It seems with each lockdown, the bushwalking trails get busier and more crowded. We’re fortunate to have many pockets of bushland in Ku-ring-gai, as well as easy to access to some of Sydney’s biggest national parks (36% of addresses in Ku-ring-gai are within 130m of bushland – only the Blue Mountains and Shoalhaven areas have a higher percentage). Here’s a few suggestions for bushwalks you can still do, with a few options that are a bit off the beaten track where you might have a chance of solitude and isolation!
- All bushwalks below start within the Ku-ring-gai LGA – a small number of them cross over into the Northern Beaches LGA, so please check the distance from your address to ensure compliance to NSW Health orders
- For more bushwalking suggestions there’s a much longer list of walks within the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and Garigal National Park
- For dog-friendly hikes, have a look at Bushwalking with Dogs in Sydney’s North.
- Distance: 4km
- Duration: 2-3 hours
- Grade: Easy
The Mueller Track is the longest trail in the St Ives Wildflower Garden, a relatively "undiscovered" park in Sydney's north. This is also one of the more interesting walks.
Walk popularity?
- Moderately busy. Not as busy as the National Park trails in the area, but you’ll see a few people on the trail.
- Alternatives: The Pylons Loop joins the Mueller Track with some other trails that avoids the crowds – but it’s a longer and challenging walk.
- Distance: 13.5km
- Duration: 4-6 hours
- Grade: Moderate/Hard
The Pylons Loop from Warrimoo to the St Ives Wildlife Garden is a varied and partly off-track loop. It links the Warrimoo Track, Ryland Trail, Callamine Trail and Showground Trail and makes use of a number of fire trails that service electricity pylons.
Walk popularity?
- Once you’re off the Warrimoo Track, you won’t see many people. A map and basic navigation skills required, as the walk involves some informal and indistinct tracks.
- Features: Off-track walks, Waterhole, Wildflowers
- Distance: 4.3km
- Duration: 2-3 hours
- Grade: Moderate
A partial loop along both sides of Rocky Creek in East Killara (Sydney north), combining two service trails with a short off-track section.
Walk popularity?
- Not too busy. You may see a few people on the Rocky Creek Track, but once you leave this trail you’ll have the walk to yourself. Note – some short but serious off-track scrambling required to connect the two tracks, so bring a map or GPS.
- Alternatives: Prefer to stay on track? You can continue to the end of Koola Avenue, and return the same way – or walk along the road to complete the loop.
- Features: Off-track walks
- Distance: 2.9km
- Duration: <1 hour
- Grade: Easy
The Solander Trail is a short hiking, jogging or cycling path in the St Ives Wildflower Garden, in Sydney's north. It can be combined with the Senses Track. Good for cycling or walking with a pram.
Walk popularity?
- Distance: 3.2km
- Duration: 1-2 hours
- Grade: Moderate
The Sphinx Loop is short bushwalk that connects the popular Sphinx Track and the less-used Sphinx Trail with an off-track section.
Walk popularity?
- Mixed. The Sphinx Sphinx Walking Track will be busy, but you won’t see many people on the Sphinx Trail. You’ll need to do a bit of rock scrambling and off-track walking to form a loop.
- Alternatives: If you want a bit of exercise without the crowds and without off-track scrambling, walk down to the end of the Sphinx Trail and return the same way.
- Features: Rock formations, Swimming
- Distance: 9.8km
- Duration: 3-4 hours
- Grade: Moderate
The Sphinx to Bobbin Head loop is a varied and interesting bushwalk from the Sphinx Memorial in North Turramurra down to Cowan Creek and back via Bobbin Head.
Walk popularity?
- Very busy. One of the best-known walks in the area – best avoided on weekends.
- Alternatives: Try the shorter but more challenging Sphinx Loop (a small part of this walk is off-track).
- Features: Aboriginal heritage, Rock formations, Swimming, Trig Station
- Distance: 0.2km
- Duration: <1 hour
- Grade: Easy
The sad fate of the Fish from the F3: an Aboriginal engraving site that was relocated from the Sydney to Newcastle freeway to St Ives, in Sydney's north
Walk popularity?
- Features: Aboriginal heritage
- Distance: 5.5km
- Duration: 1-2 hours
- Grade: Easy/Moderate
The Pipeline Track and Bungaroo Track can be combined to create a short circuit, part of which follows Middle Harbour Creek
Walk popularity?
- Mixed. The Pipeline Track is well-known and always busy. You’ll find a lot less people using the Bungaroo Track, which is also a much nicer walk.
- Alternatives: The Bungaroo Track provides access from St Ives to a number of long loops you can do, including the Carroll Creek Loop and Casuarina and Lyrebird Loop.
- Features: Urban walk
- Distance: 3.2km
- Duration: 1-2 hours
- Grade: Easy
The Twin Creeks Reserve Loop follows both Water Dragon Creek and Peppermint in this Ku-ring-gai bushland reserve. This dog-friendly bushwalk uses signposted and informal trails to form a nice loop.
Walk popularity?
- Features: Aboriginal heritage, Waterfall, Wildflowers
- Distance: 8.5km
- Duration: 2-3 hours
- Grade: Easy
A varied loop in Sydney's north that combines the Two Creeks Track and Little Digger Track. The bushwalk passes waterfalls, rainforest, creeks and sandstone caves.
Walk popularity?
- Features: Aboriginal heritage, Rainforest, Rock formations, Waterfall