Australian Capital Territory · Attraction
Square Rock Walk
Granite summit, snow gum wonderland
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
The Square Rock walk is one of Namadgi National Park's most rewarding moderate hikes, climbing through alpine ash and snow gum woodland to a granite outcrop sitting at approximately 1,450 metres elevation in the Brindabella Ranges. The 10.3 km return trail (Grade 3, approximately 4 hours) passes through the treeless, bog-edged grassland known as Smokers Flat before emerging on a natural rock platform with views across the rolling ridgelines of the Australian Alps. A metal ladder at the final section provides safe access to the highest boulder.
The trailhead is at the Corin Hub carpark off Corin Road, approximately 200 metres past the Corin Forest Retreat entrance. The access road is sealed all the way and suitable for standard two-wheel drive vehicles, making this one of the more accessible alpine walks in the park. Boardwalks and elevated timber platforms protect fragile subalpine bog communities along the middle section of the track, where rare plant species adapted to poorly drained soils can be observed.
Smokers Flat, roughly halfway along the route, is a striking flat, grassy opening surrounded by healthy sphagnum bogs, an important water-holding ecosystem that feeds the Cotter River catchment below. Wildlife commonly sighted along the track includes wallabies, lyrebirds, wedge-tailed eagles, and black rock skinks that bask on the warm granite slabs near the summit. An optional 1 km detour to the Orroral Valley Lookout offers sightlines down into the valley that once hosted a NASA space tracking station.
The summit boulders reward careful scramblers with 360-degree panoramas across the Brindabella Ranges. There are no safety barriers on the exposed granite, so caution is required. The Square Rock Walk is well-suited to confident beginner bushwalkers and families with older children who are comfortable on uneven terrain. There is no water supply at the trailhead, so visitors should carry at least two litres per person.
Scenic views
