Bluff lookout walk

Yarrangobilly area in Kosciuszko National Park

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Overview

Climb Bluff lookout walk for panoramic views over Yarrangobilly Caves House, nestled amongst the valley and limestone cliffs. The walk's easily combined with a picnic or Jillabenan Cave tour.

Accessibility
No wheelchair access
Distance
2km one-way
Time suggested
45min - 1hr 15min
Grade
Grade 4
Entry fees
Park entry fees apply
What to
bring
Drinking water, hat, sunscreen
Please note
  • You can also park at the Bluff lookout sign on Cave Loop Road, where it's an easy 300m return walk to the lookout.
  • This walk is easily combined with one of the daily tours of Jillabenan Cave.

While many walks in the Yarrangobilly area meander down towards the Yarrangobilly River and thermal pool, this one heads up to Bluff lookout. It can be quite a steep climb at times, but the rewards are many when you reach your destination.

From Glory Cave carpark, follow the loop road up Yarrangobilly Valley. Take a detour along Jillabenan Cave access track to look down upon Harrie Wood Gorge, before continuing a little further along the road to the Bluff lookout sign. The 150m track takes you to the lookout, perched high above Yarrangobilly Caves House. Soak in the views across the valley, and keep an eye out for birdlife and lizards.

From here, follow the track 500m downhill to the picnic area behind the visitor centre. If you've worked up an appetite, this is a scenic spot to cook up lunch on the free electric barbecues.

If you prefer a shorter walk, join the track from the small Bluff lookout carpark on Cave Loop Road. It's a 300m return walk to the lookout.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Map


Map


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Map legend

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/things-to-do/walking-tracks/bluff-lookout-walk/local-alerts

General enquiries

Park info

See more visitor info

Visitor info

All the practical information you need to know about Bluff lookout walk.

Track grading

Features of this track

Distance

2km one-way

Time

45min - 1hr 15min

Quality of markings

Clearly sign posted

Experience required

No experience required

Gradient

Short steep hills

Steps

Many steps

Quality of path

Rough track, many obstacles

Getting there and parking

Get driving directions

Get directions

    Bluff lookout walk is in the Yarrangobilly area of Kosciuszko National Park. To get there:

    From the Monaro Highway:

    • At Cooma, take the Snowy Mountains Highway and continue for approximately 110km
    • Turn left into Yarrangobilly Caves Entrance Road
    • Follow the unsealed road for approximately 6km to Yarrangobilly Caves
    • Bluff lookout walk begins near Yarrangobilly Caves House.

    From the Hume Highway:

    • At Gundagai, take the Tumut exit and follow Gocup Road to Tumut
    • Continue on Snowy Mountains Highway south for approximately 75km
    • Turn right into Yarrangobilly Caves Entrance Road
    • Follow the unsealed road for approximately 6km to Yarrangobilly Caves
    • Bluff lookout walk begins near Yarrangobilly Caves House.

    Road quality

    • Yarrangobilly Caves entrance and exit roads are graded gravel. They're suitable for 2WD and 4WD vehicles up to 12.5m in length, however the Roads and Maritime Service (RMS) advise that the roads are unsuitable for caravans.
    • RMS recommends snow chains are carried by all vehicles driving in the park in winter, including 4WD and AWD, in case of extreme weather. Visit the Live Traffic website for road conditions.

    Parking

    Parking is available at Glory Cave carpark. You can also park on Cave Loop Road at the Bluff lookout sign, and walk the 300m return track to the lookout.

    Facilities

    There are flush toilets next to the Yarrangobilly Caves Visitor Centre, and a non-flush toilet at Jillabenan carpark, on Cave Loop Road.

    Maps and downloads

    Safety messages

    Alpine safety

    Alpine areas present special safety issues. Conditions can be extreme and may change rapidly, particularly in winter. It’s important to be prepared and find out how to stay safe in alpine areas.

    Bushwalking safety

    If you're keen to head out on a longer walk or a backpack camp, always be prepared. Read these bushwalking safety tips before you set off on a walking adventure in national parks.

    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).

    Accessibility

    Disability access level - no wheelchair access

    Prohibited

    Drones

    Flying a drone for recreational purposes is prohibited in this area. Drones may affect public enjoyment, safety and privacy, interfere with park operations, or pose a threat to wildlife. See the Drones in Parks policy.

    This area may be a declared Drone Exclusion Zone, or may be subject to Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) rules for flying near airports, aerodromes and helicopter landing sites. See CASA's Drone Flyer Rules.

    Commercial filming and photography

    Commercial filming or photography is prohibited without prior consent. You must apply for permission and contact the local office.

    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. The alpine resorts of Thredbo, Perisher, Charlotte Pass, Selwyn, Ski Rider and Kosciuszko Tourist Park are exempt, though some commercial and outdoor places within these resorts may have no smoking areas.

    Visitor centre

    Learn more

    Bluff lookout walk is in Yarrangobilly area. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:

    Unique landscapes

    Jersey Cave decorations, at Yarrangobilly Caves in Kosciuszko National Park. Photo: E Sheargold/OEH

    Yarrangobilly’s karst landscapes were created from a belt of limestone laid down about 440 million years ago. Almost all cave formations can be seen here, from stalactites and stalagmites, hollow straws and delicate helictites, to shawls, cave coral, and massive flowstones. Karst environments are nature’s time capsules, preserving evidence of climate change, floods, droughts, fires, animal and human activity. Over the years, Yarrangobilly's caves have hosted researchers from universities, nuclear science organisations and the Snowy Hydro. You can now visit Harrie Wood Cave, which was closed from 2006-2016, to learn how stalagmites have growth rings, and find out about about climate change monitoring.

    • Jersey Cave Step back in time on a guided tour of Jersey Cave. You’ll be awed by some of the most colourful and diverse decorations at Yarrangobilly Caves in Kosciuszko National Park.
    • Jillabenan Cave Take a fascinating guided tour of Jillabenan Cave. It's the smallest and most accessible of the Yarrangobilly Caves in Kosciuszko National Park, but it's packed with incredibly delicate formations.
    • North Glory Cave North Glory Cave is unavailable for online bookings during the 2024/2025 summer school holidays. If you’d like to visit this cave, please enquire with the Visitor Centre when you arrive at Yarrangobilly Caves.
    • South Glory Cave Take a leisurely self-guided tour through the lofty chambers of South Glory Cave at Yarrangobilly, near Tumut. It never fails to astonish. 

    Explore above and below ground

    Yarrangobilly Caves Visitor Centre, Kosciuszko National Park. Photo: Elinor Sheargold/OEH

    No visit to Yarrangobilly is complete without a visit to its marvellous caves, so stop by the Yarrangobilly Caves Visitor Centre to get your tickets and tour times. The largest, South Glory Cave, allows you to explore at your own pace on a self-guided tour. Jersey and Jillabenan Caves offer guided tours that run 3 or 4 times daily - Jillabenan even boasts wheelchair-access. The visitor centre can also help with tours of other caves, meetings, weddings, custom tours for groups or students from 10 to 100 people. With caves, tours, walks, and the natural mineral waters of the thermal pool to tempt you, you’ll need to stay a few days. Book your own lovingly restored wing or a great-value room at Caves House. Enjoy the creature comforts of Lyrebird Cottage, or set up camp at Yarrangobilly Village campground, just off the Snowy Mountains Highway.

    • Yarrangobilly Caves thermal pool walk Take the short Yarrangobilly Caves thermal pool walk and enjoy a swim in the spring-fed natural pool. It's easily combined with a picnic, bushwalk or cave tour in the Yarrangobilly area of Kosciuszko National Park.
    • Yarrangobilly Caves Visitor Centre Yarrangobilly Caves Visitor Centre is your one stop destination for information on cave tours and tickets, and top tips on where to stay and what to do in the Yarrangobilly and northern areas of Kosciuszko National Park.

    A wonderland for wildlife

    The endangered smoky mouse. Photo: Linda Broome/OEH

    Karst environments are complex ecosystems containing highly specialised plants, animals and micro-organisms. The dense shrubs around Yarrangobilly River provide protection for the endangered smoky mouse, as well as being great for bird watching. At night you might be lucky to see a possum or sugar glider, forest bats, tawny frogmouth owl or even an endangered sooty owl. Don’t be put off if you see algae or even springtime tadpoles in the thermal pool. Algae and weed provide a breeding site for eastern banjo frogs, aka pobblebonks, because of their banjo-like ‘plonk’ or ‘bonk’, meaning the water is clean and healthy. School students can learn more about Kosciuszko National Park’s ecosystems and important biodiversity on a school excursion.

    Discover Aboriginal culture

    Learning about Aboriginal culture from NPWS rangers, Birrimal Waga Amphitheatre, Tumut. Photo: Murray Vanderveer/NPWS

    Yarrangobilly is the perfect place to experience the rich Aboriginal culture of the Wolgalu People. Join a NPWS Aboriginal ranger to see the tools and techniques of the Traditional Owners of this unique landscape. Take part in hands-on activities like string making, or learn how to start a fire without matches. Wolgalu culture tours run on select dates during school holidays, and start from the picnic area near Yarrangobilly Caves Visitor Centre (bookings essential).

    Plants and animals protected in this park

    Animals

    • Bare-nosed wombat. Photo: Keith Gillett

      Bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus)

      A large, squat marsupial, the Australian bare-nosed wombat is a burrowing mammal found in coastal forests and mountain ranges across NSW and Victoria. The only other remaining species of wombat in NSW, the endangered southern hairy-nosed wombat, was considered extinct until relatively recently.

    • Eastern water dragon. Photo: Rosie Nicolai

      Eastern water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii lesueurii)

      The eastern water dragon is a subaquatic lizard found in healthy waterways along eastern NSW, from Nowra to halfway up the Cape York Pensinsula. It’s believed to be one of the oldest of Australian reptiles, remaining virtually unchanged for over 20 million years.

    • A juvenile platypus saved by National Parks and Wildlife staff. Photo: M Bannerman/OEH

      Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)

      One of the most fascinating and unusual Australian animals, the duck-billed platypus, along with the echidna, are the only known monotremes, or egg-laying mammals, in existence. The platypus is generally found in permanent river systems and lakes in southern and eastern NSW and east and west of the Great Dividing Range.

    • Superb fairy wren. Photo: Rosie Nicolai

      Superb fairy wren (Malurus cyaneus)

      The striking blue and black plumage of the adult male superb fairy wren makes for colourful bird watching across south-eastern Australia. The sociable superb fairy wrens, or blue wrens, are Australian birds living in groups consisting of a dominant male, mouse-brown female ‘jenny wrens’ and several tawny-brown juveniles.

    •  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.

    • Swamp wallaby in Murramarang National Park. Photo: David Finnegan

      Swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor)

      The swamp wallaby, also known as the black wallaby or black pademelon, lives in the dense understorey of rainforests, woodlands and dry sclerophyll forest along eastern Australia. This unique Australian macropod has a dark black-grey coat with a distinctive light-coloured cheek stripe.

    Plants

    • Billy Button flowers at Peery Lake picnic area. Photo: Dinitee Haskard OEH

      Billy buttons (Craspedia spp. )

      Billy buttons are attractive Australian native plants that are widespread throughout eastern NSW in dry forest, grassland and alpine regions such as Kosciuszko National Park. The golden-yellow globe-shaped flowers are also known as woollyheads. Related to the daisy, billy buttons are an erect herb growing to a height of 50cm.

    Environments in this area