Bicentennial National Trail ‘Shorts’: Jenolan Caves to the Cudgegong River

Short Horse-Trekking Routes Along Australia’s Bicentennial National Trail

Not every country can boast of having a 5330km long horse trail, however, nor can many boast of having the time to complete such a venture.

So while a year-long epic thru-trek along the Bicentennial National Trail may be a while off yet, why not test your horse-packing mettle and enjoy the scenery for a week or so on the following ‘BNT short’.

JENOLAN CAVES TO THE CUDGEGONG RIVER

Region:  NSW (Blue Mountains)

*TO PACK: Credit cards, Glad Rags

Heading north from Jenolan Caves, five trekking nights in a row can be spent in commercial accommodation. For those who hate to rough it, there’s no need to fiddle around with tent pegs or bucket water from creeks on this stretch!

For a trek on the BNT without having to forgo creature comforts, spend a night at the lovely Jenolan Cabins (horses welcome too, of course), perhaps with a tour of the nearby caves for those who are happy to play tourist. The following evening can be spent in one of Hampton’s B&B’s, perhaps with an evening meal at the Hampton Halfway Hotel, overlooking the beautiful rock walls and valleys of the Blue Mountains.  The next day finds you bedding down at the Rydal hotel for night three (yards for horses available nearby).

Next up is the town of Wallerawang, where there are a host of commercial accommodation and dining options. To really give the credit card a thrashing, take a short detour from the BNT down Wolgan Road the next day, where you can stay at one of Australia’s finest hotels. This is the Emirates Wolgan Valley, with a hefty price tag of $2500 per night (!).

On the other hand, if you feel like you might be up to roughing it for a few days, make your way along the BNT from Wallerawang through Gardens of Stone National Park and the Glen Alice Trail. When you finally emerge from the bush after a few days, you can treat yourself with a stay at the beautiful Wilderness Bunkhouse on Coricudgy Road, just south of the Cudgegong River. With a huge, grassy paddock and float access, the horses will love it even more than you!