Towlers Bay Walk

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Time 4 hrs
Circuit 8.4 km Circuit
Climb 402 m
Grade 3 Moderate track
Car
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This walk explores another ridge of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and heads down a steep hill to the Towler's Bay community. You can explore the village and the ferry wharf before walking past the Youth Hostel on the walk back up. The Youth Hostel is available for an overnight stay, but book ahead. Please remember you are visiting a small community please respect the privacy of the local people.

(0km) West Head Road → Park Boundary

distance 2.9 km time 56 mins climb 54m descent -142m Moderate track
Starting from the gate on West Head Road, this walk follows the management trail. After about 2km, the trail starts to go downhill and turns to the right - there is a nice view over Morning Bay and up the Pittwater. Further down the hill, there is a sign marking the boundary of the National Park. (Soon after this, there is an optional sidetrack on the right, leading to a small dam - worth a short detour.) Approximately 100m after this optional sidetrip, the main trail comes to a track intersection.

(3km) Park Boundary → Woody Point

distance 1.1 km time 27 mins climb 43m descent -117m Moderate track
Turn right: From the intersection, the walk follows the track to the right that heads south. Before long, it comes to another intersection at the back of some houses (To the right is a track to Lovett's Bay). The walk turns left and follows the main track east - it is back from the water, but you will see many tracks which lead to homes and the water. Near the end of the track, you will see Woody Point and the Ferry Wharf in Morning Bay.

(4km) Woody Point → Youth Hostel

distance 600 m time 22 mins climb 88m descent -38m Easy track
Turn left: From Woody Point, there are signposts leading to the Youth Hostel. The walk follows Bona Crescent behind the houses (travelling with the power lines) until coming to a track on the left - the walk follows this road up the hill to another track intersection, where it turns right and follows the path up to the Youth Hostel.

(5km) Youth Hostel → Park Boundary

distance 940 m time 24 mins climb 75m descent -51m Easy track
Turn around: From the YHA, this walk heads back down to the intersection and turns right, following this track past a number of side tracks before coming to the Park boundary.

(6km) Park Boundary → West Head Road

distance 2.9 km time 1 Hr climb 142m descent -54m Moderate track
Veer right: This walk follows the main management trail back up the hill to West Head Road. After about 100m, the walk passes the National Park boundary, marked with a sign (the track on the left leads to a small dam, a worthwhile short detour). Keeping to the main trail, this walk heads up the hill. Just as the steep uphill starts to flatten out, walkers are rewarded with views up the Pittwater. The main trail continues north-west back to West Head Road.

Maps for the Towlers Bay Walk walk

You can download the PDF for this walk to print a map.
These maps below cover the walk and the wider area around the walk, they are worth carrying for safety reasons.

Mona Vale1:25 000 Map Series91301S MONA VALENSW-91301S
Broken Bay1:25 000 Map Series91301N BROKEN BAYNSW-91301N
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Tourist Map1:40 000 Map SeriesCMA Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Tourist MapCMA Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Tourist Map
Sydney1:100 000 Map Series9130 SYDNEY9130

Cross sectional view of the Towlers Bay Walk bushwalking track

Terrain profile for Towlers Bay Walk

Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Towlers Bay Walk

Altitude analysis for Towlers Bay Walk

Overview of this walks grade – based on the AS 2156.1 – 2001

Under this standard, a walk is graded based on the most difficult section of the walk.

Length8.4 km
Time4 hrs
.




Grade 3/6



Moderate track		AS 2156.1GradientShort steep hills (3/6)
Quality of trackClear and well formed track or trail (2/6)
SignsClearly signposted (1/6)
Experience RequiredNo experience required (1/6)
WeatherWeather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)
InfrastructureGenerally useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats) (1/6)

Some more details of this walks Grading

Here is a bit more details explaining grading looking at sections of the walk

Gradient

Around 7km of this walk has short steep hills, whilst the remaining 1.5km has gentle hills with occasional steps.

Quality of track

This whole walk, 8km follows a clear and well formed track or trail.

Signs

This whole walk, 8km is clearly signposted.

Experience Required

This whole walk, 8km requires no previous bushwalking experience.

weather

This whole walk, 8km is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation).

Infrastructure

This whole walk, 8km is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats).

Other Nearby walks

A list of walks that start near the Towlers Bay Walk walk.

Willunga Trig Walk

1.4 km Return, 40 mins

Willunga Trig Walk

On this walk you will visit the highest point in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. At the top of the hill is an old trig point and some stunning panoramic view. On a clear day, there is an uninterrupted 180-degree view across large parts of the park, including Pittwater to the east and distant glimps

Total climbing: 62m

Grade 3
  • Car

Moderate track

Salvation Loop Track

4 km Circuit, 1 hr 30 mins

Salvation Loop Track

This walk makes a circuit from West Head Rd around the Salvation Loop track in Ku-ring-gai Chase NP. The walk passes through wet heathland vegetation and around a hanging swamp. The thick heath vegetation along the track means that the views are mostly restricted, however it is still a nice walk wit

Total climbing: 80m

Grade 3
  • Car

Moderate track

Wallaroo Track

9.3 km Return, 3 hrs 45 mins

Wallaroo Track

This is a nice walk in the Ku-ring-gai Chase NP, passing through a mix of thick heath vegetation and more open forest. There are some great views over Cowan Waters from the end of the track.

Total climbing: 352m

Grade 4
  • Car

Hard track

Yeomans Track

9.9 km Return, 3 hrs 30 mins

Yeomans Track

This is a nice walk in the Ku-ring-gai Chase NP, passing through a mix of thick heath vegetation and more open forest. There are some good views over Cowan Waters from the end of the track and an optional side trip to a large rock outcrop with interesting texture and shapes.

Total climbing: 335m

Grade 4
  • Car

Hard track

Topham Track

3.8 km Return, 1 hr 30 mins

Topham Track

This is a pleasant walk along an old management trail, off West Head Rd. Following the ridge top you will pass through a variety of vegetation types including some dense heath and some tall scribbly gums which occasionally give way to a wide view over the park. There is a nice lookout at the end of

Total climbing: 127m

Grade 3
  • Car

Moderate track

Bairne Track to the Basin Lookout

7.6 km Return, 3 hrs

Bairne Track to the Basin Lookout

This relatively flat walk takes you through some woodland forests, open shrub and rock platforms to a lookout. There are great views over the Basin, and out to Narrabeen and north up the Pitt Water. The track is well defined, and the views are well worth the walk.

Total climbing: 176m

Grade 3
  • Car

Moderate track

Bairne Track to Towlers Bay Lookout

6.8 km Return, 2 hrs 30 mins

Bairne Track to Towlers Bay Lookout

This relatively flat walk takes you through some woodland forest, open shrub and rock platforms to a lookout. The views look over Narrabeen and along Pittwater. The track is well defined, and the views are well worth the walk.

Total climbing: 150m

Grade 3
  • Car

Moderate track

America Bay Track (to beach)

2.2 km Return, 1 hr 15 mins

America Bay Track (to beach)

This short walk has a great range of scenery, making it a great choice if you have only a short time in this National Park. This track one of two ways to access America Bay - the other is by boat. The track cuts straight through the bush from West Head Rd to pass historic Aboriginal engravings and a

Total climbing: 130m

Grade 4
  • Car

Hard track

America Bay Waterfall

1.9 km Return, 45 mins

America Bay Waterfall

This short walk is a great way to see a slice of what Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park has on offer. The track visits some historic Aboriginal engravings, and enjoys water views, heath and forest environments. The America Bay track also throws in a waterfall for your enjoyment - from the top of the f

Total climbing: 76m

Grade 3
  • Car

Moderate track

Elvina Bay Aboriginal Engraving Walk

508 m Return, 15 mins

Elvina Bay Aboriginal Engraving Walk

This walk offers good examples of local aboriginal rock engravings on an attractive elevated rock platform, with views into the distance. From the car park, the walk travels through mostly flat, scrubby bush, before gently rising through heath onto a tessellated rock platform. Rock engravings are

Total climbing: 3m

Grade 3
  • Car

Moderate track

Elvina Bay Circuit

4.5 km Circuit, 2 hrs 30 mins

Elvina Bay Circuit

This walk takes you down to an isolated waterside community, where you can amble along, looking at homes and a historic Grave Site. From Elvina Track Car Park, the vegetation changes from scrubby bush to she oak and large eucalyptus as you decend to the waters edge. The walking is mostly along a man

Total climbing: 201m

Grade 4
  • Car

Hard track

Elvina Track Walk

4.8 km Return, 2 hrs

Elvina Track Walk

On this walk, you will explore the isolated community of Elvina Bay, accessible only by boat or on foot. Starting at the Elvina Track car park, you follow a mostly level management trail, before descending steeply through she oaks and large eucalyptus to the coast and houses. At Elvina Bay Park, y

Total climbing: 218m

Grade 3
  • Car

Moderate track

Plan your trip to and from the walk here

The Towlers Bay Walk walk starts and ends at the West Head Road (gps: -33.618680, 151.26421)

car Car. A park entry fee is required for driving into the park.<br /> (get details)

Weather Forecast

This walk starts in the Metropolitan weather district.

A detailed forecast for this walk isn't available yet.

Current Alerts

Live alerts aren't available for this walk. Check the NPWS website for closures and the RFS for current fire danger.

Park Information

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park

A largely untouched wilderness on the northern boundary of Sydney, Ku-ring-gai Chase NP is one of Australia's oldest national parks. Here at the head of the Hawkesbury River, you'll find Aboriginal engravings and sites, as well as sandstone escarpments,

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