Length: 10.2km
Duration: 4hrs
Grade: 2
Style: Return
Start: Square Rock Trail Carpark
End: Square Rock Trail Carpark

Location: Namadgi National Park
Closest Town: Canberra
Distance from CBD: 51km
State: ACT
Latitude: -35.51880773
Longitude: 148.9148471

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2WD Access

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Bitumen Road

Gravel Road

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Namadgi National Park...

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Timber Boardwalk

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Mountain Bike Trail

Historic Rail Trail

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Trail Running

Horse Riding

Square Rock Trail is a 10.2km, grade 2 return hike, located in Namadgi National Park, ACT. The hike should take approximately 4hrs to complete.

Hike Summary

The Square Rock Trail is a sheltered gentle incline hike along a distinct trail which passes through ash and eucalypt woodland and concludes at a prominent granite outcrop known as Square Rock. A metal ladder provides easy access to a large rock ledge for great views across Brindabella Ranges. A short detour from the trail takes you to the Orroral Valley Lookout, from which you get further views down the valley once farmed by early European settlers and in which a space tracking station operated in the late 20th century. Without this detail the total return hike is 8.5km

About the region

Namadgi National Park

With remote wilderness experiences, a wide range of natural environments, an abundance of native wildlife, and Aboriginal and European cultural sites, there are many reasons to visit Namadgi National Park. Namadgi covers 106,095 hectares, with 160 kilometres of marked walking tracks. Visit the Namadgi Visitor Centre to get expert advice and see displays and audiovisuals. The Visitor's Centre is open 9 am to 4 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 4.30 pm on weekends and public holidays. It is closed Christmas Day.

Walking is a great way to explore Namadgi National Park, with 160 kilometres of walking trails to explore the park.

The following table outlines some of the popular walks within the park. Click on the name of the trail to load a trail guide.

Notes on the park's 160 kilometres of marked walking tracks can be found in the Namadgi Map and Guide, available at the Namadgi Visitor Centre shop and the Canberra Regional Visitor Centre for $4.50.

For more information, a location map and facilities please visit the ACT Government Information Portal.

Getting there

Follow signs via sealed roads to Corin Forest from Canberra's southern suburbs. Once on the Corin Road, proceed for several hundred metres past the Corin Forest Mountain Reserve on your right and look out for a large gravel carpark on your left. This is the new Square Rock trailhead.

Tips

A good family hike without being overly taxing.
There is a walkers' register at the start of the trailhead.
While the trail is generally through sheltered woodland, at Square Rock the wind can whip up and on wet days it can get slippery.
Fortunately there is good shelter in the rock formations for a pleasant rest stop regardless of weather.
Don't get confused when you come across a giant cube-shaped rock towards the end of the trail. This is not Square Rock, but fascinating all the same. Keep going another few hundred metres to reach Square Rock itself.
Make sure you take the short detour to the Orroral Valley lookout, though a bit of scrambling is needed to get the best views.