Where

Bald Rock National Park in Country NSW

Distance

13km loop

Time suggested

5 - 6hrs

Grade

Grade 3

Trip Intention Form

It's a good idea to let someone know where you're going. Fill in a trip intention form to send important details about your trip to your emergency contact.

Personal Locator Beacon

Hire a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) for free at the Tenterfield office.

Entry fees

Park entry fees apply

What to
bring

Drinking water, hat, sunscreen

Please note

• Remember to take your binoculars if you want to birdwatch
• The weather in this area can be extreme and unpredictable, please ensure you are well prepared for your visit.
• There is limited reception in this park

Beginning at the northern end of the Bald Rock picnic area, Border walk passes through creeks and swamp, rising above attractive woodlands.

When you reach the northern extent of the walk, take time to rest at the viewing site that offers a fine profile of Bald Rock.

If you walk quietly at dawn or dusk you may see grey kangaroos, red-necked wallabies and swamp wallabies. If you're in the campground at night, and with a good torch, you might also see possums and gliders. In spring, boronia, banksia, grevillea and a profusion of other wildflowers brighten the woodlands of this granite country. The best time of year to visit would have to be late July, with golden wattle trees blooming.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Visitor info

Maps and downloads

Learn more

A peaceful trade

Bald Rock also served as neutral ground for three of the Aboriginal nations of the area: the Jukambal, Bundgalung and Kamilleroi. An important trade route for these three nations, meetings and trade occurred without each nation having to journey through the other territories, as Bald Rock was considered a boundary positioned fairly between each Country.

A picture to remember

From the summit, the best views are seen across winter and autumn, when the air is freshest and the light crisp. The colours are most dramatic at dusk, as the rock face hues change beneath your feet from orange to yellow. Be sure to take your camera, a flask of coffee, and wait till the sun sets to capture a photograph worthy of your living room wall.

Conquer the granite titan

Bald Rock's dome is 500 metres wide and 750 metres in length, and at close to 1300 metres above sea level, it feels like a remote 'top of the world' experience from the summit. Collections of granite archways, scattered boulders, ravines roping their way through the terrain and a pile of enormous smooth granite stones balancing strangely across each other, all await your exploration. The boulders, looming in and out of view as you make your ascent towards the crown, bear the majestic title of 'Granite Titans', and it's easy to see why. Bald Rock's water-streaked dome is the largest granite formation of its kind anywhere in Australia.

Nature lovers

Following a good rain, the smells and colours of the bush really come alive; golden wattle trees bloom late in July as do wildflowers across spring, and the vibrant colours of the rock lilies, boronia and banksia are a sight to behold. Look out for the rare spotted tailed quoll, as well as possums, grey kangaroos and swamp wallabies on your tour through the park. There are several common species of snakes and lizards which you'll often see around the park's walking tracks in spring and summer.