Tidinbilla Nature Reserve: Johns Peak, Tidbinbilla Peak and Tidbinbilla Mountain

General Information

Grading:  hard

Distance:   14.5 kilometers

Total climb:   948 meters

Time taken:   6 hours 30 minutes
Moving time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Maps:   Tidbinbilla 8627-2S 1:25 000

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:   52.7 kilometers

Start point map grid reference: 55H FA 71480 74646

Destination map grid reference:  none

Dates walked: 12 June 2026

 

Route

 

Description

I have hiked these peaks several times in the past, but never the three of them together. This was made possible by the opening of the Mindjagari Track network in 2025 which (among other things) linked Tidbinbilla Peak and Tidbinbilla Mountain.

The walk starts at the Mountain Creek car park in the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. From the car park we followed the Camelback Fire Trail up to where it intersects with the track to Johns Peak (55H FA 72075 78543). We made Johns Peak in good time and went on to Tidbinbilla Peak and Tidbinbilla Mountain along the Mindjagari Track. The only new section for me was the Track between Tidbinbilla Peak and Tidbinbilla Mountain, which is not as easy as it seems on the map: rocky ground and a few substantial climbs. The views from all three peaks are superb, but Tidbinbilla Mountain is the only one to offer 360 degree views.

After lunch on the Mountain we headed towards the Snowy Corner Track and began our real descent back to the car park, stopping at a viewing chair on the way to take in a final view over the Tidbinbilla valley.

The walk down was quite steep, strenuous, and very slippery after recent rain. It's not a great distance - only 3.6 kilometers - but it took us 1.75 hours to get from the top of the Mountain back to the car park.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: Pierce Hill

General Information

Grading: medium
Distance:  14.25 kilometers
Total climb:  675 meters
Time taken:  4 hours 45 minutes
Map:  Cotter Dam 8627-2N, 1:25 000, Tidbinbilla 8627-2S, 1:25 000
Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  31 kilometers
Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 73871 83758
Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 72654 80387
End point:  same as start

Route

 

Description

This walk commenced at the locked gate on the Tidbinbilla Range Road at map reference 55H FA 73871 80387. Proceeding past the gate, we walked along the road to Pierce Hill, slightly off the road to the left. Some nice views along the way.

 

 

Continuing past Pierce Trig to the south we came to a track on the left (map ref. 55H FA 72775 79977) that leads down a ridge towards Oakey Creek. This is quite steep and treacherous initially.

 

 

The track winds through some very nice bushland looking back towards Pierce Hill before entering Pierces Creek Pine Forest.

 

 

We followed forestry trails back to our starting point.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: Johns Peak

General Information

Grading:  hard 

Distance:  14.3 kilometers 

Total climb:  708 meters 

Time taken:  3 hours 20 minutes 

Map:  Tidbinbilla 8627-2S, 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  52 kilometers 

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 71471 74628 

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 71378 77330 

End point:  same as start

 

Previous Similar Walks

6 June 2019, 21 June 2019, 16 July 2020

Route

 

Description

Another hike to Johns Peak from the Mountain Creek Carpark, following the official track. I had originally planned to continue on to Tidbinbilla Peak, but the weather conditions at the top of the range were awful: cold temperature, strong winds and heavy clouds.

Refer to previous walks for more details.

 

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: Gibraltar Peak via Devils Gap

General Information

Grading: medium

Distance: 12 kilometers 

Total climb: 575 meters 

Time taken: 3 hours

Map: Tidbinbilla 8627-2S 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  46 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 74405 73675

Destination:  55H FA 76675 74314

End Point:  Same as start

 

Route 

 

Note: Forget about the straight line shown below at the end of the walk. It appears that my GPS watch had a slight glitch.

 

Description 

This walk started at the Devils Gap carpark on the Tidbinbilla Reserve ring road. I  followed the Devils Gap fire trail past the gate at the border of the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve and down to the intersection of numerous management trails at map reference 55H FA 75791 72572.

I took the first trail on the left, which headed back in the general direction I had come from.

This trail is quite rough and a bit overgrown, so I started my habitual snake scanning as I progressed up the hill. At map reference 55H FA 75730 73058 there was another trail heading off to the left.

I followed this trail around to the top of the hill just north of Devils Gap. At map reference 55H FA 75630 73273 I left the track and went bush, following the ridge line down the first hill and up and down a second. The bush was not easy, but not particularly difficult either. Initially it was a bit like this:

Toward the top of the second hill, however, it became a bit rocky and scrubby and my progress was a lot slower. I was also looking out for snakes behind every rock and fallen branch.

By following the ridge I eventually came to the fire trail leading up to Gibraltar Peak, which I had to climb once again to take in the view.

Coming back down from the Peak to the management trail I turned left and went down a very steep slope and followed the signs towards Woods Reserve. This took me along the Gibraltar South fire trail and back to the Devils Gap trail. From there it was an easy walk back to the car park.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: Spur 1 Trail to Camelback Fire Trail

General Information

Grading : easy

Distance:  9.33 kilometers 

Total climb:  460 meters

Time taken:  2 hours 15 minutes

Map:  Tidbinbilla 8627-2S, 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  47 kilometers 

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 73043 74179

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 71866 75588

End point:  same as start

Route

Description

I began this walk at the Koala Enclosure car park just off Tidbinbilla Reserve Road. I walked back along the road until I saw a track off to the left and followed that in a generally northeast direction through a mix of management facilities for the Reserve and some very nice bushland.

This turned out to be the Man on Horse Trail, which I followed until I turned left at the Spur 1 Trail. This trail is relatively steep in some places, but gave some views of the Tidbinbilla Range as I climbed.

Eventually I reached the Camelback Trail, and briefly considered bush bashing my way through to Red Hill, off to the southeast from there. I decided against it due to the fact that I was on my own (never a good idea while bush bashing in unfamiliar terrain where nobody knew I might be going) and thickening scrub.

So instead I walked back down the Spur 1 Trail and the Man on Horse Trail until I reached Tango's Track on the right (this is signposted - photographed below on the way up). 

I followed Tango's Track back to Mountain Creek Road, and from there back to the start point.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: Tidbinbilla Mountain

General Information

Grading: hard

Distance:  7.9 kilometers 

Total climb:  772 meters 

Time taken:  4 hours 12 minutes 

Map:  Tidbinbilla 8627-2S, 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  52 kilometers 

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 71471 74628 

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 69509 75951 

End point:  same as start

Route

Description

This was essentially the same as the walk I completed on 7 December 2019 (link).

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: Devils Gap and Gibraltar Falls

General Information

Grading: hard

Distance: 11.9  kilometers 

Total climb: 658 meters 

Time taken: 4 hours 15 minutes 

Map: Tidbinbilla 8627-2S 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  46 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 74405 73675

Destination:  55H FA 75503 71261

End Point:  Same as start

 

Route

 

Description

This walk started at the Devils Gap carpark on the Tidbinbilla Reserve ring road. I first followed the Devils Gap fire trail to Devils Gap and then turned right on to a well-marked walking trail.

 This walking trail at first goes through some very nice wooded grassland.

After a short time the track starts to descend down the other side of Devils Gap via a large number of steps before getting back to a fire trail not far from Corin Road. Reaching Corin Road I turned left along an old fire trail (these days little more than a walking track) the parallels Corin Road and comes back to it just across from the Woods Reserve access road. I went down to Woods Reserve and at the end of the campground there is a gap in the fence which is the start of the formal trail up to Gibraltar Falls.

I followed the formal trail up to the eastern side of the top of the falls, although the last section was closed for some reason or other (as was the viewing platform at the other side of the falls). Nevertheless I was able to get to a rock shelf just off the trail with views back towards The Pyramid and of the top of the falls themselves.

Returning back down the trail, when I got back to Gibraltar Creek near the campground I decided to head up the creek to see if I could get a view of the bottom of the falls, encouraged by what looked like a decent walking trail. It soon became apparent, however, that the trail was no such thing and I had to scramble over and around large rocks with the steep sides of the gorge limiting my choices.

Although it was physically exhausting I continued my scramble, even after an ill-advised jump from one rock to another very nearly compromised my left ankle, and I finally made it to the base of the falls.

Rather than scramble back along the creek the way I had come I decided to climb back up to the walking trail I had gone up and down earlier. This also proved to be quite difficult - very steep and covered with rocks and post-bushfire regrowth. I followed the walking track back to Woods Reserve and gave myself a well-earned lunch break.

Getting back to Corin Road I headed towards a management trail across the road and to the left. This trail doesn't seem to be used much these days and was quite rough and rocky. And also steep.

Eventually the trail meets up with the Devils Gap fire trail and I followed this back to the car.

 

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: Gibraltar Peak (4)

General Information

Grading: easy

Distance: 8.6  kilometers 

Total climb: 347 meters 

Time taken: 2 hours 55 minutes 

Map: Tidbinbilla 8627-2S 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  44 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 74969 75487

Destination:  55H FA 76750 74318

End Point:  Same as start

 

Route

 

Description

An ascent of Gibraltar Peak from the Dalsetta Carpark, all along the walking track and returning the same way.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: The Pyramid

General Information

Grading: medium

Distance: 6  kilometers 

Total climb: 386 meters 

Time taken: 3 hours 22 minutes 

Map: Tidbinbilla 8627-2S 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  46 kilometers

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 74391 73673 

Destination:  55H FA 74948 72338 

End Point:  Same as start

 

Route

 

Description

The Pyramid (1172 metres) is a peak on the southeastern side of the Tidbinbilla Valley between Devils Gap and Stantons Gap. Note that the Tidbinbilla map does not name the peak as "The Pyramid", but marks it with the elevation only. Note also that there is no walking track to the summit of The Pyramid from Devils Gap.

The start point for this walk is the Devils Gap carpark just off the Tidbinbilla Ring Road. We crossed to the other side of the road from the carpark and started up the Devils Gap fire trail. We followed to the fire trail to the Devils Gap signpost (about 2 kilometres from our starting point), getting some views of our destination along the way.

Just past the Devils Gap signpost on the right is a walking trail which forms part of the "Devils loop" walk. We walked down this trail for a short distance until we found a point where we thought it made sense to head bush and commence our climb to the summit. The climb was quite steep and we had to negotiate our way through some scrub and avoid prickly plants. Near the summit we started to see large boulders, some with interesting shapes.

In short order we made it to the summit which was quite rocky and covered with ferns below and small trees all around. There is a cairn that presumably marks the summit, or perhaps just someone's idea of where the summit might be.

Due to the fairly dense tree cover we could only get partial views of the surrounding area, although we tried a number of vantage spots.

We returned to the carpark the same way we had come up.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: Cascade Trail

General Information

Grading: easy

Distance: 2  kilometers 

Total climb: 110 meters 

Time taken: 50 minutes 

Map: Tidbinbilla 8627-2S 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  49 kilometers 

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 71466 74628 

Destination:  Loop walk

End Point:  Same as start

Route

Description

The starting point for this walk is the Mountain Creek carpark in the west of the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, at the end of Mountain Creek Road. We started by following the well signposted Lyrebird Trail and then turned off to follow the Cascade Trail, which loops back to the Lyrebird and thence back to the carpark.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: Camels Hump (4)

General Information

Grading:  medium

Distance:  12.8 kilometers 

Total climb:  600 meters 

Time taken:  3 hours 15 minutes 

Map:  Tidbinbilla 8627-2S, 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  49 kilometers 

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 71471 74624 

Destination map grid reference:  55H FA 72016 79083 

End point:  same as start

Route

Description

This was my fourth visit to Camels Hump using this route, though my first in almost four years. For details refer to my first walk there (link).

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: Jedbinbilla

General Information

Grading:  easy

Distance:  8 kilometers 

Total climb:  238 meters 

Time taken:  2 hours 20 minutes 

Map:  Tidbinbilla 8627-2S, 1:25 000 

Start point distance by road from Canberra GPO:  43 kilometers 

Start point map grid reference:  55H FA 74538 75990 

Destination map grid reference:  n/a 

End point:  same as start

Route

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

Description

This walk started at Blewitts carpark. Our first challenge was to get across the Tidbinbilla River at Blewitts since there is no bridge and the water level was quite high after recent rain. After some exploration we found a fallen tree which I was able to balance-walk across, although my less agile co-walker took the lower branch which enabled him to balance with his hands on the main trunk.

Across the river we found the River Road and followed it south for a bit before we found a walking track on the right which we followed up to another management trail which we followed southwest, west and north until it became the Man on the Horse Trail. At around map reference 55H FA 73690 75953 we found a walking track on the right which we decided to follow to see where it went. This took us through some rather nice bushland with views to the east and the Tidbinbilla Range to the west.

The walking trail eventually led us to a point near the intersection of the Spur 2 Firetrail and Split Rock Trail. We followed Split Rock Trail and it was here that we first came across the new wallaby enclosure fence.

We followed Split Rock Trail until Gilmore Road, which we started to follow back to our start point. There was a gate in the wallaby enclosure fence on Gilmore Road which we had to pass through. We followed Gilmore Road until it met the Boundary Trail where we turned right and found the beginning of the river walking track. Although this is a short track it is well worth following and was a highlight of the walk.

The trail took us through to Blewitts where we finished the walk with a nice lunch and an excellent bottle of wine.