Annie and I got away a little later than planned, arriving at Chaelundi Campground before setting off from the start of the trail along the Escarpment Track. Right from the beginning, conditions were excellent — the track had recently been mowed and was in great shape, a credit to National Parks and Wildlife Service. It was also relatively dry underfoot, making for easy progress.
We followed the Escarpment Track all the way to Jordan’s Trail, which was a pleasant surprise. Rather than rough wilderness access, it was a well-maintained old four-wheel-drive track, easy to follow and opening up some incredible views into the gorge country on both sides. For the next hour or two we made good time along here, soaking in the scenery.
Eventually, Jordan’s Trail tipped sharply downhill. The descent became very steep, loose, and dry — steep enough that running wasn’t worth the risk, so we walked down some section. Toward the bottom, the country opened out into grassy flats as we reached the Guy Fawkes River.
From there, the route became something really special.
We followed a mix of old vehicle tracks, newer pads, and well-worn brumby trails winding alongside the river. There was also plenty of sand underfoot — sandy singletrack in places, broad sandy sections, and stretches of dry riverbed that made the whole lower section feel remote and wild. Progress was surprisingly smooth, with around ten river crossings keeping things interesting. About halfway along we came across a huge mob of brumbies, along with a tractor that looked like it had been brought in recently. The horses were curious and calm — a pretty special encounter in such a wild place.
The river section delivered one stunning vista after another, and for the most part we were able to run comfortably while following the natural lines of the country. Even where tracks disappeared, navigation remained fairly intuitive and it was never difficult to work out where to go.
The most challenging part came at the turnoff, where we left the river and began climbing out via a spur. There’s no obvious landmark marking the start of this ascent, so we relied on the GPX, following a gully before pushing through some light bush-bashing onto the spur itself. As we climbed, the route gradually became clearer, developing from indistinct ground into a faint footpad. The climb started brutally steep, eased halfway with a flatter section, and then kicked up sharply again near the top before finally bringing us back to the junction
Overall, we completed the route much quicker than expected, although it would be possible to do this under 3 hours. Clockwise seemed to be the best way to complete this route, although NPWS signposts recommend anticlockwise.
We came away feeling that this is a genuinely accessible wilderness adventure — rugged and remote, yes, but never overly intimidating. We felt safe throughout our time in the gorge country, and the combination of escarpment views, river running, wildlife encounters, and wild landscapes made it a memorable day out.
We'd absolutely recommend the Guy Fawkes Wilderness Walk to more people — it’s an incredible route and a hidden gem of wilderness running. We look forward to exploring more out there!