It’s taken a few years for us to get round to doing this trail and now that we have, I don’t know why we waited so long! We had read about it online but no one really convinced us it would be as good as it actually is - it’s easily one of our favourites in the park!
The Cascades at the end of the trail are lovely but the magic lies in walking alongside the pretty creek on a sandy track lined with ferns, trees and hanging vines.
We hiked on a misty day and the low cloud hanging over the the forest and river made it feel like we’d been transported straight into a David Attenborough documentary.
This incredibly quiet trail exceeded all our expectations and must be one of Sydney’s best kept bushwalking secrets.
Here’s everything you need to know about the trail - and watch out because most of what we read online was pretty inaccurate!
The Stepping Stone Crossing to Cascades Trail
The Stats
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 11.9km return
Elevation: 248m
Type of Trail: One way
Starting Point: Hunter Avenue, St Ives
Starting the trail
The start of the track is not going to win any best bush walk awards. You are walking on a wide grassy path alongside a ginormous pipe.
The saving grace is that there are lots of pretty plants and flowers to your left.
Luckily though it’s only 1km before you reach the turn off on your left and leave the Pipeline Track behind as you start heading downhill on the Bungaroo Track.
It’s a pretty bush trail with the occasional view that looks out to densely packed trees on the opposite side of the creek.
The path is predominantly downhill, with some flat sections, on a mixture of stairs and dirt track. The steps get steeper as you near the bottom but that’s only really a thought for the way back up!
After the initial sign post the track is not marked. It’s pretty easy to follow but just make sure when you see the stairs cut into the rock, pictured above, between two large rocks that you head down between the rocks and not straight on (otherwise you’ll loop back to the big ugly pipe). This is 1.3km into the walk.
Onto the stepping stones
After around 2.5km you will have reached the creek and you start making your way left along the sandy path.
You’ll walk alongside it until you reach the stepping stones, which are roughly 200m from the end of the Bungaroo Track.
It’s a picturesque spot with the stepping stones crossing over the creek. They are huge and very easy to cross, even on a wet day it wasn’t slippery.
Directly up the river bank from the stepping stones you’ll find the last sign post of the entire walk until you reach the Cascades.
You want to turn left and this is where the trail becomes really pretty. You’ll soon see a junction where there are a couple of different trails, keep left to the track running alongside the creek.
Through the rainforest
So technically this is a wet eucalypt forest, but it felt exactly like rainforest to us! We had started this walk just after a downpour, so maybe it was extra atmospheric, but the whole forest was dripping with water and so lush green that it looked like a photo where the saturation had been turned up to max.
Whilst the sandy path is predominantly flat there are several bits which stop it being a straightforward walk in the park.
Fairly near the beginning there is quite a narrow section, the drop to your left is not very big but there is a rope in place if you need it (you probably won’t, I don’t want to make it sound scary!).
There are also quite a few rocks to clamber over and inbetween, one tight gap between the rocks even looked like a secret passageway!
Sometimes there are sections which start to feel like bush bashing. If it looks too much there is always a nearby alternative route, usually involving climbing up and around the obstacle.
There is one large rock which in dry conditions I would have been happy sliding down, but in the wet I wasn’t too keen. However, even this has an alternate trail to the right, which bypasses it. So although you will be climbing up and over rocks and tree roots throughout the walk, there are no sections of the trail that I would say are difficult.
Onto the cascades
At the 5.2km mark you’ll start to see some tiny cascades, that’s when you know you’re getting close to the end.
Keep following the trail as it continues to undulate. It’s pretty easy to lose the trail here, but it will soon head up a rocky path to your right, taking you away from the creek.
If you miss the rocky climb upwards, you will follow the river bank. This will still get to the start of the Cascades, but it will involve climbing over lots of fallen trees, and debris and swiping away low hanging branches etc.
It’s actually a lovely spot when you get there, but there is no way through to the rest of the cascades without heading back to the rocky uphill path (it’s only around a five minute detour though if you want to see this spot as well).
Following the rocky path, the trail opens up so you are walking on a wide rocky ledge and within minutes you will be at the main cascades. Depending on how much rain there has been they will either be a trickle or more substantial.
There are some white arrows on the rocks pointing towards the end of the trail, you’ll know you’ve got there because there is a sign post.
It looks like a lovely place for a dip, but we heard that it suffers from urban run off. You can’t tell though, if I hadn’t read that beforehand and it was a warmer day I would definitely have gone in!
I’m sure many people do and it would be very inviting on a hot day. At the least it’s a good place to paddle and have a picnic.
Heading back
You head back along the same trail again so you know what to expect. The only part that is noticeably harder on the return is the climb back up on the Bungaroo Track! Heading up there was actually more flat track than I had remembered though which is always good!
The only other thing worth noting is that the forest is so dense that the tree canopy keeps a lot of light out. It will feel darker in here a little way before it’s actually sunset, which makes a big difference if you tend to start your hikes a little later in the day (like we do)
The verdict
We loved the trail and can’t believe that it isn’t one of the more popular tracks in the area. The lush forest and pretty creek are reason enough to do this walk and the Cascades at the end are an added bonus.
Even if the Cascades aren’t flowing much which they weren’t on our visit, it’s still a great spot for a break. There is heaps of space for a picnic and several pools to paddle in.
Packing suggestions for Garigal National Park
Having the right gear can make a huge difference. Here’s what we pack and have relied upon for years:
Sunscreen: Cancer Council Active. With a high SPF, but not the greasy feel of other sunscreens. Makes a big difference when you’re working up a sweat on a sunny day! Check it out on Amazon
Good Rain Jacket: North Face This is an essential item we always pack in our bag! This jacket from North Face is designed to keep you dry but also comfortably warm (many rain jackets will make you feel like you’re in a sauna). Check it out on Amazon
Bushman Spray: Good for keeping off the mozzies and any other bugs. Check it out on Amazon.
Day Pack: Osprey Talon 22 (we’ve owned this for years). Check on Amazon or direct with Osprey
Hiking Boots: Merrell Moab (for men and women). We’ve both used these for over three years and they just keep going. Check them out on Amazon
Trekking poles: We’ve used Black Diamond for years as they are light, solid and durable. Check them out on Amazon.
Reusable water bottle: To avoid single-use plastic. Check them out on Amazon
Essential information about the Stepping Stone Crossing to Cascades Trail
Parking for the track
The best place to park for the trail is along Hunter Avenue in St Ives (you can find the location here). You can start at the beginning of the Pipeline Trail, or shave off a little by starting further down Hunter Avenue and taking the cut-through to Garigal National Park.
For an alternative route using public transport, please see the helpful comment at the end of the post.
Garigal National Park entry fee
If you start the track from Hunter Avenue there is no entry fee. You could also walk a different route to the Cascades from Davidson Park which has an $8 entry fee.
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Are you planning a walk in Sydney? Have you done the Stepping Stone Crossing to Cascades Trail before? Let us know in the comments below!
