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Six Foot Track
The Six Foot Track is the old horse and carriage track that runs between Katoomba and the Jenolan Caves - while you can ride it in either direction (or both if you desire), when I last did it we drove to Katoomba, caught the bus to Jenolan Caves and rode back. It is a mixture fire tail, sniggle, paddocks, and steps, that take you over mountains, through forests, across rivers and over paddock fences. There are plenty of ups that hurt and brake glowing downs and about 1000 steps at the end to hike a bike up. It over 42k's because they run a marathon over the course.
I did it over 5 years ago (when my maximum ride time was about 1.5 hrs) and I only just made it out as the sun set. I was FUBAR.
I'm tempted to do it again (maybe next year when the calendar clears) and wanted to gauge the interest and find out if anyone else has done it. This is a long hard ride so it's not for beginners or the unfit. There are no shops or facilities so whoever goes in must be able to make their own way out. It will take a full day with maybe 5-6 hours of riding.
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Not all of the track is open to riding.
As it stands the SFT is managed by the department of lands under a trust. Unfortunaly for us the trust is set up to manage it as a walking trail.
A trial MTB access period was instigated a while back and recently we've been talking to the manager of the track to increase and expand on this.
However he stresses that on going legal access to the trail depends on compliance with a few rules.
The portion open for cycling is between Megalong Valley Road and Jenolan Caves Road on a trial basis. An addition to the trial area now includes the section between Katoomba and Megalong Valley Road.
There are some restrictions:
Bikes must be carried or walked through the steeper parts of the Nellie’s Glen section. Once the track opens onto the larger fire trail you can remount and ride.
There is a section of private land where cycling is not premitted at all, cyclists are required to use a short section of Nellies Glen Road close to Megalong Valley Road, avoiding Mitchell’s Creek.
The short section of track linking up with the suspension bridge on the Jenolan side of Cox’s River must not be ridden. cyclists are to continue a further two kilometres along the Katoomba side of the Cox’s River, and then cross the river near the campground- the original and authentic route of the track. If the river is high and is dangerous to cross, then cyclists are allowed to cross the bridge, however they must walk the track connecting the bridge to the Cox’s River Camp Ground.
Riding and walking around steps is to be avoided because it causes track widening and erosion. Also speeds are to be kept in check, you should always be in control of your bike. It is most important to avoid skidding- ride, don’t slide. If you can’t: then walk your bike.
All the official info can be found here.
http://www.lands.nsw.gov.au/recreation/six_foot_...
There is also the option to park at Black Range and ride the funner bit of the track then loop back along the Lower fire rd. This passes through several gates, shut them as you pass.
Count me in for that one Paul. Maybe the loop Flynny is talking about would be the better option, no transport worries.
have this as a 45km route with 27kms for MTB - they have a pretty good description and video - I'd be keen on having a look at this as well.
I've have ridden twice there, but I parked in Megalong Valley and rode up to just past the Cox's river and back. So I'd be keen to do the rest.
John.
Did the track a couple of times in the past, took us around 5 hrs including lunch stop at Cox's river.
Best to start at the Jenolan end of the track for the great down hill runs to the river, no one in their right mind would want to ride up them. We hired a bus for the day which dropped us off at the Jenolan end and picked us up near the base of the steps at Blackheath, with cold beers waiting and a relaxing ride back to Sydney
I'd love to ride there. Let us know where and when!
sounds like fun... sort of!
I emailed Jon Guyver Dept of Lands (Administrator - Six Foot Track Heritage Trust)regarding access and here is his reply
"At present MTB’s have unrestricted access on the track between the Jenolan Caves Road and the Cox’s River Camp Ground and on a trial basis only between the Megalong Valley Road and the Cox’s River. All other areas of the track are off limits."
It all sounds promising. I am going to purchase a map that details all the access trails and to make sure we can exist at Katoomba via Megalong Valley Road.
I'll keep in touch.
been there done that - nearly forgotten the pain
a group of us did this early this year
http://picasaweb.google.com/rosafabri/200733MTBB...
it hurt a lot. Mind you it was 39 degrees that day - ended up taking us over 9 hours due to some wally (erm me) cramping seriously about 25km in, and a serious bit of lost time when we missed a marker and found a bunch of beehives instead (ouch!).
The track is a great ride, but really is a walking track - clearly long enough ago that I almost think its a good idea again. We were all shattered at the end, despite several good training rides.
We went to Jenolan caves on the Saturday, had a great dinner and too much wine that night in the restaurant and started early the next day.
My advice, start at the top of the valley - the concrete walkway from the caves up to the roadway is practically unrideable and really just designed to kill your achilles tendons when you push up it- source of my cramp I am convinced.
We left a couple of cars at the Megalong Valley - we didn't go right to Katoomba as the last bit is just a stupid number of steps.
Happened to be the day of the biggest lightening storm in the Blue Mountains for the summer that took out the power for a large part of the catchment - late night pizzas in Blackheath in candlelight when we were FUBAR was kind of interesting, as was the torrential downpour driving home.
There are a lot of steps, and a few fantastic downhills with nasty surfaces but it was a pretty good ride. A swim at the campground was a welcome relief - there is a water tank there but need purification tablets and a filter for it. The suspension bridge was interesting but actually quite difficult - next time I'd ford the stream instead.
Might be in - almost forgotten how much that hurt...
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if at first you don't succeed, try not to look astonished.
"My advice, start at the top of the valley - the concrete walkway from the caves up to the roadway is practically unrideable and really just designed to kill your achilles tendons when you push up it"
It's also off limits to bikes anyway.
Jenolan to Black range off limits anyway - yep that would be why we walked it.
Dunno about the rest of you but I have a pathological dislike of walking while pushing a perfectly good bike. One of our group thought it might be a good warm up, and as he was the only one who had been there before we all followed like good little lambs - suffice to say he paid later. It is a horrible hike a bike - excellent footpath/track but nasty steep and about 2-3 km.
If I wanted to walk I'd talk up tramping...
I had forgotten all about that part, it must be something to do with the mind suppressing a truely traumatic experience - that was shear hell.
On the bus from Katoomba to Jenolan Caves the bus driver offered to drop us at the top of the hill (where the trail meets the road) and we said no because we wanted the full experience - we ended up with the fool experience.
Best avoid starting at the Jenolan Caves.
I now have a map, so based on the Dept of Lands email "MTB’s have unrestricted access on the track between the Jenolan Caves Road and the Cox’s River Camp Ground and on a trial basis only between the Megalong Valley Road and the Cox’s River.", the track available to ride is;
Take Megalong Valley road back to Katoomba at 1100 metres - distance around 15.0k's on blacktop.
1) Begin at the Jenolan Caves Cottage which is 4k's out of Jenolan Caves on Kiaora Hill 1192 metres.
2) 4.5k's to Black Range camping ground 1210 metres.
3) 10.5k's to Rain Guage 986 metres.
4) 4.0k's to Alum Creek Camping Ground 575 metres.
5) 2.0k's to Mini MIni Saddle 700 metres.
6) 4.5k's to Cox's River 300 metres.
7) 7.5k's to Megalong Valley Road 580 metres.
Total 51k's.
When I did it we caught the bus from Katoomba to Jenolan Caves (about 50k's), the other alternative is to shuttle.
Submitted by Heckler on Thu, 23/08/2007 - 18:41.
"We hired a bus for the day which dropped us off at the Jenolan end and picked us up near the base of the steps at Blackheath, with cold beers waiting and a relaxing ride back to Sydney"
Why Heckler, I like the cut of ya jib son.
pay attention all this is the only, i repeat only, way to to the six foot track...
at the very least put a car down at the cemetery on Megalong valley road (with esky) and then shuttle back to the start to pick up the other cars, while those who didn't draw the short straw drink the refreshing beer in the shade at the causeway down from the cemetery.
There are also some exciting rides down the Coxs River, one linking with Megalong, the other linking with Black Range road.
Anyway there are also cabins on the Coxs River (20beds), a bit like a YHA. if you want to hang around and explore down river. They about $30 a night, beds, water, loo, kitchen etc, gas lighting, no electricity. You can book on 0401505138 or 98103695.
Hope it helps.
i rode to the top of the hill after coxs river with arpit earlier in the year leaving from the bottom of megalong valley we parked at the start of the trail head ,the ride was fantastic all the way ,the hill is never ending switch back we stopped at the top and turned around ,time wasnt on our side that day to go any further ,the run down the fire road is extremely fast and loose but worth the pain if you like speed otherwise the camp ground at coxs river is a nice place to hang out at