Coachwood Glen
Coachwood Glen
The Blue Mountains does damp rainforest surprisingly well. The kind where roots drape over boulders, fallen logs slowly disappear beneath fungi, and everything feels just a little bit older than it probably is. Tucked into a little pocket of rainforest near Blackheath, Coachwood Glen is a short wander through it all.
Quick Details
Total Length: Less than 1km
Elevation: Almost none
Grade: Easy
Best season: Year round, but prettiest after a bit of rain
Suitable for kids: Yes
Starting the Trail
We weren’t really here for a big hike today. More of a “stretch the legs and have a wander” kind of stop on a bigger day out. Jess had the dog with us, the air felt damp, and Coachwood Glen seemed like the perfect excuse to slow things down for a while.
The trail begins just off Megalong Valley Road, tucked into a pocket of rainforest. One moment you’re driving through Blackheath, and the next you’re stepping beneath tall trees into cool, shaded forest.
It doesn’t take long before the sounds change too. The road disappears behind you, replaced by trickling water, leaves rustling in the wind, and the occasional sound of paws enthusiastically investigating something in the leaf litter.
Coachwood Glen isn’t the kind of walk with one big payoff waiting at the end. No dramatic lookout. No giant waterfall. This one is all about slowing down and noticing the smaller things. It’s a great place to find fungi of all different shapes and sizes — the kind of trail where kids will probably stop every few metres to investigate something.
The track winds through cool rainforest, crossing little creeks and weaving between mossy rocks and towering trees. Every few metres seemed to reveal something else worth stopping for — strange fungi pushing out from old logs, twisting roots clinging impossibly to sandstone, or trees stretched across boulders like they’d simply grown around whatever was in their way.
After rain, or even after a stretch of damp weather, this place feels especially alive. Everything seems to glow just a little greener. Jess’s dog was having the time of her life, sniffing absolutely everything as though she’d been assigned some very important rainforest business.
The walk takes its name from the coachwood tree, a species that thrives in cool, damp gullies like this one. While the Blue Mountains is better known for sandstone cliffs and dry eucalyptus bush, tucked-away pockets of rainforest still survive in sheltered valleys where creeks and cooler temperatures create the right conditions.
It’s part of what gives Coachwood Glen its atmosphere — dense greenery, cool air, and the feeling that everything’s been quietly growing here for a very long time.
You’ll spot plenty of tree roots draped over rocks throughout the walk, twisting and gripping sandstone in ways that somehow feel both messy and perfectly intentional. It’s one of those tracks where the details quietly steal the show.
Knowing that the trail would be short, we weren’t expecting to be here for long. But we actually ended up staying for quite a while. It was peaceful just sitting amongst the trees, listening to the water babbling through the creek.
Coachwood Glen probably isn’t a place you’d spend an entire day. But that’s also kind of the point. It’s the sort of short wander that fits perfectly between bigger adventures — a quiet stretch of rainforest, a chance to slow down, and an excuse to poke around looking at fungi for half an hour.
There are a couple of other short walks and lookouts nearby to extend the day a little longer. Including Mermaids Cave, Hargraves Lookout, and Mount Blackheath.
Getting There
Coachwood Glen can be found just off the Megalong Valley Road outside of Blackheath. There are two small parking areas, both just off the road.
Tips and Tricks
This is a great place to look for fungi.
This trail is dog friendly, making it a great little wander with your furry hiking buddy.
Afterwards, head down to Megalong Valley Tea Rooms for their incredible scones, or stop into Dryridge Estate for a glass of wine.
