The Sassafras Gully walk is a fabulous circuit track in the Lower Blue Mountains. Unlike many of the trails in the mountains, it’s not about big views. In fact, there aren’t any views at all, but what you do get is a beautiful atmospheric forest which is teeming with wildlife.

If you’re a lover of lyrebirds, then this is the track for you. We saw 10 and heard even more scratching in the undergrowth! We couldn’t believe it, it’s easily the most we’ve ever seen on one track.

You’ll make your way through the gullies and over creeks, passing small waterfalls and picturesque overhangs. It’s also completely shaded making it an ideal walk for a warm day, there’s even a lovely pool where you can take a dip.

Here’s exactly what to expect on the Sassafras Gully track, one of our favourite walks in the lower mountains.

The Sassafras Gully Track

The stats

Distance: 10.2km
Elevation: 333m
Difficulty: Moderate

Summary: The Sassafras Gully Loop isn’t a hard walk, however at the time of writing (October 2020) a lot of trees have fallen across the path. This makes the section between Glenbrook Creek and Perch Ponds slow and arduous at points.

If you want to take the turn off to see the bottom of Magdala Falls, it is off track, not difficult, but you’ll have to climb over some boulders and logs.

Where to start the trail, by car or by train

If you’re driving you can start the trail on Sassafras Gully Road. You’ll then have a very short period of walking along residential streets to get back to your car.

It’s also an easy walk to do by public transport as it’s only 1.4km from the train station to the start of the trail and 1.2km at the end of the bush track back to the station again. We’ve done it both ways but the most recent time was by car so our write up is from when you hit the official trailhead.

The Sassafras Gully Loop

Heading into the bush

You’ll head straight into the bush and the track begins descending on a rocky path. After around 600m you’ll see the scenery get noticeably greener and more lush.

A few hundred metres further down and it begins feeling damp and atmospheric.

The vegetation becomes more dense and there are numerous overhangs. The path is easy to follow but does have some rocky sections.

After 1.5km you’ll come to a signpost where several trails are marked but they don’t mention the Sassafras Gully loop. Avoid the path marked for Faulconbridge and carry on over the creek.

Hiking through the Sassafras Gully Trail

Walking in lyrebird central

As you walk along the gullies from this point in look out for lyrebirds! Well I say look out, but you probably won’t have to look very hard - we saw four in quick succession over the next few hundred metres.

Whilst still a little shy they didn’t seem as fazed by people as on other tracks we’ve been on. They would wander along the path just ahead of us and only head up the cliff sides if we were getting too close.

Lyrebird crossing the path on the Sassafras Gully Walk

We saw many more right up until the end of the track which was such a delight! Although even with the regular sightings, we still found it hard to get photographs as during the lens change they would inevitably head into the undergrowth!

After the initial creek crossing, you’ll also start to notice that there are a few fallen trees over the track. At first they are relatively few and far between and easy to navigate past.

As the walk continues there are more and more fallen trees and debris, and whilst none require any kind of gymnastics, they do make it a little slower going than the first time we did this walk when the paths were clear.

At points there were so many trees down that the trail has basically been washed away. You always find it again quickly, but it’s definitely a bit more of a work out than it used to be!

The good news is the trail is pretty flat for a long stretch and it’s very relaxing along the sections where the path is totally clear, you can just zone out and admire the forest and the many different birds.

After 2.3km you’ll come to another junction and you want to take the path on the left marked as the Wiggins Track.

Onto Perch Ponds

After around 800m you’ll come to a small campsite and just beyond it is the gorgeous swimming hole at the junction with Glenbrook Creek.

The water was clear and inviting, and if you want a swim we’d recommend it here, as other pools had quite a lot of debris (though we’ve since returned to Magdala Falls and when there is a good flow, it’s a wonderful swimming spot too). It’s a really gorgeous spot and would also make a nice place for a picnic.

From the pool you’ll begin heading uphill fairly steeply for the next 200m or so. Then the path begins to flatten and this is where the section with a higher density of fallen trees begins.

As mentioned it becomes a little hard to follow in places, and you have to climb up and over several trees at a time and over the odd rock. It’s not difficult as such but it is slow going at points.

The tree ferns on the Sassafras Gully Loop

After just under 2km you’ll arrive at Perch Ponds campsite. It’s a nice enough spot but I definitely preferred the one by the creek if you’re planning on doing an overnighter.

From Perch Ponds you could make a 1.8km detour (each way) to Martins Lookout. We didn’t have time so continued on the Sassafras Gully loop, but it looks like a lovely view so we’ll be back for that one next time.

Onto the waterfalls

The next part of the walk heads uphill from the campsite on the narrow Magdala Gully Track.

More hiking on the Sassafras Gully Trail

After 500m you’ll arrive at Martins Falls. To reach the falls themselves requires descending a couple of metres from the main track on well maintained steps.

Before you get your hopes up you need decent rainfall for any of the waterfalls in this area to really be running. Martins Falls was just a dribble on two of our three visits here (the picture you can see is the only time we’ve seen it with any water), but the whole scene is still lovely, with high cliffs, ferns and noticeably cooler air.

If you do get the chance to walk this track after rain it really does bring the forest to life, not just the waterfalls, but the creeks, trees and ferns too. It’s also the best time to spot the weird and wonderful colourful fungi that this track is known for.

We’ve done it in both wet and dry conditions and wet is definitely my preference for this reason, the only downside is that you might pick up an unwanted hitchhiker or two in the form of leeches!

After Martins Falls you head uphill for a few hundred metres to the turn off for Magdala Falls. Again you have to walk off the main track to reach the base of the falls, but it’s worth it. If there is a decent flow in Martins Falls, then Magdala should be running well too. We’ve written more about that and what the swimming hole is like in this guide.

The view of the falls from the on track lookout isn’t great, in fact due to foliage you can’t really see them at all!

The small glimpse you can get of Magdala Falls from the main track

Completing the circuit

A few hundreds metres beyond Magdala Falls you’ll cross the creek and the forest begins to get drier. We saw yet more lyrebirds around this area, as well as a shy echidna and a large Eastern water dragon.

We even saw a couple of ducks swimming along the creek which look completely out of place, I wonder where they came from!

After some time walking along predominantly flat paths in the dry forest you’ll reach another gully and it becomes greener once again.

The paths are lined with ferns and it’s a beautiful stretch of track, alive with bird song. The walk continues to be fairly flat or with gentle undulations all the way through the forest until you come to the junction with Picnic Point and Springwood Station.

If you drove you’ll want to head left over the small bridge and up the staircase to Picnic Point. If you got the train you’ll want to continue straight on to the station. Either way there’s a bit of a climb to finish on.

All in all, the Sassafras Gully loop is a great walk for lovers of forests and birdlife, with the opportunity for a big view if you don’t mind adding on 3.6km.

Sassafras Gully by night: on the hunt for glow worms

Having recently hiked the Birdwood Gully track by night to see the magical glow worm colony, we wondered if this gully - being so close by - would also have glow worms. As we walked the trail by day, we kept an eye out for spots we thought might potentially be home to glow worms.

There are a lot of spots that we had earmarked and a few weeks later we returned to the gully by night to see if we were right!

We began our walk through the bush, which was definitely the most alive of all the forests we've hiked at night lately. There were possums galore and we regularly heard the thump of wallabies crashing through the trees too.

Happily we also found what we came for, glow worms! Although we only explored 900m of the track - though we suspect there are larger colonies further along - we found two spots which had those magical twinkling lights.

The first colony was around 600-700m along the track and off a little side trail to the left, but there were only around 30 or so here, so we'd recommend heading a few hundred metres further along. Here you'll find a much larger colony.

Whilst you can see a few of them from the path, the only way to truly experience the magic is to head down into the gully. It only takes a few minutes, but it is a little steep and slightly slippery in places. Once at the bottom watch out for the creek and rocks (there are enough rocks that you don't have to walk in the water).

You'll immediately see the densest patch of glow worms just ahead and I perched on one of the larger rocks to sit and admire them. You are able to get very close to them, so if you have a tripod you can get some pretty good pictures.

As we didn't find any evidence of this colony online, I can't imagine that there would be anyone here if you visit, we went on a Saturday night and there wasn't. For this reason, if you're happy for a little bit of a steep walk, and are up for a touch of adventure as you have to leave the main path, your reward will be an amazing glow worm colony all to yourself. Saturday nights don't get much better (or is that just me)?!

When you're ready to head back, it is quite steep, climbing 120m elevation in just 900m, but it doesn't take long, and the possums will entertain you along the way.

If you’re looking for an easier glow worm colony to visit, we have you covered in this post.

Packing suggestions for Sassafras Gully

Having the right gear can make a huge difference, especially in the Blue Mountains. It can be very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter, so you want to pack the right equipment. You will also want to additional things if you are going looking for glow worms.

Here’s what we pack and have relied upon for years:

Sunscreen: Cancer Council Active. With a high SPF, but not the greasy feel of other sunscreens. Makes a big difference when you’re working up a sweat on a sunny day! Check it out on Amazon
Good Rain Jacket: North Face This is an essential item we always pack in our bag! This jacket from North Face is designed to keep you dry but also comfortably warm (many rain jackets will make you feel like you’re in a sauna). Check it out on Amazon
Head torch with red light: If you’re going on the search for glow worms, a head torch is a must. We recommend this one as it has a red light. Check it out on Amazon
Day Pack: Osprey Talon 22 (we’ve owned this for years). Check on Amazon or direct with Osprey
Hiking Boots: Merrell Moab (for men and women). We’ve both used these for over three years and they just keep going. Check them out on Amazon
Trekking poles: We’ve used Black Diamond for years as they are light, solid and durable. Check them out on Amazon.
Reusable water bottle: To avoid single-use plastic. Check them out on Amazon

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, that we will earn a small commission if you click through and decide to make a purchase. This helps towards the costs of running our website. Thanks for your support.