The Blue Mountains: Short solo walking trails and bird watching in Glenbrook

When my partner and I visited Sydney in December 2022, we grasped the opportunity to stay for a while in the Blue Mountains.

In the beginning, we stayed with friends (who had a car) in Katoomba in a motel, where we hiked some of the Three Sisters, Bridal Veil and to the Mermaid Cave. Here we got a sample of the sub-tropical rainforest and the local wildlife of the Blue Mountains.

While the Three Sisters is the main-attraction for one-day visitors visiting the Blue Mountains, this means it is the most crowded area to visit, so if you enjoy your own company and want to properly escape the crowds, you can try something different and hike from Glenbrook!

If you are looking for breathtaking views, good hikes and have the time to stay in the Blue Mountains while not being too far from Sydney, look no further than Penrith, Glenbrook and Lapstone.

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Self-guided walking trails near Glenbrook, the Blue Mountains – just 2 hours from Sydney!

From Glenbrook station I ventured out on some short solo hikes into the Blue Mountains. I stayed at a hotel in Penrith, near the Nepean River just two hours from Sydney city centre.

Common bronzewing in the Blue Mountains National Park

Staying in Penrith and hiking in Glenbrook (Blue Mountains National Park)

The following short-medium distance hikes are possible to do without having a car, plus they are easily accessed from Penrith, Lapstone and Glenbrook via public transport (bus/train) or with Uber:

Red hands cave walk (my personal favorite)
Jellybean pool track
Gorge track
Blue pool track

You can access all of these hikes within 20-40 minutes walk via concrete paths from the train station in Glenbrook (and some of the bus stops in Glenbrook). It is easy to find your way to the Glenbrook entrance of the National Park if you use Google Maps or even better the app Maps.Me (I recommend downloading offline maps in Maps.Me).

Essentials: Bring snacks, a charged mobile phone, suitable clothing for the weather (bring a waterproof jacket just in case), and snacks (you can buy some really delicious food in Glenbrook!).
Drinking water can be obtained for free from the Glenbrook Office & Depot – NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, just besides the public toilets.
Stay updated and visit the official Park Authorities’ Website to read about any alerts in the areas, and get useful information about facilities, maps of the areas and much more.

It’s super easy to travel by public transport in the Blue Mountains! Just like in Sydney, you can use your credit card to tap-on tap-off on any travel.

My favorite walking trail near Glenbrook: Red hands cave walk

This Red hands cave walk is considered a grade 3 difficulty, which is suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Some parts have steep sections, and it is advised to have some bushwalking experience.

The hike is officially 6 km from one of the car parks, but from the Glenbrook entrance it is roughly 8 km plus the ~2 km from the station in Glenbrook – thus it is roughly 12 km return if you’re on foot from the train station!

If you are quiet during your hike you may be lucky to see or hear a lyrebird, which was famous on YouTube for copying sounds like a car theft alarm and a chainsaw!

I really enjoyed this hike since the vegetation changed along the stream, as I climbed higher and higher. It was also interesting to view and read about Aboriginal culture at the Red Hands Cave (see picture below).

The vegetation changes along the Red Hands Cave trail

Hand prints from Aboriginal people in a cave in the Blue Mountains National Park

Fascinating geology along the Red Hands Cave trail

Jellybean Pool track

The Jellybean Pool is easily accessible from Glenbrook and the main entrance to the Blue Mountains National Park Glenbrook Entrance.

It is possible to swim in the pool (at your own risk of course!) and there is sand so you can make a proper beach trip here.

It is a cool spot where you can relax, dip your toes and enjoy the view.

Beautiful rock formations en route to Jellybean Pool in Blue Mountains National Park

If you venture out in the bush around the Jellybean pool, be aware that of course wildlife is present in this national park (see more at the bottom of this post!).

The Jellybean Pool in Blue Mountains National Park

The Gorge Track near Glenbrook

On this trail you venture outside the path once you have reached the river at the bottom of the gorge. Like the trail to Jellybean Pool, this hike goes downwards and like the information sign at the Glenbrook Entrance advice; some rock scrambling is part of this hike.

So if you are ready to get outside your comfort zone and get off the beaten track, this may something for you. However, if you are hiking alone and don’t have any ‘bush’ experience you may not find this trail appealing.

There is a risk of getting lost and tripping over rocks, as well as getting heat exhaustion and probably other risks too, this trail is only for well experienced hikers.

I found my own personal limit when I reached the bottom of the gorge and the trail continued ahead towards the Nepean River. Then I decided to head back home, as the clouds started to assemble and the rain started dripping down on my jacket.

I had spend a couple of hours on this trail as I did some photography and bird watching along the way.

Beautiful rock formations on a hiking path in Blue Mountains National Park near Glenbrook

A creek along the Gorge Track — The river along the Gorge Track in the Blue Mountains National Park

Wildlife in Blue Mountains National Park near Glenbrook

There is plenty of wildlife and birds to see in the Blue Mountains National Park, given you have the patience and eyes to spot them.

A pair of binoculars is always helpful, they don’t have to be big or fancy to get a closer look at what you find along the trail.

If you have a camera with a zoom function, and you manage to get a photo of the bird you want to identify, there are now many intelligent apps that can aid you with the identification, as well as any proper sound recordings made by a smartphone, making bird identification available to a wider public.

One of my favorite apps is iNaturalist, which I use for plant and insect identification, while I use the app Merlin for bird identification.

Eastern spinebill, a beautiful nectar-feeding bird seen in the Blue Mountains

Variegated fairywren in the Blue Mountains National Park

During my three hiking days in the Glenbrook I saw 19 bird species such as Spotted pardalote, Satin bowerbird, Red-browed firetail, White-throated Treecreeper and Scarlet myzomela.

Eastern yellow robin in the Blue Mountains National Park

I hope that you enjoyed reading this post, and you feel inspired to try some of the short-medium hikes and trails near Glenbrook, Penrith and Lapstone. Feel free to share a link with anyone who may be visiting the Blue Mountains in Australia 😊

– Traveling Female Ornithologist