Black Mountain Forest Loop Trail ACT (2.2 km)
Canberra Nature Reserve
Nearest Town
Canberra City
Starting Location
Black Mountain lookout just before you reach the Telstra Tower car park on the summit
Finish Location
Black Mountain lookout just before you reach the Telstra Tower car park on the summit
Best Time to Travel
Year round
Black Mountain Forest Loop Trail Summary
For many people who walk Black Mountain in Canberra the Summit walk is probably the best known trail but there are actually a number of other lesser known and easy to access walks to enjoy. The Forest Loop trail is one such walk.
Starting at the Black Mountain lookout carpark (not the Telstra Tower summit car park) which is across on the right hand side of the summit road about 300 metres from the summit. This carpark is actually quite large, in fact you can easily park 40-50 cars there but to do this walk you ideally would prefer to be a bit closer to the trail head which is immediately adjacent to the carpark entry road which is signposted with a large blue ‘P’ sign. There are two walks that commence from this car park and apart from the Forest Loop Trail there is also a shortish walk up to the Telstra Tower.
The Forest Loop Trail is just that, a loop that sits about 60 metres below the summit and completes a circuit around the summit. There isn’t a huge altitude difference around the summit and apart from the occasional set of steps, this is a very easy walk that anyone can do.
The walk takes in glimpses of the city, Lake Burley Griffin, the Belconnen Town Centre and the National Arboretum. Apart from the views the ability to do a bush walk in the centre of the city through a forested trail is a bonus of the ‘Bush Capital’. I did this walk for a number of reasons with the main one being I didn’t have much time available but wanted to do a bush walk. For me this walk is about 15 minutes drive from home which means that for a time allowance of less than 1.5 hours I’ve done my walk. A walk of the same length in Namadgi National Park would take me at least twice that time.
All in all this is a great walk, with great views and very easy to do.
Car park entry
Car park at the trail head
The trail head is well signposted
The trail is unsealed once you reach the trail head proper with the only sealed section being the carpark and road if you do the full loop
Belconnen Town Centre
Canberra Centenary Trail marker
Mount Painter in the distance. Another great walk
View of Lake Burley Griffin
Interpretive signage
Bridge on the trail
Burnt bushland
Steps at the end
Across the road
Getting There
To start this walk you need to head up the Black Mountain summit road. About 300 metres prior to reaching the Telstra Tower car park at the summit, you will come across a car park on the right hand side which is actually the Black Mountain lookout
Things to Know
- Phone: There is reasonably good phone signal on this trail (all networks)
- Water: Bring your own water
- Toilets: There are no toilets on this trail
- Trail: This walk is on formed trail
- Dogs: Dogs not allowed
- Camping: Camping not allowed
- Other:
- The starting location for this walk is not the summit but the lookout on the right hand side of the road below the summit
Disclaimer
This walk was undertaken by the team from Australian Hiker