Mt Mouin

Mt Mouin, at 940m, is one of the highest of the peaks in the Wild Dogs. It has a steep climb to its summit, but the views in both directions are more than worth it.

The walk is on track, though the tracks between the turnoff to Mt Mouin and Blackhorse Ridge are faint and not easy to follow.

The walk starts and finishes at the Dunphy Camping Area, formerly Carlons Farm, in the Megalong.

To get there, drive to Blackheath, and take the left turn (coming from Katoomba) across the railway line at the traffic lights in town. Turn left again immediately, and then take the first right. After about 700m take a left turn, following the sign to Megalong Valley. The road winds down into the creekfor the next few kilometres. About 13km after the turnoff you cross Megalong Creek at the Old Ford Reserve bridge. Continue along the (now unsealed) road for about 7km, through a couple of gates to reach the old farmhouse of Green Gully. Cross the bridge at Galong Creek and head up the hill on the other side. At the T-junction at the top, turn left, and the camping and parking area is at the top of the next hill.

From the parking area, cross the stile at the south east corner, and continue up the steep hill along the Bellbird Ridge Management Trail. The track soon flattens, and it is about 20 minutes walk (1.3km) to a major junction with the Medlow Gap Management Trail. Turn right on the Medlow Gap Management Trail, and follow this as it winds around for 5.5km to the clearing and old helipad at Medlow Gap. There are good views of Narrow Neck and Clear Hill to your left, particularly in the vicinity of the Breakfast Creek crossing.

At Medlow Gap, turn right and follow the fire trail through a locked gate to the west. Continue along the fire trail for 750m towards Mt Mouin, passing a foot track to the right, signposted Kanangra to Katoomba. At the top of the next hill, look for an old, overgrown 4wd trail off to your right. Turn on to this. It climbs steeply up the side of Mt Mouin for about 600m, where it ends. A vague foot track heads up even more steeply, though still contouring around the face of the mountain. It climbs up through the first conglomerate outcrops, and then continues contouring around into the minor gully between the two peaks of Mt Mouin, before emerging in the saddle between the peaks.

Head left (east) along another faint track, scrambling up through rocky outcrops to the summit of Mt Mouin. Like most Blue Mountains peaks, the views from the summit itself are disappointing. However, there are two superb lookouts that should be visited, one on the north east corner, the other on the south west side, as well as good views to the south east.

After a break, head back along the ridge to the saddle, and continue to follow a faint track west along a very narrow rocky ridge to the western peak of Mouin. A steep descent off this leads to the saddle between Mt Mouin and the unremarkable Blackhorse Mountain. To get down from Blackhorse Mountain into Blackhorse Gap involves an easy scramble off the right hand side of the ridge.

From the saddle at Blackhorse Gap, locate another faint track heading north. This contours around on to Black Horse Ridge, descending to a five way junction with the track marked on the topo map. Take either of the two tracks to the north, heading out along Black Horse Ridge, as they rejoin after about 150m. Black Horse Ridge is pleasant and easy going for almost 2km, rising towards the end, just before a knee jarring 400m descent to Breakfast Creek. At a clearing on the high point of the ridge, note a track off to the left. This leads to the pass off the ridge. Before descending, continue straight ahead to where the the conglomerate cliffs jut out over the steep slopes below, and enjoy the excellent views of the upper Breakfast Creek Valley.

Return to the clearing and take the track towards the pass, following it through the cliffs and steeply down to Breakfast Creek, a 400m descent. Cross over Breakfast Creek at the bottom, and turn right on to a distinct track, which shortly heads left up Carlon Creek. Carlon Creek is famed for its stinging nettles, so long pants are a good idea for this section. The track crisscrosses Carlon Creek all the way to the top, where it climbs out up a steep overgrown fire trail. At the top of the fire trail, turn left at a T-intersection and follow this back to a stile. Climb over the stile, turn right, and walk up the hill back to the Dunphy Camping Area.