Ruined Castle Walk (Via the Golden Stairs)

The Ruined Castle Walk is a popular track to an iconic landmark in the Blue Mountains, starting at the challenging Golden Stairs on Glenraphael Drive.

It’s a beautiful walk through a lush rainforest setting, with scenic views to enjoy of Jamison Valley, the Three Sisters, Castle Head, and Mount Solitary from the top of the rock formation.

The Ruined Castle walk starts at the Golden Stairs car park on Glenraphael Drive.

To get there, turn into Glenraphael Drive from Cliff Drive (close to Scenic World) and follow this road for about ten minutes until you reach the Golden Stairs signpost.

This is the starting point of the Ruined Castle and Mount Solitary Walk. It also connects with the historic Federal Pass, which goes in the other direction to Katoomba and Leura.

Update 2026:
Glenraphael Drive is closed to vehicles due to a road subsidence, but is open to walkers and cyclists. A new walking track starting from Narrow Neck Lookout connects with Glenraphael Drive. The total distance to reach the Golden Stairs from there is about 1.5 km one way.
Alternatively, Ruined Castle can be reached via the Federal Pass from the Furber Steps close to Scenic World. Check the NSW National Parks website for the latest updates.

This is not an overly long hike, but it is very steep. The Golden Stairs, particularly, are quite challenging to conquer.

Make sure you bring comfortable hiking shoes and a full bottle of water when doing this hike, especially on a warm day.

Below is a map of the walk starting from the top of the Golden Stairs.

Golden Stairs

The Golden Stairs section starts soon after heading into the bush at the signpost. Going down the stairs may not feel as challenging, but you will notice how steep it is.

Going back up on the return trip will feel like an intense workout, so make sure you keep some water for that last stretch of the walk when you head back.

Halfway down the Golden Stairs is the Botting’s Lookout, which offers panoramic views of Jamison Valley, the Katoomba Landslide, and the Three Sisters.

This lookout was named after Walter Botting, a Blue Mountains City Council Ranger and pioneer track maker in the Katoomba area.

The track quickly descends into the valley, where you will enter a thriving, lush rainforest environment. It’s an absolute delight to hike through this refreshing scenery.

It’s hard to imagine now, but this section of the track was once part of an old coal mining route going through the Jamison Valley in the 19th century.

Castle Head

After about an hour of walking through the rainforest in the valley, turn right at the signposted intersection, going up the hill towards the Ruined Castle.

As you get higher up, the majestic sight of Castle Head will appear right behind you.

Castle Head is a headland on the Narrow Neck Peninsula just south of Katoomba. It was named Castle Head because it faces the Ruined Castle.

There is, in fact, a walking track to Castle Head, starting from Narrow Neck, with fantastic views of Ruined Castle and Mount Solitary from a higher point.

Ruined Castle

As you get closer to Ruined Castle, you will see several boulders that look like they don’t belong there at all.

And that’s precisely what makes this rock formation so fascinating. It’s an unusual structure in the middle of nowhere, located on top of a ridge between Castle Head and Mount Solitary.

Climbing the Ruined Castle is not for everyone, but the views from up there are certainly worth it.

Sitting on top of Ruined Castle, you can get a good feel of the surrounding scenery, with Jamison Valley in the east, Castle Head to the north, and Mount Solitary on the opposite side. It’s a beautiful and somewhat surreal landscape.

From Ruined Castle, the trail continues southbound via two steep sections back to lower grounds in the valley. At the next junction (with Mount Solitary), turn left, heading back towards the Golden Stairs.

Alternatively, you can also retrace your steps and return the same way, once you’ve finished exploring the Ruined Castle.

Mount Solitary

If you have extra time, energy, and water, you could also turn right at the above-mentioned intersection, heading to Mount Solitary.

This is a challenging walk that goes all the way to the summit of the mountain, but it is only suitable for experienced and prepared bushwalkers.

While the views from the mountain are sensational, this walking track passes through remote areas with sections that are quite hard to navigate.

Many bushwalkers who do the trek to Mount Solitary turn this into a two-day hiking adventure, with an overnight stay on top of the mountain.

If you have some time left on the day, go and visit Cahill’s Lookout nearby. This vantage point offers excellent views of the Megalong Valley and the Narrow Neck Peninsula, and the Ruined Castle can also be seen.