Gardens of Stone National Park

Here is the NPWS track highlighted in pink on EOTopo 200K.

I've been in that area, but not on that track, so cannot provide detailed info - sorry.

Cheers

Mate, If you mean Baan Baal Gap then it starts right opposite the turn off to Blackfellows Hand track. A few years back you could do that track in a Subaru, but not now. The very first climb is extremely rutted out with a decent rock step at the top. A few kilometres along there is a spectacular lookout into the Wolgan Valley. Further on there is a massive rock step down through a very nice fern gully. This rock step is very large and you need some decent experience to do it. Like I said, you could do it in a Subaru a few years back.

You can enter at Ben Bullen (right at rail crossing) with some rough patches but OK for a Challenger to Baal Bone Gap, then look up the ferny gully for some mud holes and an extreme rock face climb or return out to Ben Bullen the way you entered.

Good Luck,

Glen

Hi Kevin,
I was there in August of this year and did the track East (Wolgan Rd.) to West (Ben Bullen) which would be my preferred way of attempting this track. If you pick up the publication from Boiling Billy "Tracks Close To Sydney, 6th edition 2013", it is rated as Very Difficult, a Double Black Diamond.
I have a 100 Series with 3" lift and 33's and clearance at the beginning was only just, so picking the right line will make all the difference. If you have some sort of GPS navigation you will find a track that goes around this initial section that starts approx. 7klm out of Lidsdale. The rock face descent that others have mentioned is very steep but there is an obvious line and with care and crawling your way down can be done. Not knowing your vehicle or your driving experience, only you will know. There are a couple of lookouts along the way and a beautiful fern gully to drive through. Starting at Lidsdale and finishing at the Capertee Hotel, the trek is 45klm's in distance, I'd allow a day to fully explore the area.
Cheers
Greg

Hi Kevin
Easy day trip from Blackheath,you will probably pick up a good map at Lithgow tourist visitor information.
I would start from the Zig zag end at Clarence,about half an hour via Lithgow,or twenty minutes via the Darling cause way.
Head from the Zigzag rail to Bungleboori, short detour there to look at rock formations on the left cant remember what they are called?
then back to the track, you can go down the track to the glow worm tunnel well worth it, short walk to the tunnel at the end of the track.
Then back to the Black fellows hand trail, and follow that down to the Newnes rd.
Then cross the Newnes rd to the Baal bonegap trail,the beginning can be quite steep and rutted and some 4wd experience may be necessary, but there is a detour track just a few hundred meters further up the Newnes rd towards Lithgow.
Baal bone gap is a lot easier to go down than up.
There will be no shortage of 4wd drives up there on the weekend, so you will,always find some one,to point you in the right direction, plus the place is reasonably well sign posted.

Rob

Thanks to everyone for input. We decided that the trip would be a bit of a stretch for the Challenger and for us so did not proceed with the venture. Instead we spent the day around Katoomba, the location of the our honeymoon over 55 years ago. In addition to the boost to our nostalgia the number of ExplorOz Places has increased as well.

Thanks again for input. Although we didn't use the information our combined efforts have put on record valuable information likely of use to others.

Cheers,

Kevin