Best Trail Runs in Sydney, Plus Trail Running Clubs

Routes | Published 2026-10-03 | By OUTRN Team

Nine Sydney trail routes and three Blue Mountains day runs, with official distances and current closures, plus the trail running clubs and groups you can join.

Sydney has bush track inside the city limits: rugged sandstone in Lane Cove, creek crossings in Royal National Park, a 14km loop with about 355m of climbing in Berowra. Drive about 90 minutes west and the Blue Mountains start.

Most of Sydney's bush trails are in Royal National Park, Lane Cove, Ku-ring-gai Chase, Garigal and the Blue Mountains. We have not ranked them. National Parks and Wildlife Service NSW (NPWS) lists almost every route below as a walking track, with walking grades and times (Lady Carrington Drive is listed as a cycling trail, and Manly Dam is council land). The pages we read do not say whether running is permitted. Follow the signs and check each page. Closures and dates in this post come from the NPWS local alerts pages for Royal, Lane Cove, Ku-ring-gai Chase, Garigal and Blue Mountains national parks, as read on 4 October 2026.

Which Sydney trail runs are worth doing?

Royal National Park: The Coast Track

Distance: 27km one-way. NPWS grade: 4, listed as 2 days walking. Access: Bundeena to Otford, with trains from Otford station.

Sandstone escarpments, sandy beaches and coastal heath, with uphill climbing and rainforest sections. Refill water at the Beachcomber Avenue trackhead in Bundeena, and note that Garie Beach water is untreated. This is a long day for a runner, so plan a shorter section if you are new to the track. The deer control closures above apply to the coastal section from sunset to sunrise on Monday to Thursday outside NSW school holidays. Source: the NPWS Coast Track page.

Royal National Park: Lady Carrington Drive

Distance: 10km one-way. NPWS grade: Easy. Access: Audley, with a $12 per vehicle entry fee.

A route along the Hacking River with 15 creek crossings and three picnic areas. It is shared with cyclists, and NPWS tells bike riders to give way to walkers. It is part of the deer control closure. Source: the NPWS Lady Carrington Drive page.

Royal National Park: Bundeena Drive to Marley Walk

Distance: 7.8km return. NPWS grade: 3, 3 to 4 hours walking. Access: Park open 7am to 8:30pm, $12 per vehicle.

Bush, heath, freshwater pools and creeks down to Little Marley Beach. A good shorter route in the park. Source: the NPWS page.

Lane Cove National Park: Riverside Walking Track

Distance: 5km one-way. NPWS grade: 3, 2 to 3 hours walking. Access: $8 per vehicle; open 9am to 7pm in daylight saving and 6pm otherwise.

The southern bank of the Lane Cove River through natural bushland. A short river-bank route. Source: the NPWS page.

Lane Cove National Park: Great North Walk (East Ryde to Thornleigh)

Distance: 20km one-way. NPWS grade: 3, 6 to 8 hours walking. Access: Parking on Pittwater Road in East Ryde and Short Street in Thornleigh; weekend parking is limited.

Rocky sandstone, river valley drops, mangrove swamps and lookouts. NPWS says pets are not permitted and mobile reception is limited, so download the Emergency Plus app. Source: the NPWS page.

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park: Great North Walk (Cowan to Hawkesbury River)

Distance: 11km one-way. NPWS grade: 4, 4 hours 30 to 5 hours 30 walking. Access: Start at Cowan station, finish at Hawkesbury River station.

Dense bushland with steep descents and climbs, boggy when wet. Trains at both ends make it a point-to-point run without a car shuffle. Source: the NPWS page.

Garigal National Park: Lyrebird Track (Davidson Park to Stepping Stone Crossing)

Distance: 5.2km one-way. NPWS grade: 3, 2 to 3 hours walking. Access: Davidson Park gates 6am to 6pm (8pm in daylight saving), $8 per vehicle.

A creek-side former sand-mining management trail with views of Middle Harbour Creek and the Stepping Stone Crossing at the end. Source: the NPWS page.

Manly Dam: Park Circuit Track

Distance: 7.3km. Time: about 3 hours walking, mostly easy with some steep sections. Access: Dam Wall or Section 4 picnic area.

Shared with mountain bike riders, with dogs on a leash on bushland tracks only and not permitted during fox baiting. The Sydney Trail Series held its summer 2026 races here. Source: Northern Beaches Council.

Sydney Harbour National Park: Manly Scenic Walkway

Distance: 10km one-way, Spit Bridge to Manly. NPWS grade: 3, 3 hours 30 to 4 hours 30 walking. Access: Open sunrise to sunset.

Shoreline through bush and beach, with detours at high tide. Source: the NPWS page.

Which Blue Mountains day runs are worth the drive?

Grand Canyon Track, Blackheath

Distance: 6.3km loop. NPWS grade: 3, 3 to 4 hours walking.

Steps, rock stepping stones and carved steps through the canyon. There is no drinking water, no pets, and limited mobile reception. NPWS says never to walk in a canyon before, during or after heavy rain, because the creek can flood. Nearby, Govetts Leap Descent and parts of Rodriguez Pass are closed after rockfalls and landslides, so confirm on the NPWS page that the loop is open.

Prince Henry Cliff Walk, Katoomba to Leura

Distance: 7km one-way. NPWS grade: 3, 3 to 4 hours walking.

A cliff-edge track with more than 20 lookouts and three waterfalls, between Katoomba Cascades and Gordon Falls near Leura, via Echo Point. Honeymoon Bridge is closed because of rockfall hazards, and the lower Fern Bower track is closed until 30 October 2026. Source: the NPWS page.

The Six Foot Track

Distance: 42km one-way, listed as 3 days walking, grade Hard.

Too long for most day runs: NPWS lists it as a three-day walk, and the Six Foot Track Marathon (45km) has a 7-hour cut-off. An out-and-back section is the shorter option. The track is closed at the boundary of Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve, which is closed until 31 December 2026, so it currently ends at Binda Bush cabins. Source: the NPWS Six Foot Track page. See our Six Foot Track guide for the route, the closure and the marathon.

Which trail running clubs and groups can you join in Sydney?

[Berowra Bush Runners](https://berowrabushrunners.com/) (Berowra): Sundays at 7:15am from Warrina Street Oval car park (handicap days start at 7am), with weekly options of about 5km and 10km, and a welcome for "runners and joggers of all ages and abilities". The first Sunday of the month is a road handicap. The 2026 calendar includes an 11.4km bush loop from Warrina Street Oval out to Mt Kuring-gai on 11 October and a 14km fire trail run with about 355m of climbing on 8 November.
Sydney Trail Sisters (Manly): a women's trail running crew that runs at 6am on Thursdays, according to its Instagram bio when we read it on 3 October 2026. Check the account for the current time and meeting place.
Her Trails (Blue Mountains): free women-only group runs at all paces, fortnightly on Sunday mornings from Govett's Leap near Blackheath. It had no Sydney group listed on 4 October 2026, so check its community group run calendar.
[Sydney Trail Series](https://www.sydneytrailseries.com.au/): a race series, not a club, run by Nourished Lifestyle Co. Its spring 2026 races are at the Wildflower Gardens in St Ives and Ku-ring-gai Chase, with two left on 11 October and 8 November 2026, and its summer series has run at Manly Dam and Garigal National Park. No summer 2026 to 2027 dates were published on 4 October 2026. Entries are through RaceRoster.

Times and locations change, so confirm with each group before you turn up.

What should you carry?

For anything longer than a local loop, follow the NPWS bushwalking safety advice: at least 2 litres of water, a map and compass, a torch, a first aid kit, the Emergency Plus app, and a trip intention form so someone knows where you are. Our trail running for beginners guide covers the rest, including what the research does and does not say about shoes and poles.

Inspired? Run the Blue Mountains with a crew

If you want the Blue Mountains with leaders, vans between trailheads and a long-table dinner at the end of the day, we are building a four-day trip there: one house near Katoomba and Wentworth Falls, a different run each day. Dates are to be confirmed and the price is an estimate of about $1,650 per person. Booking is not open yet, so register your interest and we will contact you first.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a trail running club in Sydney?

Yes. Berowra Bush Runners usually meet on Sundays at 7:15am at Warrina Street Oval in Berowra (handicap days start at 7am), with 5km and 10km options each week, and a road handicap on the first Sunday of the month. Sydney Trail Sisters, a women's crew, list Thursdays at 6am in Manly on their Instagram, and Her Trails runs a free women-only group in the Blue Mountains. The Sydney Trail Series is a race series rather than a club.

Where can you trail run in Sydney?

Royal National Park, Lane Cove National Park, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Garigal National Park, Manly Dam and the Manly Scenic Walkway all have bush tracks, and the Blue Mountains are about a 90 minute drive away. National Parks and Wildlife Service NSW lists most of these routes as walking tracks (Manly Dam is council land), so check track pages and signs for rules on running.

Do you pay to run in Sydney's national parks?

Some parks charge a vehicle entry fee. NPWS lists $12 per vehicle per day for Royal National Park, $8 for Lane Cove National Park and $8 at the Davidson Park entry to Garigal National Park, and fees and opening hours change.

Can you run with a dog on Sydney trails?

Not in national parks: NPWS does not permit pets in NSW national parks, so every NPWS track here is out. Manly Dam is council land, and Northern Beaches Council allows dogs on a leash on its bushland tracks, except during fox baiting.