Hike at a Glance
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Hike overview
Garigal National Park is blessed with an extensive network of tracks and trails that can be enjoyed by walking, by mountain biking, or by horse riding. Stepping Stone Crossing to Cascades trail is one of several tracks located on Middle Harbour Creek, near Chatswood. Perfect for a Sunday stroll, this track joins Cascades trail with Pipeline and Bungaroo tracks, and Davidson Park to Stepping Stone Crossing. Be sure to check out these other tracks so you can plan your adventure.
This gently undulating trail follows creek banks lined with diverse wet eucalypt forest, including blackbutt, swamp she-oak, angophoras and black wattle, until it reaches a gorgeous series of rockpools known as 'Cascades'.
At Cascades, you'll see remnants of a sandstone wall that was built in 1928 to dam the first pool. While swimming is not recommended here today due to urban run-off, it's a lovely spot to take in an abundance of wildlife and enjoy birdwatching. Look out for azure kingfishers, cockatoos, kookaburras, parrots and owls. In the water, you may spot water dragons and other reptiles, as well as several saltwater fish species.
Track grade
Grade 3 (Moderate) - Walks for Most Fitness Levels: Grade 3 on the AWTGS represents moderate walking tracks. These are ideal for walkers with some fitness who are comfortable with some hills and uneven terrain. While suitable for most ages, some bushwalking experience is recommended to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Tracks may have short, steep hill sections, a rough surface, and many steps. The total distance of a Grade 3 walk can be up to 20 kilometers.
Walk map and GPX file
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Explore safely
Planning this hike? Most incidents develop before you even start. Safe outcomes depend on how navigation, hydration, environment, load and judgement work together. Small oversights can compound quickly in Australian conditions. See how it happens in the Hiking Safety Systems Foundations. Then use the Hiking Safety Systems, planning calculators, and make sure a trusted contact has your trip plan before heading out.
Leave a trip plan
Before you go, complete a trip intentions form and share it with a trusted contact. Agree on a Late-Back Time and ask them to call 000 (Police) if you have not checked in. A clear trip plan is one of the simplest and most effective safety steps you can take.
Planning checklists
Download the hiking preparation and safety checklists before leaving home to help you think through your plans. They help ensure important considerations are not overlooked and support safer decision-making on the trail.
Getting there
Getting to the trailhead: Garigal National Park.
To Douglas Street, St Ives. Stepping Stone Crossing to Cascades trail is in the central precinct of Garigal National Park. To get there:From Belrose: From the end of Rawson Parade, take the road past the large repeater tower (right) and house (left) to the signposted ‘Heath trail’ intersection (to the right), then take Heath track, Bare Creek track and Cascades trail for approximately 3.7km to Cascades.From St Ives: From Douglas Street near Acron Oval, take Cascades trail for approximately 1.3km to Cascades at Middle Harbour Creek.From St Ives: Enter Pipeline trail from Hunter Avenue, turn left and walk approximately 300m to the signposted start of Bungaroo track on the left, then take Bungaroo track to Stepping Stone Crossing over Middle Harbour Creek to Middle Harbour Creek track.From Davidson: From Stone Parade, take Cascades trail for approximately 1.5km to Cascades at Middle Harbour Creek.From Davidson: From John Oxley Drive, take Davidson trail to Governor Phillip walk, turn right and walk for approximately 500m to Stepping Stone Crossing to join Middle Harbour Creek track.From Forestville: From Davidson Park, take Lyrebird track and Governor Phillip walk for 3.8km to Stepping Stone Crossing and Middle Harbour Creek track. Park entry points Douglas Street, St Ives See on map Hunter Avenue, St Ives See on map Stone Parade, Davidson See on map Parking Street parking is available nearby along the end of Rawson Parade (Belrose), Stone Parade and John Oxley Drive (Davidson) and Douglas Street or Hunter Avenue (St Ives). It can be a busy place on the weekend, so parking might be limited.
Visit NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service for more information on this trail.
The longitude and latitude of the start and end points are approximately only and should not be used for navigation purposes. Please contact me if you know the correct coordinates.
Need a rental car to get you to the hike? Find one here.
Accommodation nearby
Find accommodation close to the trailhead including hotels, cabins, and campgrounds. Use the interactive map to explore available options in nearby towns.
Nearby towns: Allambie Heights, Belrose, Davidson, Forestville, Frenchs Forest, Lindfield, Manly, Manly Vale, Narraweena, North Manly, North Turramurra, Northbridge, Round Corner, St Ives, Terrey Hills, The Entrance, Wahroonga, West Pymble
About the region
The Garigal National Park is a protected national park that is located within the North Shore and Forest District regions of Sydney, New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The 2,202-hectare national park is situated approximately 20 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district.
Similar walks nearby
Looking for more walks in or near Garigal National Park? Try these trails with a similar difficulty grade.
Gallery
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Acknowledgement of Country
Trail Hiking Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we hike and pay respects to their Elders, past and present, and we acknowledge the First Nations people of other communities who may be here today.





