A week ago, I’d explored the bottom of the Rodriguez Pass walking track from Govetts Creek, which follows Greaves Creek up to the popular Grand Canyon walking track. We turned around at the first major waterfall, unsure whether it was possible to get to the top – the track has been officially closed for a few years due to landslides. This time I’m walking down from the top, as far as we can safely go… the starting point being the much-less used Point Pilcher Track.
Point Pilcher Track
Starting just below the old Katoomba airfield in Medlow Bath, the historic Point Pilcher Track provides access to the Grand Canyon. The track was built by Mark Foy’s gardener, who was also responsible for a network of walking tracks behind the Hydro Majestic, to connect the Old Point Pilcher lookout to the Grand Canyon Track. The track starts as a wide trail, which descends very gently: “Very few people are tody are aware of the magnificent track that led from ‘Old Point Pilcher’ down into the Grand Canyon” (Jim Smith in “How to see the Blue Mountains”).
It passes a signposted trail which takes canyoners down to Jugglers Canyon, a technical canyon that requires up to seven abseils, just after turning a narrower bushwalking track.
There are some nice views over to the east with Mount Banks in the distance, as the track starts descending more steeply into the valley after about 800m.
A faint pad heads out to a small rocky outcrop, which offers a nice view over the Grand Canyon and directly down to Greaves Creek below – this may be the old Point Pilcher Lookout.
The track gets more interesting as it descends towards the Grand Canyon, passing under some large overhangs and offering a glimpse of the Grand Canyon below.
Towards the end of the Old Point Pilcher Track is some of the original stonework where the track is cut into the side of the cliffs: the entire track, despite falling into disuse in the 1930s, is in great condition and a nice way into the Grand Canyon.
There is a track running from Point Pilcher to the Grand Canyon, which has been overgrown with scrub, and the members of the Medlow Bath Progress Association are anxious that some improvement, by way of clearing, shall be carried out. The picturesque way was previously formed, and the steps are at present in good order.
The Blackheath Bulletin, 13 Nov 1930, p.1
Along the Grand Canyon
Despite the crowds of people we encounter as we turn onto the main Grand Canyon walking track, it’s impossible to not be impressed by the spectacular scenery.
The Grand Canyon walking track follows the creek fairly closely, under tall cliffs and a canopy of Coachwood trees and ferns.
There’s a few small cascades, and one deep waterhole that a few people are swimming in.
Just after entering The Fernery (“a magical enclosed world of ferns, mosses and lichens below a dense canopy provided by towering rainforest trees”) we cross a sturdy timber bridge. Just after the bridge is the turn-off from the main track onto an unmarked side-track, which continues to follow Greaves Creek, while the main Grand Canyon continues straight ahead.
Rodriguez Pass walking track (Grand Canyon to Govetts Creek)
Our unmarked side track is the Rodriguez Pass walking track, once a popular upper Blue Mountains bushwalking circuit and “a must for experienced bushwalkers looking for a heart-pumping day hike in the Blue Mountains” (NPWS):
It is most usual, however, to get to Evans’s Lookout by way of Rodriguez Pass — named as a tribute to the energy of the man who became actually responsible for the formation of the road. The track is 4½ miles long, and for the most part runs through level country. But it ultimately drops a couple of thousand feet into a valley after passing through magnificent scenery, which for variety and picturesqueness Blackheath puts up as equal at least to anything on the Mountains.
The Daily Telegraph, 25 Nov 1921, p.14
Construction of the Rodriguez Pass walking track started in January 1899 and was completed in April 1900 with its official opening on Saturday 21st April. It was named after Tomas Ramon Rodriguez, the Station Master at Blackheath and later Councillor for the Blue Mountains Shire Council from 1917-1919, who led the promotion and fund-raising for the track. The construction cost of £270 – equivalent to $65,000 in 2023. Today, this section of the Rodriguez Pass from the Grand Canyon to Govetts Creek is technically closed and sees only a handful of bushwalkers.
The very first part of the Rodriguez Pass walking track is still used by canyoners to exit Jugglers Canyon, and it’s also a very picturesque. And it has the added benefit of comparative tranquillity, having left the Grand Canyon hordes of people behind..
About 500m along the track is an small clearing and informal camping area; from here there are two options. The more obvious trail to the left traverses a landslide, and is best avoided. To the right and closely following the creek is an alternate track that is in good condition and safer.
The left-hand route crosses an old landslip, and while it’s not dangerous, the reliance on an old cable handrail and the potential for more landslides means the other route is preferable. (We only took this route as the alternate is not at all obvious from the top, and should be signposted as it avoids the only sketchy section of the Rodriguez Pass.)
After the landslip, the track continues to descend steeply, and a few fallen logs obscure the path in places – but it’s otherwise in decent condition.
The trail zig-zags down the steep slope to the base of Beauchamp Falls, the tallest and arguably the most spectacular waterfall of the many along Greaves Creek.
The Rodriguez Pass walking track is still well marked below Beauchamp Falls, with stone steps and railings still in place.
Just below Beauchamp Falls is Pope Falls, which cascades over a tiered ledge into a shallow pool.
The track descends past a number of small cascades and pools, many of which offer a great spot for a swim in the cold water of Greaves Creek.
It’s a stunning and enjoyable walk even on a warm day, with the track mostly in shade and close to to the creek.
As the track continues to descend, it gets gradually steeper. and there is the occasional fallen tree to negotiate. Some care is needed not to lose the track, which is always there – but is not always obvious.
Along this steep section is an old landslide, which has a rope across it (you could negotiate this without the rope).
Below the track is Bettington Falls, with the cliffs above Beuchamp Falls in the background.
The Rodriguez Pass walking track is still in mostly good condition, with many sections of the original stonework still intact. Through the trees is a glimpse of what I think is Foy Falls.
The track passes under a tall cliff where the ground is covered with fallen chunks of sandstone (not a good place to stop!), before reaching some timber steps, which have clearly seen better days.
Just after the steps is the original crossing of Greaves Creek, marked with a blue navigational arrow. You can cross here (we did on the way back up) or continue a little further where there is an alternate crossing point. This is one of only three creek crossings – the first is near the very start of the Rodriguez Pass walking track, and the third near the very end.
Both of the two creek crossings give you an excellent view of Campbells Falls, the last named waterfall along Greaves Creek – one from above, and the other from below!
The Rodriguez Pass walking track now continues on the eastern side of Greaves Creek, still descending quite steeply.
There’s a picturesque waterfall and swimming hole just next to the track – but this one is unnamed.
There’s a fallen tree over the track as it descends to the last (also unnamed) waterfall along Greaves Creek. This takes us to the point we reached a couple of weeks earlier, when we came up the Rodriguez Pass walking track from Govetts Creek.
We return the same way – but from here you could also continue along the Rodriguez Pass walking track to where it meets the Horse Track (another 1.5km of easy walking), and from there then you ascend via the Horse Track to form a nice loop bushwalk.
Back up the Rodriguez Pass and Grand Canyon tracks
We re-trace our steps back up to the Grand Canyon; just below Beauchamp Falls we must have diverged from the track a little on the way down, as the correct route takes us up some moss-covered steps and though a narrow cleft between two boulders.
The second and more important deviation is that we found the alternative route up past Beauchamp Falls (from the bottom it’s very obvious). A well-trodden and wide ledge leads to a rock platform at the top of the main drop, just below some smaller cascades; there’s an easy scramble at the end of the ledge, which has a bit of exposure but some solid tree roots that can be used as hand-holds.
The track continues along the creek, with stone steps and an old steel railing that probably date back to the original construction of the Rodriguez Pass walking track. There are some nice views back over the top of Beauchamp Falls to the Grose Valley in the distance.
It’s a safer route in that it avoids crossing an area that may have more landslip and a more picturesque option, although both routes are equally viable. The two routes converge at a small clearing and campground.
From here it’s a short walk back to the Grand Canyon walking track.
As we re-enter the Grand Canyon at about 4:30pm, most of the people have left; with the late afternoon light it feels even more dramatic and photogenic.
We’re back at Point Pilcher at about 5:15pm; we had a fairly late start for this walk which took about five hours. Coming down Rodriguez Pass and then up the Horse Track would be an even better bushwalk, now that we’ve confirmed this historic track is still feasible (but more tree falls and landslips are inevitable in the dynamic Blue Mountains environment, and one day this track may sadly be impassable).
Getting to Pilcher Point and Rodriguez Pass walking tracks
The old Pilcher Point track starts opposite the old Katoomba airfield, along Point Pilcher Road (which goes to the Point Pilcher Lookout). You can drive about 100m down the firetrail, but parking is very limited. It’s a 5.2km drive (10min) from Medlow Bath, via Rutland Road and Grand Canyon Road. To find the start of the Rodriguez Pass walking track, look for a trail that heads to the right (following the creek) just after crossing a timber footbridge along the Grand Canyon track.
More information
- NPWS – Rodriguez Pass walking track [note: the Govetts Leap end of Rodriguez Pass has been extensively damaged and is unsafe]
- Blue Mountains History Journal – T.R. Rodruguez (1860-1929) – “Blackheath’s Father”, p.23 Download PDF.
- Trove – Rodriguez Pass, Blackheath: Official Opening on Saturday in The Mountaineer, 20 Apr 1900, p.4
- Trove – The Point Pilcher Track Medlow Seeks Improvement in The Blackheath Bulletin, 13 Nov 1930, p.1
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