Before I start this post, please, please make sure you look after yourself when you are hiking. We are not invincible so just be careful and don’t carry on if you feel unsafe and don’t put yourself in any situation that might be dangerous just to get a photo.
Heading Out To Exercise During Self-Isolation? Loosely use this post as a guide to find new hikes in Sydney.
Try to stay away from crowds and keep at least 1.5m away from others.
1. Mares Forest Creek Canyon Hike At Wombeyan Caves 2h/3h hike and swim
Although this post is in no particular order, my part hike, swim and sort of canyoning adventure through the Mares Forest Creek Canyon is without a doubt the best thing I have ever done in Sydney, hands down.
It’s a 3 hour drive out to Wombeyan Caves. You can stop off at the information office when you arrive to get some walking directions if you need to. Once you’re directed onto the right path, it’s a pretty easy 30 minute walk to the water.
You’ll then need to strip off to your swimmers or wetsuit if it’s winter or Spring, then time to embrace the cold water.
My friend and I went completely unprepared and I’d advise wearing some sort of aqua shoes for this one as you’ll be walking, swimming and climbing over rocks. The scenery is completely mind blowing and I must admit, it’s easily one of the best hikes near Sydney.
Expect crystal clear, emerald waters and you’ll just want to keep on going as far as you can. It is amazing!
Also, you can sack off Jenolan Caves (even though driving through the cave is a bit of a novelty) because Wombeyan Caves are incredible. We went on a self guided tour to have a massive cave all to ourselves! It was amazing!
There’s a fantastic campsite here that’s worth staying in for the weekend if you didn’t want to drive there and back in one day.
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3. Hanging Rock Hike In Blue Mountains 2.20 hr return
Although Hanging Rock in Blue Mountains is a popular hike, nothing quite prepares you for the views you get when you reach the end.
It’s an easy to follow hike which would be impossible to get lost. We were in complete awe of this place.
If you have the desire to stand at the very edge of this famous rock, be aware as it’s incredibly dangerous. There’s a big gap in the rock which you have to jump over which was way too scary in my eyes.
When I went there, there were loads of people and only one person jumped over the rock. It was also really windy as well and very scary. But this place is without a doubt worth visiting, it’s incredibly beautiful there.
4. Maitland Bay Hike In Bouddi National Park 40 minute hike return
Source: icentralcoast
The best hike to a secluded beach in Sydney is without a doubt Maitland Bay.
The 20 minute walk down to the beach was easy, but it was the beach which was incredible.
This secluded beach was so incredibly beautiful, we felt like we could have been in the Mediterranean with the calm waters. This place is total paradise!
If you’re looking to take that perfect insta worthy shot on your hike, it doesn’t get much better than taking here at Sea Cliff Bridge.
There’s a lot of confusion about how to find this lookout but I have it all covered complete with a video below. Just make sure you don’t use the track next to the railway lines as you’re looking at a good $400 fine.
7. Resolute Beach Hike In Sydney 1.30hr return hike
Another one of my favourite beach hikes in Sydney is to Resolute Beach in Kur-ring-gai National Park.
It’s mind blowing to think this is located right over the water from Palm Beach but you’ll honestly feel like you’ve found the most beautiful gem to exist near Sydney.
Take the boat from Palm Beach over to Mackerel Beach, then follow the beach all along to your right until you find the track. This will take you right next to the crystal clear waters and over to a pretty much secluded Resolute Beach.
A easy 30min-45min hike to Mermaid Pools in NSW is a must. When you arrive at the pools, you’ll be in awe of how this was once a sacred spot for Aboriginal women to bathe in.
The only thing is, if you want to swim in these pools, you’re going to need to jump from quite a high cliff into them. Be warned; if you do jump, it’s at your own risk as there have been injuries here.
Me on the other hand couldn’t quite face it so I went back up stream to enjoy the water in the most beautiful pools. I really felt like I was immersed in nature here and it was awesome.
It’s a long hike, but I’d recommend taking your bikes for a lovely ride as the path is bike friendly and easy to follow.
When you reach the end, dump your bikes to the side and follow the stream to the left. You’ll then come to the very top of the falls.
Please note, there is no safety restrictions at the top of the falls so don’t get too close. Also, don’t even bother trying to get to the bottom of Gerringong Falls, it’s way too dangerous (trust me I tried it here!).
We headed up to the West Head Lookout Point over to Palm Beach which is gorgeous then on our way back, we stopped off at the America bay starting point and started on our hike.
It’s a very easy 20 minute hike to the beautiful lookout of America Bay. It’s a beautiful spot to bring a picnic and enjoy the quietness on your weekend.
11. Wentworth Falls Hike In Blue Mountains 2 hours return
One of my favourite hikes I’ve been on is to Wentworth Falls. It’s a very busy hike to the first stage of the falls which I think most reckon that’s the bottom, but it’s not! The hike is amazingly designed and the path meanders into the cliffs and under cliffs, and the stairs – there’s lots of them.
After you reach the first stage of the falls, continue on and the crowds disappear. You’ll be faced with some questionable staircases but just don’t look down and you’ll be fine!
It’s all worth it when you get to the bottom as the falls are incredible. There were only two other couples there at the bottom when we went, we couldn’t believe how empty it was after the masses we saw before.
It looks pretty daunting from the bottom but I was surprised it only took me 15 minutes at the most to get to the top and that was walking very slowly in my sandals!
The views up at the top are incredible, you’ll be blown away that this actually exists near Sydney!
If you’ve heard of Karloo Pools, these tend to be pretty busy because it’s easy to get to from using public transport (Heathcote train station), it’s just a half an hour hike.
When you get to Karloo Pools, walk over the rocks on the left and continue on for about another hour and you’ll come to the massive Olympic Pools. We attempted to find this pool twice because we just couldn’t find the track from Karloo Pools. Just keep to the left hand side of the pools and you’ll find it.
When we got to the pool, it was the first ever wild swimming spot we found with not one other person in sight. To be honest, we didn’t actually swim here because we were unsure whether it was safe, but of course it is!
In saying that, I really loved the final section of the hike from Wedding Cake Rock and onto Big Marley Beach which opens out to an incredible coastal hike in Sydney you need to do1
It’s funny how everyone headed over to the non-exciting Wedding Cake Rock, but once I continued on for the last 1.3KM it was pure bliss.
There wasn’t really anyone else around and once the track opened up onto Big Marley beach, it made me heart sing. What a sight! And Big Marley is also one of my favourite beaches near Sydney!
15. White Sands Coastal Walk In Jervis Bay 2 hour return hike
The White Sands Coastal Walk in Jervis Bay is absolutely spectacular! I found it hidden deep within the internet and somehow knew it was going to be a proper hidden gem. Little did I know, it’s an amazing walk everyone needs to do!
This coastal hike in NSW will introduce you to some of the best beaches in Australia. That’s right, I’ve called it, some of the most beautiful beaches not only near Sydney but in Australia!
The water is green and the sand is white, that you’ll find the whitest sand beach in the world on this hike. Finish the hike with breakfast or lunch at the gorgeous Hyams Beach Cafe.
You’ll pass through some incredible homes that are completely cut off from the world. How do they get supplies there if there are no roads? We spoke to a local and they all pay for a helicopter to fly in supplies every so often. It’s mind blowing to think this is just an hour from Sydney.
We were in complete envy of living in a secluded environment like this. Shame about all the hikers passing through, but the views are stunning!
What I hadn’t read before is how beautiful this hike actually is. You can get here via the train from Sydney to Otford or via car. Just make sure you plan your hike to low tide and read our post about the 8 things you need to know before you go there so you don’t waste your time.
Hiking in Sydney wouldn’t be complete without an actual hike in the city itself. Although Bondi is renowned for its famous Bondi-Coogee hike which in itself is an amazing hike, have you ever done the hike from North Bondi – Watsons Bay?
When I did this hike, I couldn’t believe how empty the path was. You’ll get some knockout views but without the crowds plus you’ll get to see the amazing Diamond Bay.
And a new edition…
The Grand Canyon Walk Blue Mountains
We’ve finally ticked off one of the best walks in Sydney, the Grand Canyon Walk Blue Mountains! Find out everything you need to know before you tackle this incredible hike down to a rainforest believed to be over 100 million years old!
Read Our Hikes In Blue Mountains Below!
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18 Best Hikes In Sydney
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Annie
