Trips

Fortress Canyon is a nice canyon, though not particularly deep or dark. It is best visited in warm weather as there are a number of long swims. The lunch spot at the end of the canyon is a highlight, looking across to Lockley Pylon at the top of the cliffs above Govett Gorge. The walk out also has superb views.

Access

Walk west along the fire trail. Ignore a turn off to the left after 600m. At a clearing after 1.5km, continue past an overgrown fire trail and on to a foot track. At the top of the ridge after about 500m, turn right on to a track that leads down the ridge to the NE, and follow this down to the creek at MGA553747. This is a good spot to put wetsuits on.

Route

Entry

Walk west along the fire trail. Ignore a turn off to the left after 600m. At a clearing after 1.5km, continue past an overgrown fire trail and on to a foot track. At the top of the ridge after about 500m, turn right on to a track that leads down the ridge to the NE, and follow this down to the creek at MGA553747. This is a good spot to put wetsuits on.

Notes

There are a number of sections of canyon. The first very short section starts with a short climb down or careful jump, and a 20m swim at about MGA553747.

After opening out for some distance, the second section starts with a 2m jump at around MGA546750, and several swims, some quite long.

The abseil is shortly into a third section of canyon, which can be done from bolts on either side of the canyon. This is about 6m. It can be jumped, but the depth is usually only about 2m, and there are rocks that need to be avoided.

There is more swimming to the end of the canyon. Just past the end of the canyon, Fortress Creek goes over the cliff into Govett Gorge in a 70m waterfall, which is a spectacular spot to have lunch. Unfortunately it has been recently popularised by the Instagram crowd, and can often be crowded.

Exit

Head back from the edge of the cliff about 50m on the true left and look for a track up the gully to the south west. This leads up to the Fortress, with a couple of short scrambles. Walk back along Fortress Ridge until you rejoin the track and fire trail you started in on.