Short, long and glowing walks

Short Walks with Big Views

Walk a little, see a lot

Eskbank Track & Hassans Walls

The Eskbank Track moves steadily upward to Bracey Lookout, where rooftops give way to bush, and the escarpment stretches out ahead. It’s an easy place to pause, leaning on the railing, watching light move across the valley. From here, the track can be followed further along the edge toward Hassans Walls, where the ground drops sharply and the scale of the country becomes clear.

Evans Crown Nature Reserve (pictured above)

Evans Crown offers a different starting point. The walk rises through farmland toward granite outcrops that sit unexpectedly above the plains. The climb is brief but direct, and the reward is a wide, open view across surrounding valleys, with the tors standing firm against the sky. A backdrop for the Instagrammers.

Lithgow City Heritage Walk

This 3km loop walk begins along Lithgow’s Main Street, where brick façades, wide verandas and old shopfronts tell their own quiet story. Keep an eye out for the statue of Marjorie “Lithgow Flash” Jackson, captured mid-stride and commemorating the town’s Olympic gold medallist.

From there, wander into Queen Elizabeth Park. In summer, more than 300 rose bushes fill the air with colour and scent. Nearby, Hoskins Memorial Church stands beside a garden designed by Paul Sorenson, a calm and thoughtful space that rewards a slower look.

Go Further

Walks that wind through valleys and over high ground

The Lost City Walking Track - 6.2km

The Lost City Walking Track is one of those rare walks where the scenery feels oversized from the very first lookout. Beginning at the Lost City South car park, the trail eases gently downhill along a wide path before reaching Lost City Lookout just 390m in. From here, the landscape opens out into a sweep of sandstone pagodas and cliffs that seem to stretch well beyond the horizon.

The full circuit measures around 6.2km with approximately 270m of elevation gain. It’s rated medium, and is best tackled by descending on the Lost City Walking Track before returning via the steeper Miners Pass Link Track which is a Grade 4 medium hard track. The main track offers the most dramatic scenery with a gentler gradient, weaving through towering rock formations, blending stone staircases and natural platforms in a way that feels thoughtfully considered rather than imposed.

Along the way you’ll pass unofficial viewpoints beside impressive pagodas, shallow creek crossings on stepping stones, and a heritage dam built in 1910. Sections of track undulate through bushland before climbing gradually toward Lost City North Lookout at around the 3.5km mark. The lookout itself is open and expansive, with nearby pagodas offering even better vantage points for those keen to climb carefully and take in the rocky landscape from above.

The Miners Pass Link Track returns you uphill in short bursts rather than one long grind. There’s a brief steeper section with carved footholds and a cable for support, but it’s manageable for most walkers. Parking is available at the Lost City South car park, roughly 20 minutes from Lithgow, with basic facilities on site. It’s a well-formed track that delivers big scenery without demanding serious bush skills, making it one of the most accessible ways to explore the pagoda country of the Seven Valleys.

Broad Swamp to Birds Rock - 17.5km

If you’re after a full day on foot, Broad Swamp to Birds Rock delivers. This 17.5km one way hike cuts through the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area, linking swamp, forest, canyon and cliff in a single, varied stretch. Birds Rock carpark is accessible by high clearance vehicle only.

The walk begins on the Broad Swamp loop, crossing the largest area of Newnes Plateau Shrub Swamp in the reserve. Bog bridges and stepping stones carry you through damp ground where scarlet and flame robins flick between shrubs. From there, the track rolls across ridge lines and dips into gullies before opening onto views of sculpted pagoda formations around 3.5km in.

Further on, the terrain shifts again. Blue Mountains ash forest rises tall and cool around you, creeks thread through narrow sections of canyon, and a steady 100m climb near the halfway point leads to broad views over Carne Creek. A short side trip to Carne View lookout reveals sheer cliffs and distant rock towers, well worth the extra steps.

The final stretch follows a fire trail uphill to Birds Rock carpark. For those short on time, Carne View can also be reached as a 3km return walk from the 4WD accessible carpark.

Glowing Walk

A tunnel of darkness lit by thousands of tiny blue lights.

The Glow Worm Tunnel Walk - 4km return

The Glow Worm Tunnel is one of the most memorable natural experiences in the Seven Valleys. Set within Wollemi National Park, this atmospheric former railway tunnel shelters thousands of Glow Worms, casting their soft blue lights from the damp stone walls. 

Travelling from Lithgow, head towards State Mine Gully Road which takes you onto Glowworm Tunnel Road for the journey through the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area and into Wollemi National Park.  One of the highlights of this trip is the narrow stone tunnel you pass through before reaching the carpark.

From the car park, begin the 1.5km downhill trail toward the tunnel entrance. Here, a handrail guides you into the darkness and through the tunnel, where the magic takes place.

Inside the tunnel, the walls glisten, and dripping water echoes through the space. The darkness will have you reaching for your phone torch, but you must resist! Hold the rail, walk slowly and let your eyes adjust as the light from the glow worms begins to appear before your eyes. 

Beyond the tunnel, the track emerges into Bell's Grotto, covered in dreamy tree ferns and ancient mossy rocks. 

The return walk is a steady incline back to the car park. Take plenty of rest along the way and enjoy the tranquillity.