Glenbrook is the gateway to the Lower Blue Mountains and offers a variety of walking tracks that highlight the area’s scenic bushland, lookouts, and swimming spots.
Easy to reach from Sydney by car or train, Glenbrook is a great destination for a half-day or full-day of outdoor exploring.
From short family-friendly trails to more challenging tracks with rewarding views, the five walks below are an excellent introduction to the Glenbrook area.
Keen to go sightseeing? Read our guide on the most scenic lookouts in Glenbrook.
1. Red Hands Cave Track
Red Hands Cave is a sandstone overhang with well-preserved Aboriginal rock art in the form of colourful hand stencils and prints, believed to be between 500 and 1600 years old.
You can reach the cave via a moderately challenging 6.5-kilometre return bushwalk that starts near the Glenbrook Causeway, but a much shorter access trail is available if you just want to see the cave.
The cave is impressive, and the walk itself is also very enjoyable, as it navigates through scenic bushland along two creeks.
Read more: Red Hands Cave Track.
| Red Hands Cave Track | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 6.5 km (return) |
| Time: | 2 hours |
| Grade: | Easy / moderate |
| Wheel-friendly: | No |
| Dog-friendly: | No |
| Route: | Google Maps |
2. Jack Evans Walking Track
The Jack Evans Walking Track is a fairly short but energising bushwalk that leads down to Erskine Creek south of Glenbrook.
The walk first passes a lookout with scenic views of the Erskine Creek gorge, then continues down a steep path to the creek, which is a good spot for a quiet swim.
The trailhead is located at the end of Nepean Lookout Trail, where you’ll also find the short walk to Nepean Lookout, making it easy to combine both walks in one visit.
Read more: Jack Evans Walking Track.
| Jack Evans Walking Track | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 2.6 km (return) |
| Time: | 1.5 hours |
| Grade: | Moderate (steep sections) |
| Wheel-friendly: | No |
| Dog-friendly: | No |
| Route: | Google Maps |
3. Lapstone Zig Zag Walk
The Lapstone Zig Zag Walk is a scenic bushwalk that follows a historic railway line built in the late 19th century.
The track first leads to the Top Points Lookout before continuing down a series of steps to the Knapsack Viaduct, an iconic sandstone bridge built in the 1860s to carry the Zig Zag Railway across a gully.
Once you reach the top of the bridge, you can continue walking into the gully, where you can enjoy excellent views of this impressive landmark.
Read more: Lapstone Zig Zag Walk.
| Lapstone Zig Zag Walk | ||
|---|---|---|
| Distance: | 3 km (return) | |
| Time: | 1.5 hours | |
| Grade: | Moderate (steep sections) | |
| Wheel-friendly: | Yes (up to Top Points Lookout) | |
| Dog-friendly: | Yes (on a lead) | |
| Route: | Google Maps | |
4. Bluff Reserve Walk
Bluff Reserve is a pocket of bushland spread across Glenbrook and Lapstone, situated just north of the Blue Mountains railway line.
A short but enjoyable bushwalking trail inside the reserve passes three scenic lookouts: Lapstone Tramway, Bluff, and Chalmers Lookout.
Lapstone Tramway Lookout in particular offers excellent views of the railway line and the historic Glenbrook Tunnel.
Read more: Bluff Reserve Walk.
| Bluff Reserve Walk | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 1 km (part loop) |
| Time: | 1 hour |
| Grade: | Easy (some steps) |
| Wheel-friendly: | No |
| Dog-friendly: | Yes (on a lead) |
| Trailhead: | Google Maps |
5. Jellybean Track
Jellybean Pool is one of the most popular swimming spots in the Blue Mountains, located on Glenbrook Creek just south of the Glenbrook town centre.
The pool is easy to reach, with a dedicated car park only 100 metres away, although you can also take the longer Jellybean Track if you prefer a nice bushwalk.
This mildly steep 500-metre trail starts at the southern end of the main car park at the national park entrance and leads to the Jellybean car park.
Read more: Jellybean Track.
| Jellybean Track | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 1 km (return) |
| Time: | 1 hour |
| Grade: | Easy / moderate (steep sections) |
| Wheel-friendly: | No |
| Dog-friendly: | No |
| Trailhead: | Google Maps |
More highlights in Glenbrook:
Beginners Guide to the Blue Mountains
Grab our ebook and discover seven of the finest walks and seven of the most scenic lookouts in the Blue Mountains, perfect for first-time visitors.
