Katoomba to Mittagong

[Shantal]

Hey all,

Have just started planning to hike Katoomba to Mittagong May 2022.

Wondering if anyone has been out there recently ( as in after bush fires) I'm unsure if that area got hit by the fires but I'm keen to hear peoples thoughts and experiences in that area.

Thanks

[keithj]

Katoomba to Mt Cookum is fine. I'd expect Scotts Main Range FT to be fine too. Dunno about the rest...

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

Assuming you're doing the "normal" route, ie. not going via Kanangra and/or Blue Breaks etc., then you're pretty much on trail from Katoomba all the way to Beloon Pass (except the short section up to Mt. Cookem which is easy to navigate even without the track being present). Below BP, the Nattai was hit hard by fires and completely cleared out... only thing I'm not sure of is what the regrowth looks like down there now (haven't been in there for a year or so). Worst case you could exit to Wattle Ridge via the Nattai Road if the regrowth is horrendous along the river?

[puredingo]

Hi Shantal, from Beloon Pass Mittagong bound there is absolutely no track at all. UNLESS since I was there 6 months ago there has been enough visitors to reopen the original route. Such was the state of it I walked up the river as a much easier option.

There are of course other exits points, pm me if you want more info?

[maxgod]

Hi Shantal,

I did Katoomba to Mittagong (ish) jumping off at Point Hill in about 2.5 days.


Mt Cookem seemed quite overgrown but easy to navigate (just go up!)
Otherwise no issue until heading off BP down to the Nattai.
The ascent up Belloon was rough, but not as bad as expected.

The Nattai was overgrown but the path wasnt TERRIBLE to navigate, but occasionally just...stopped.

PM me if you want more info.

[kelvinn]

Puredingo's response mirrors my experience from Dec 2020. It was slow going after Beloon Pass, as a lot of the time the choice was either bush bashing in waist high bushes, or thigh high water/mud.

[rcaffin]

We came down Mt Cookem not too long ago. The track is vague at the bottom, but OK near the top. Well, apart from the thick layer of gum leaves everywhere which don't give much traction!
I really don't think it could be described as 'overgrown' - not enough scrub in the sort of country!

I have to say, the Scotts Main Range road is dead boring - and long. We went up the Kowmung instead, and climbed up late. I forget which ridge. But the track from Scotts MR to J was boring, and beyond that, it was dead boring.

We did K-M decades ago, when the Nattai was open. But do NOT drink the Nattai!!!

Cheers
Roger

[Summitview]

Hi there

I am hoping to revitalise this thread. I am planning to walk Katoomba to Mittagong this Spring. I would really appreciate more recent information than this thread.

I am considering three options and have the following questions:
1. Exiting the Nattai at Round Flat via the Nattai River Trail to Wattle Ridge.
- Some posts suggest the trail is hard to find at the Nattai, but presumably it is still followable?
- What is the section from Vineyard Flat to Round Flat like? Has there been a track cut recently?

2. Exiting along Starlights.
- Has there been any recent cutting of a track from Round Flat - MacArthur Flat?

3. Heading further up the Nattai to exit via Mt Waratah or all the way to Mittagong via the Nattai. Most posts suggest that this has become very slow over the last 20 years, but have recent floods changed this? Has anyone cut a track recently?

Any recent information would be great.

Cheers

[Petew]

Anyone been to Starlight's recently? Last time I went for a quick overnighter (maybe a year and a half ago) the campground had been trashed by the fires and weeds. I was wondering if it had recovered any of it's former grassy loveliness?

[michael_p]

Here is a report from June with some photos of Emmetts Flat and Starlights towards the end: https://grindlay.org/2022/06/nattai-road-river/

[Petew]

Great! Thank you.