This walk takes the lovely track up through Red Hands Gully to the amazing hand painting of Red Hands Caves. This historic and cultural feature is complemented by the Grinding Grooves along Campfire Creek. An excellent walk through some beautiful bush. There is a picnic area halfway - a great spot to stop for lunch. Let us begin by acknowledging the Dharug & Gundungurra people, Traditional Custodians of the land on which we travel today, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.
Campfire Creek car park sign. | Photo by admin, 2009.Track down to Campfire Creek. | Photo by admin, 2009.Signpost below car park. | Photo by admin, 2009.Tree in Campfire Ck. | Photo by admin, 2009.Track above Campfire Creek. | Photo by admin, 2009.Bridge along the Red Hands Cave Track. | Photo by admin, 2009.To Link intersection. | Photo by admin, 2009.Burnt out tree. | Photo by admin, 2009.Red Hands Cave Track. | Photo by admin, 2009.Stairs up to Red Hands Cave. | Photo by admin, 2009.Red Hands Cave protective cage. | Photo by admin, 2009.Red Hands. | Photo by admin, 2009.Track to Red Hands Cave car park. | Photo by admin, 2009.Track crossing Campfire Creek. | Photo by admin, 2009.Track meeting Grinding Grooves. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.
Car (A park entry fee is required for driving into the park.)
Directions
From Great Western Highway, A32
Turn on to Ross Street then drive for 275 m
Turn right onto Euroka Road and drive for another 2.5 km
Turn right and drive for another 45 m
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Track Notes
Turn by turn instructions & maps
Getting started From the car park, the track follows the 'Campfire Creek' sign down the hill. The track steeply descends the hill, winding to a 'Car Park' sign (pointing back the way you came).....
Turn map
Directions & comments
Start.
Find the car park at the start.
After another 165 m turn left, to head along Campfire Creek Track.
After another 25 m pass the sign (on your left).
After another 1.3 km veer left, to head along Campfire Creek Track.
After another 90 m find the "Camp Fire Creek rocks" (20 m on your right).
Camp Fire Creek rocks
Camp Fire Creek rocks
This large rock platform is situated above Camp Fire Creek. It has a some shade and room for a group to stop for lunch. A quite spot to rest. The rock slopes of the edge steeply and is unfenced, care is needed.
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This large rock platform is situated above Camp Fire Creek. It has a some shade and room for a group to stop for lunch. A quite spot to rest. The rock slopes of the edge steeply and is unfenced, care is needed.
After another 540 m (at the intersection of Campfire Creek Track & Link Track) continue straight, to head along Campfire Creek Track.
After another 1.1 km find the "Red Hands Cave" (on your left).
Red Hands Cave
Red Hands Cave
Red Hands Cave, in the Glenbrook area of the Blue Mountains National Park, is found near the end of Red Hands Cave fire trail. The cave has quite a few hand stencils and prints of various colours (including red). The cave is well protected, with a perspex and steel cage. There are some information signs and some artifacts to help visitors learn more about the people who made these prints over 1600 years ago. In 1913, when searching for a lost child, this cave was found by Europeans and is now protected.
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Red Hands Cave, in the Glenbrook area of the Blue Mountains National Park, is found near the end of Red Hands Cave fire trail. The cave has quite a few hand stencils and prints of various colours (including red). The cave is well protected, with a perspex and steel cage. There are some information signs and some artifacts to help visitors learn more about the people who made these prints over 1600 years ago. In 1913, when searching for a lost child, this cave was found by Europeans and is now protected.
After another 460 m (at the intersection of Red Hands Firetrail & Red Hands Cave Walking Track) turn left, to head along Link Track.
After another 30 m find the "Red Hands Cave Picnic Area" (15 m on your right).
Red Hands Cave Picnic Area
Red Hands Cave Picnic Area
Red Hands Cave Picnic Area is found at the end of the Red Hands Cave Fire Trail in the Glenbrook area of the Blue Mountains National Park. The small picnic area is next to the car park and has a couple of platforms (to act as both a table and seat) as well as a fire place and toilet. The toilet itself is wheelchair accessible, but access to the toilet is over moderately rough terrain. A good spot to rest when exploring Red Hands Cave.
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Red Hands Cave Picnic Area is found at the end of the Red Hands Cave Fire Trail in the Glenbrook area of the Blue Mountains National Park. The small picnic area is next to the car park and has a couple of platforms (to act as both a table and seat) as well as a fire place and toilet. The toilet itself is wheelchair accessible, but access to the toilet is over moderately rough terrain. A good spot to rest when exploring Red Hands Cave.
After another 1.5 km turn left, to head along Link Track.
After another 50 m pass the sign (15 m on your left).
After another 380 m continue straight, to head along Link Track.
After another 65 m find the "Axe Grinding Grooves" (5 m on your right).
Axe Grinding Grooves
Axe Grinding Grooves
These well-defined axe grinding groves are found on the sandstone bed of Camp Fire Creek. The grooves were formed by Aboriginal people when sharpening axes (or forming axe blanks). Rubbing the axe blanks would sharpen the stone into a more useful tool, and the process would also wear the sandstone, leaving these markings. These sites are typically found near water, as the water was added to make the stone more abrasive. Sites like this will fade in time due to erosion of the sandstone - please help them last as long as possible by not walking on, or close to the grooves.
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These well-defined axe grinding groves are found on the sandstone bed of Camp Fire Creek. The grooves were formed by Aboriginal people when sharpening axes (or forming axe blanks). Rubbing the axe blanks would sharpen the stone into a more useful tool, and the process would also wear the sandstone, leaving these markings. These sites are typically found near water, as the water was added to make the stone more abrasive. Sites like this will fade in time due to erosion of the sandstone - please help them last as long as possible by not walking on, or close to the grooves.
After another 360 m (at the intersection of Campfire Creek Track & Link Track) turn right, to head along Campfire Creek Track.
After another 60 m pass the sign (on your left).
After another 580 m veer right, to head along Campfire Creek Track.
After another 1.3 km turn right.
After another 160 m come to the end.
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Terrain
Know the Hills, grading & facilities
Red Hands Cave Circuit from Campfire Creek
Grading
Class 4/6
Hard track
Length
8.1 km
Time
3 h 15 min to 3 h 45 min
Quality of track
Formed track, with some branches and other obstacles (3/6)
Gradient
Very steep (4/6)
Signage
Directional signs along the way (3/6)
Infrastructure
Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)
Experience Required
No experience required (1/6)
Weather
Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)
Bushwalk
3 h 15 min to 3 h 45 min
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Find the car park at the start.
After another 25 m pass the sign (on your left).
After another 90 m find the "Camp Fire Creek rocks" (20 m on your right).
After another 1.1 km find the "Red Hands Cave" (on your left).
After another 30 m find the "Red Hands Cave Picnic Area" (15 m on your right).
