Stromlo Forest: Brown Hill

General Information

Grading:  easy

Distance:   10.8 kilometers

Total climb:   266 meters

Time taken:   2 hours  25 minutes

Maps:   Canberra 8727-3N 1:25 000
             Cotter Dam 8627-2N 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   17 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  Canberra 55H FA 82106 92209

Destination map grid reference:  Cotter Dam 55H FA 80526 88953

End point:  same as start

This was the second time I had done this walk, the first being on 16 October 2018.

Route

http://maps.six.nsw.gov.au/

Description

This walk commenced at a small parking area at the western edge of Stromlo Forest just off Uriarra Road. We followed the unnamed management trail to the southwest and then south, generally keeping to the right when we came to a fork in the trail. The walking is pretty gentle, with a few creek crossings and a generally open aspect. I had my first sighting of the snake season, with a red-bellied black snake watching me alertly from the side of the track. There were also some particularly nice views over toward Cotter Dam along the trail.

Reaching Brown Hill we followed the trail east and then turned off onto the rough track to the summit. There are excellent 360 degree views from there.

Rather than returning the same way, we continued down the hill in an easterly direction before taking another trail to the north.