The Rigby Hill Track is a short but scenic trail in the Bells Line of Road area of the Blue Mountains, offering panoramic Grose Valley views.
This 1.2 km return trail leads to a hill on top of a sandstone escarpment from where visitors can soak in the views of the valley and its surrounding cliff walls.
For a complete list of things to do in this beautiful part of the Blue Mountains, read our guide to the Bells Line of Road.
| Rigby Hill Walking Track | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 1.2 km (return) |
| Duration: | 1 hour (including stops) |
| Grade: | Easy / moderate (uneven surfaces) |
| Dogs: | Not allowed |
Getting There
The Rigby Hill Track can be accessed via the Pierces Pass Picnic Area at the end of Pierces Pass Road off Bells Line of Road (see map location).
Pierces Pass Rd is located approximately 1.5 km west of Mount Banks Road and 2.5 km southeast of Mount Wilson Road. The road is unsealed and somewhat steep, but driving with a 2WD vehicle is manageable. You’ll find a well-sized parking area at the end of that road.
Note that this is also the starting point of the challenging Pierces Pass, a fantastic hike that links up with the Grose River in the Grose Valley.
Map
Here is a map of the Rigby Hill Walking Track, including Bells Line of Rd, Pierces Pass Rd, and the parking area:
Track Notes
The short hike up to Rigby Hill is a fun walk through fantastic scenery. The track is a bit rough at times, with a few steep sections, but overall, it’s a pretty easy walk.
The return walk can easily be completed within one hour, including time spent enjoying the views. We do recommend wearing good hiking shoes as the path can be a bit challenging in some sections.
You will find the starting point of the Rigby Hill walking track at the parking area at the end of Pierces Pass Rd.
Note that this parking area fills up quickly on the weekends because the popular Pierces Pass also starts from there. You can try parking a bit further up the road if the parking area is at capacity.
The walking track is very easy to follow, from start to finish.
The first part of the walk is mostly uphill through bushland, followed by a section through open scenery with beautiful district views.
Once you reach the end of the walk, on top of Rigby Hill, the views of the Grose Valley are breathtaking.
This is still a bit of an undiscovered area in the Blue Mountains, where you won’t find too many tourists around.
When you’re on top of the hill, be mindful that there isn’t any fencing around the cliff edges.
As such, it’s important to be cautious while exploring the area, especially when walking closer to the cliff edges facing the valley.
For a bit of perspective, the Blackheath area is located on the opposite side of the Grose Valley, with Perrys Lookdown towards the left (east), and Hanging Rock towards the right (west).
Further away, looking towards the east, you may be able to identify Mount Banks and Du Faur Head.
After visiting Rigby Hill, we recommend doing the Walls Lookout Walking Track. The trailhead for this walk is at the parking area at the start of Pierces Pass Road, so it’s very close by. It’s only a short walk so can easily be done on the same day!
