The Bushrangers Cave is a unique and somewhat hidden cave structure in the Mount Victoria area of the Blue Mountains.
There are two walking trails to this cave: one short trail from Kanimbla Valley Road and a longer walk starting from Mount Piddington.
In this article, we’ll discuss the quickest way to get to this fascinating cave, with the nearby Pulpit Rock Lookout as a bonus highlight!
Bushrangers Cave via Kanimbla Valley Rd | |
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Distance: | 1 km (return) |
Duration: | 1 hour |
Grade: | Easy / moderate (steep sections) |
Wheel-friendly: | No |
Dog-friendly: | Yes (on a lead) |
Getting There
The trailhead to the Bushrangers Cave is relatively easy to reach by car.
In Mount Victoria, turn into Hooper Street from the Great Western Highway and drive to Kanimbla Valley Road via Victoria Street and Innes Road.
You can park your car at the end of Kanimbla Valley Road, which is where you will also find the starting point of the walk (see map location).
Be mindful that Kanimbla Valley Rd is quite narrow, with private properties along both sides of the road. As such, when parking, please don’t block any driveways.
Map
In the map below, we have marked the two highlights, with parking available on Kanimbla Valley Road:
- Bushrangers Cave
- Pulpit Rock Lookout
Track Notes
The short 1 km return walking trail to Bushrangers Cave is relatively easy, but it is quite steep.
Also, to get into the cave, you’ll have to climb over big rocks, which may not be suitable for young kids or those less mobile.
As such, we strongly recommend wearing good hiking shoes that give you more grip when climbing into the cave.
Little Zig Zag Trail
Once you’ve parked your car, walk to the information board nearby, where you can learn more about the walks and sights in the area.
At the information board, you’ll have to go straight ahead onto the fire trail to start the walk to the cave via the Little Zig Zag Trail. The Pulpit Rock Lookout is just left from that information board, but we recommend going to the cave first.
The first couple hundred metres, it’s a very easy stroll on a level path through forest scenery.
You’ll then see a sign for the Bushrangers Cave and the Reinits Pass, where you have to veer to the left to continue on the Little Zig Zag Trail towards the cave.
This is where the track gets steep very quickly, and the path becomes quite challenging to navigate with lots of loose rocks.
Bushrangers Cave
After a few hundred metres on this zig-zag style path, you will see a turn-off to the left. It’s easy to miss this side trail as it is not well-signposted.
When we were there, we only saw that small blue pole, as in the photo below. We just assumed that was the trail to the cave, and luckily, we were right!
Follow that side trail, walking up a rocky path towards a large cliff face. This is a popular climbing spot, so you may see a few climbers in action there.
Keep walking around the cliff walls (while taking in the lovely district views), and you’ll quickly see the entrance to the cave on your left.
Climbing into the cave means you’re going to have to climb over that big pile of rocks, like in the photo above.
It may look a bit scary and challenging, but it’s definitely doable. Just take your time, watch your step, and you should be fine.
The inside of the cave is quite interesting, as it’s mostly flat with a sandy floor and a couple of random pieces of furniture.
But what’s most exciting about being inside the Bushrangers Cave is the view you get to enjoy to the mountains outside. The unique shape of the cave’s entrance makes it a picture perfect sight.
That narrow opening also makes the cave inside quite dark, so it’s worth bringing a torch with you, especially if you’re going there a bit later in the day.
Pulpit Rock Lookout
Once you’ve finished exploring the beautiful Bushrangers Cave, retrace your steps back to the information board where you started the walk.
From there, it’s a short stroll to the Pulpit Rock Lookout, which offers superb views of the Kanimbla Valley and the Megalong Valley.
The lookout is located on top of a very large rock that you’ll have to climb onto. But it’s not a tough climb, and the views are fantastic!
When visiting Bushrangers Cave, we recommend also visiting Cox’s Cave nearby. You can walk there from Kanimbla Valley Rd (about 1.5 km one way), or you can drive to Mount Piddington for a slightly shorter walk.