked echidna is one of the most widespread of Australian native animals. Covered in spines, or quills, they’re equipped with a keen sense of smell and a tube-like snout which they use to break apart termite mounds in search of ants.

    •  Superb lyrebird, Minnamurra Rainforest, Budderoo National Park. Photo: David Finnegan

      Superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae)

      With a complex mimicking call and an elaborate courtship dance to match, the superb lyrebird is one of the most spectacular Australian animals. A bird watching must-see, the superb lyrebird can be found in rainforests and wet woodlands across eastern NSW and Victoria.

    Education resources (1)

    What we're doing

    Kanangra-Boyd National Park has management strategies in place to protect and conserve the values of this park. Visit the OEH website for detailed park and fire management documents.