Square Rock Trail (10.2km)

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

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.