Monolith Valley - Navigation?

[francesca1160]

Hi all
I have gone to Monolith Valley several times - but well over 20 years ago! Now we are making a return! Last time I went we couldn't actually find the way into the valley - got mixed up in the sedge swamp coming from Cooyoyo.
So I want a few pointers, as looking at the Open Street map and reading Doughton book, SSDAvies web notes and DAvid Houlders website there is some conflicting info...

It seems clear that once you are off Nibbelung Pass you have to go west for about 250 m to reach the western side of the valley and the footbridge mentioned on the ss davies website...is that correct?

Then
*the Ron Doughton book says once you are in the valley going north (ie past the sedge swamp) at some point you have to go west along a sandy creek for 200 metres before reaching the overhangs area, the arch, green room etc
*BUT when i look at the map it seems that once you are going north near the base of the western wall of the Valley you don't go west again - unless you are going to Mt Owen (or are out of the Valley and going to Mt Cole!).

To clarify - we just want to reach the point where you come out on an open rocky platform overlooking Donjon and Shrouded Gods and then return.

Can anyone clear this up for me? I don't want to get a bunch of women in their 60's lost in the Sedge swamp!!! Or missing the best bits...
Warm regards, Frankie

[sandym]

I can't remember a wood bridge from last time I was there, but it could have burnt in the fires.

The regrowth is pretty thick so if you stay on the beaten in trail you should be right, it's hard to move off trail now!

When you get to the saddle after climbing the steep track up from the valley, you will walk along the side of some drippy wet cliffs heading north and then you will turn and follow the creek to the west between Nibelung and Mooryan. You should pass the old sign about no camping in Monolith Valley. There is the chain that you have to use to scramble up the slab soon after. You will drift slightly left and then head north to the Green Room which is just a ferny corridor running slightly uphill.

It's possible someone might be able to send you a GPS track but I would say, keep your eyes open and stay on the track, if you lose it, stop immediately and back track until you find it again. Honestly, it can be a bit of a labyrinth in there and difficult to navigate especially when you are bashing through incredible bush. However, it is a very common route into the Budawangs so if you keep your eyes open you should manage to follow the track. When you get to that rocky platform, the track can be hard to follow from there on as it traverses sandstone ledges but there are often cairns and this is past your turn back point.

[FionaShedden]

We were there about 6 months ago and found the track you want to follow is still very well marked/cairned and clear. Sandy has it right it is fairly easy to follow. The wooden footbridge is still there right in a lovely little patch of rainfores where the creek divides into two smaller streams. Oonce you cross the bridge you want to follow the right stream up to the green room, if you head down the left stream you'll be heading towards Mt Owen and we found this track was significantly more difficult, with no to little track visible for long sections (we picked up a few cairns etc along the way that helped but often we were following a GPS trace).

The route through monolith seemed not as impacted as many of the other trails in the Budawangs - such an awesome place - enjoy!

I have found GPS routes available online in various locations if you want to download but i have never needed one for this track.

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

The replies are accurate... the wooden bridge is still there and it's pretty hard to lose the track unless you turn left after the bridge towards Owen. Re the view over Hollands that you refer to as a turnaround point, basically once through the green room, you head up the ramp through a small canyon and emerge in dryer forest with the 7 gods pinnacles on your right. Follow the track, not for long, to the last pinnacle (rumdoodle, the smallest of them which stands alone on the right) and head up to/around the base of the pinnacle to get those views.

[rcaffin]

I do remember sitting on top of one of the pinnacles in the Green Room, having snack. A party went past below us. Some minutes later, the same party passed underneath us again. More minutes later, they again went past. Amusing.

Cheers
Roger