Hidden away in the little known Bugong National Park on the South Coast lies a secret grotto. This jumble of rocks and overhangs create a fun little spot for rock scrambling, as well as lots of great angles for photography.
It’s not nearly so extensive as The Grotto in Nowra, so if you haven’t done that one yet we’d recommend that first, however it does have something of the same vibe about it, albeit on a smaller scale. It’s massively off the beaten track unless you’re a rock climber, so you’re very unlikely to see another soul, yet it’s close to both Kangaroo Valley and Nowra.
Here’s how to find it and what to expect when you do.
The Bugong Grotto
The stats
Distance: 320m each way
Elevation gain: 20m
Difficulty: Easy, but requires one scramble
Trailhead: Abernethys Road, Bugong National Park
Summary: It’s a very short walk to get to the start of the grotto and though there isn’t always a defined path it’s quite straightforward.
There are a few rocks to climb but no scrambling required to walk through the most photogenic section. To get to the second section requires one scramble, which we’ll detail in the notes below.
The walk to the Grotto
From the lay-by where you park your car (coordinates: -34.811222, 150.451500 - you can find it on Google Maps by clicking here) you will see a tree with a painted yellow dot and a worn trail leading uphill towards a rock wall.
The path is in good shape, though uneven underfoot. After 40m you will reach the cliff line, with an overhang directly ahead.
The dirt path heads right, past the overhang.
Follow this obvious worn footpad for 35m and then head back towards the rock wall on the left. There are technically two paths here, but both get you to the same place and we tried both, so just pick whichever one you see most obviously.
One heads uphill and follows the rock walls closely, whilst one stays in the bush a little longer before heading uphill towards the grotto.
Rocky path
Bush path
If taking the bush path it’s a little overgrown, but still easy to get through and not scratchy if you watch out for the vines. Both paths are easy enough, with rough patches but no scrambling.
They both converge beside a large cliff wall and this is only 100m into the trail, so you can see how short both routes are!
Hug the rock wall for 40m and make a left when you see the big rocks/boulders. Climb up the rocks - which is easy and just a few steps - and then up one boulder, also easy and follow the next rock wall.
Then climb down the narrow rocky path into the grotto, which is just 200m from the parking area.
The coordinates for the grotto are: -34.8124000, 150.4502957 (you can see it on Google Maps by clicking here).
Through the Bugong Grotto
The first part of the grotto you come to is the most picturesque and almost feels like a mini canyon. It’s very short and less constricted than a proper slot canyon, but it’s still very atmospheric with high sculpted walls that tower above you.
I only wish it went on for longer! Walking through is easy as it’s a smooth ‘path’ through. I think photography-wise the best angles which make it look most like a canyon are from the far end looking back to the entry.
It takes just a minute to reach a large boulder which hides the drop down into the next part of the grotto. It’s easy to climb up onto the large rock but then you do have to drop to the ground below.
It’s not far but you can’t touch the ground and have to slide off.
It’s a bit more awkward on the way back and I actually used the additional rocks to the left to climb up, though Joe could do it by just hoisting himself up the big rock. If you think you might find it awkward make sure you have someone with you to lend a hand if needed.
You can continue through the grotto for a further 130m. There are some rocks to climb over and some little bushy bits, but it’s pretty easy to get through.
There are some great overhangs up to the left with lots of gorgeous honeycomb like formations. You could climb up into them, though we personally didn’t.
You’ll reach the end of the rock walls and can walk out of the grotto and continue on a much more overgrown track.
However, we followed it to the next large set of boulders a few minutes away, but this was more of a spot for rock climbers and didn’t really offer anything for hikers.
When you’re ready to leave the grotto you retrace your steps, you’ll probably take the rock wall (not bush track) on the way back as this is the more obvious route to follow when in reverse. The difficulty is the same for the return walk, except for that big boulder which I personally found a bit more awkward to get up than down!
Parking for and getting to the Bugong Grotto
There is no official car park for the grotto, but room for around three cars to pull fully off the dirt road right beside the trailhead. The coordinates for the parking area: -34.811222, 150.451500 please make sure you don’t block the road.
If coming from Nowra (25 minutes away) the last 5.3km of the road to the parking area is gravel, but well graded and suitable for any car at time of writing. If you are worried or if visiting after a big weather event, it’s best to check with the National Parks Service before travelling.
There are two possible routes coming from Kangaroo Valley, both will require some gravel road driving too, though we personally didn’t use these routes so can’t comment on the road conditions. Kangaroo Valley is between 25 and 35 minutes away depending on the route you take.
There are no facilities anywhere close to the grotto, so please plan accordingly and pack out all rubbish with you.
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