Red Hands Cave Circuit via Campfire Creek

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Warning
This journey requires significant bushwalking experience, specialised equipment and navigation skills.
Please ensure you and your group well prepared and equiped for this journey.

Safer Bushwalks
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.

Getting There

Start	(-33.7800865,150.6172546)
Mode	Car (A park entry fee is required for driving into the park.)
Directions	From Great Western Highway, A32 Turn on to Ross Street then drive for 285 m Turn right onto Euroka Road and drive for another 2.5 km Turn right and drive for another 30 m

Track Notes

Getting started
From the car park, the track follows the 'Campfire Creek' sign down the hill. The track steeply descends the hill, winding to a 'Car Park' sign (pointing back the way you came).....

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start. Find the car park at the start.
	After another 165 m turn left, to head along Campfire Creek Track. After another 25 m pass the sign (on your left).
	After another 1.3 km veer left, to head along Campfire Creek Track. After another 90 m find the "Camp Fire Creek rocks" (20 m on your right). Camp Fire Creek rocks Camp Fire Creek rocks This large rock platform is situated above Camp Fire Creek. It has a some shade and room for a group to stop for lunch. A quite spot to rest. The rock slopes of the edge steeply and is unfenced, care is needed. + - This large rock platform is situated above Camp Fire Creek. It has a some shade and room for a group to stop for lunch. A quite spot to rest. The rock slopes of the edge steeply and is unfenced, care is needed.
	After another 540 m (at the intersection of Campfire Creek Track & Link Track) continue straight, to head along Campfire Creek Track. After another 45 m pass the sign (on your left). After another 1.1 km find the "Red Hands Cave" (on your left). Red Hands Cave Red Hands Cave Red Hands Cave, in the Glenbrook area of the Blue Mountains National Park, is found near the end of Red Hands Cave fire trail. The cave has quite a few hand stencils and prints of various colours (including red). The cave is well protected, with a perspex and steel cage. There are some information signs and some artifacts to help visitors learn more about the people who made these prints over 1600 years ago. In 1913, when searching for a lost child, this cave was found by Europeans and is now protected. + - Red Hands Cave, in the Glenbrook area of the Blue Mountains National Park, is found near the end of Red Hands Cave fire trail. The cave has quite a few hand stencils and prints of various colours (including red). The cave is well protected, with a perspex and steel cage. There are some information signs and some artifacts to help visitors learn more about the people who made these prints over 1600 years ago. In 1913, when searching for a lost child, this cave was found by Europeans and is now protected.
	After another 460 m (at the intersection of Red Hands Firetrail & Red Hands Cave Walking Track) turn left, to head along Link Track. After another 30 m find the "Red Hands Cave Picnic Area" (15 m on your right). Red Hands Cave Picnic Area Red Hands Cave Picnic Area Red Hands Cave Picnic Area is found at the end of the Red Hands Cave Fire Trail in the Glenbrook area of the Blue Mountains National Park. The small picnic area is next to the car park and has a couple of platforms (to act as both a table and seat) as well as a fire place and toilet. The toilet itself is wheelchair accessible, but access to the toilet is over moderately rough terrain. A good spot to rest when exploring Red Hands Cave. + - Red Hands Cave Picnic Area is found at the end of the Red Hands Cave Fire Trail in the Glenbrook area of the Blue Mountains National Park. The small picnic area is next to the car park and has a couple of platforms (to act as both a table and seat) as well as a fire place and toilet. The toilet itself is wheelchair accessible, but access to the toilet is over moderately rough terrain. A good spot to rest when exploring Red Hands Cave. After another 25 m pass the toilet (45 m on your right).
	After another 1.5 km turn left, to head along Link Track. After another 50 m pass the sign (15 m on your left).
	After another 380 m turn right. After another 65 m find the "Axe Grinding Grooves" (5 m on your right). Axe Grinding Grooves Axe Grinding Grooves These well-defined axe grinding groves are found on the sandstone bed of Camp Fire Creek. The grooves were formed by Aboriginal people when sharpening axes (or forming axe blanks). Rubbing the axe blanks would sharpen the stone into a more useful tool, and the process would also wear the sandstone, leaving these markings. These sites are typically found near water, as the water was added to make the stone more abrasive. Sites like this will fade in time due to erosion of the sandstone - please help them last as long as possible by not walking on, or close to the grooves. + - These well-defined axe grinding groves are found on the sandstone bed of Camp Fire Creek. The grooves were formed by Aboriginal people when sharpening axes (or forming axe blanks). Rubbing the axe blanks would sharpen the stone into a more useful tool, and the process would also wear the sandstone, leaving these markings. These sites are typically found near water, as the water was added to make the stone more abrasive. Sites like this will fade in time due to erosion of the sandstone - please help them last as long as possible by not walking on, or close to the grooves.
	After another 660 m turn left, to head along The Oaks Single Track.
	After another 175 m (at the intersection of Glenbrook Helipad Access & The Oaks Single Track) continue straight, to head along Glenbrook Helipad Access (a vehicle track).
	After another 305 m (at the intersection of The Oaks Single Track & Glenbrook Helipad Access) veer right, to head along The Oaks Single Track (a walking track).
	After another 1.1 km turn left, to head along The Oaks Single Track.
	After another 25 m continue straight, to head along The Oaks Single Track.
	After another 490 m turn left.
	After another 9 m come to the end.

Terrain

Red Hands Cave Circuit via Campfire Creek

Grading

	Class 5/6 Very challenging
Length	8.5 km
Time	3 h 15 min to 3 h 45 min

Quality of track	Rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely (4/6)
Gradient	Very steep (4/6)
Signage	No directional signs (5/6)
Infrastructure	No facilities provided (5/6)
Experience Required	Moderate level of bushwalking experience recommended (4/6)
Weather	Storms may impact on navigation and safety (3/6)

Some facilities on route

Toilet: There is one 3.7 km from the start.

Order of key facilities on route

Item	From Start	Name & link to notes
Toilet	3.7 km	[toilet]

Articles

Red Hands Cave
Red Hands Cave, in the Glenbrook area of the Blue Mountains National Park, is found near the end of Red Hands Cave fire trail. The cave has quite a few hand stencils and prints of various colours (including red). The cave is well protected, with a perspex and steel cage. There are some information signs and some artifacts to help visitors learn more about the people who made these prints over 1600 years ago. In 1913, when searching for a lost child, this cave was found by Europeans and is now protected.

Red Hands Cave Picnic Area
Red Hands Cave Picnic Area is found at the end of the Red Hands Cave Fire Trail in the Glenbrook area of the Blue Mountains National Park. The small picnic area is next to the car park and has a couple of platforms (to act as both a table and seat) as well as a fire place and toilet. The toilet itself is wheelchair accessible, but access to the toilet is over moderately rough terrain. A good spot to rest when exploring Red Hands Cave.

Axe Grinding Grooves
These well-defined axe grinding groves are found on the sandstone bed of Camp Fire Creek. The grooves were formed by Aboriginal people when sharpening axes (or forming axe blanks). Rubbing the axe blanks would sharpen the stone into a more useful tool, and the process would also wear the sandstone, leaving these markings. These sites are typically found near water, as the water was added to make the stone more abrasive. Sites like this will fade in time due to erosion of the sandstone - please help them last as long as possible by not walking on, or close to the grooves.

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