The Historic Nightcap Track is an iconic trail that was historically traversed by travellers and postal workers connecting the Richmond and Tweed valleys during the 1800s and 1900s. As you’re climbing up the Nightcap Bluff, you see a huge burnt out tree, this is the postmans tree.
The route features rainforest singletrack towards Mt Nardi and forest roads towards Rummery Park. Along this route, you'll also see views of the remnants of the Tweed Caldera that erupted over 20 million years ago with highlights being aspects of Wollumbin (Mount Warning) and Dirangah Rocks. There is multiple eco-systsms on the route inclduing sub tropical rainforest, wet sclerophyll and dry sclerophyll inclduing some massive blackbutts, brushbox and strangler figs. These were all protected on the route following some of the earliest anti-logging demonstrations in Australia.
Nightcap National Park receives the highest annual rainfall in NSW for a park so prepare for mud, leeches and slippery roots.
The start points includes the 'Warning' sign at Mt Nardi and the locked gate at Peates Mountain Road at Rummery Park opposite the old Pioneer Memorial sign. Due to changes in elevation between these two points, an east-west and west-east variant has been created.
