Here is a list of fairly popular sandstone canyons giving what I think is grading for quality (1 – 5 with 5 highest quality) and technical difficulty (E = Easy, M = Medium, H = Hard)
Canyon,Quality,Technical Difficulty,Abseils,Accessibility
- Devils Pinch,4,M,y,2wd
- Newnes Canyon,3,M,y,2wd
- Pipeline Canyon,3,M,y,2wd
- Firefly Canyon,2,M,y,2wd
- Tigersnake Canyon,3,EM,y,2wd
- Dry Canyon,3,E,n,2wd
- Surefire Canyon,4,M,y,2wd
- Heart Attack Canyon,3,M,y,2wd
- Galah Canyon,3,MH,y,2wd
- Thunderstorm Canyon,2,M,y,2wd
- Closet Canyon,2,M,y,2wd
- Breakfast Creek Canyon,2,M,y,2wd
- Coachwood Canyon,,,y,2wd
- Rocky Creek Canyon,5,E,n,2wd
- Twister Canyon,2,EM,n,2wd
- Deep Pass Canyon,2,E,n,2wd*
- River Caves Canyon,3,E,n,4wd
- Waterfall of Moss Canyon,2,M,y,2wd
- Whungee Wheengee Canyon,4,MH,y,2wd
- Water Dragon Canyon,3,M,y,2wd
- Geronimo Canyon,2,M,y,2wd
- Upper Wollangambe Canyon,3,E,n,2wd
- Wollangambe Canyon – Upper Tourist Section,3,E,n,2wd
- Wollangambe Canyon – Lower Tourist Section,3,E,n,2wd
- Du Faurs Creek Canyon,4,E,n,2wd
- Bell Creek Canyon,5,M,n,2wd
- Why Do’t We Do It In The Road Canyon,3,M,y,2wd
- Bowens Creek – North Branch – Lower,3,M,y,2wd
- Bowens Creek – North Branch – Upper,3,EM,y,2wd
- Bowens Creek – South Branch – Upper,4,M,n,2wd
- Bowens Creek South Branch – Lower,4,MH,y,2wd
- Yileen Canyon,2,M,y,2wd
- Wotta Canyon,,,y,2wd
- Magnifying Glass Canyon,2,M,y,2wd
- Dalpura Canyon,3,EM,y,2wd
- Koombanda Canyon,3,EM,y,2wd
- Dargans Creek Canyon,4,EM,n,2wd
- Claustral Canyon,5,MH,y,2wd
- Ranon Brook Canyon,5,MH,y,2wd
- Thunder Canyon,5,MH,y,2wd
- Fortress Ck Canyon,3,M,y,2wd
- Grand Canyon,4,EM,y,2wd
- Mt Hay Canyon,4,MH,y,2wd
- Jugglers Canyon,2,EM,y,2wd
- Empress Canyon,2,M,y,2wd
* except for the last 100 m of the road.
Thank you for the outstanding blog David. It is my first choice for information on locations in the Blue Mountains and source of inspiration.
The grading of the canyons is really helpful but can you provide a few suggestion on which canyons are able to be accessed using a small 2WD SUV and no abseiling required.
Ged
That is a good suggestion. I will add that information soon.
Dave that would be great.
Really like the detail that you have provided in the update. It is clear and succinct and will allow me to do some planning.
Hi David, I’ve been following your blog for quite some time now – find it very informative (love your photographs too) and use it as a ‘treasure chest’ full of great hike ideas. I’ve always wanted to photograph canyons but was put off by the abseiling bit as I have zero experience in this area.
Do you know of any abseiling trainings you could recommend?
For now I will start with Rocky Creek canyon and Bell Creek canyon.
Your grading of difficulty and 2WD/4WD accessibility is very helpful.
Thank you.
The commercial guiding companies based at Katoomba do offer abseiling instruction. You can also pick up this skill if you join a bushwalking club – a lot of people learn that way. If the club offers canyoning as an activity then it will probably have abseiling instructional activities too.
Thank you David. Will look into it:)