Corang Arch – An Overnight Hike Into the Heart of Morton National Park

Although the hike to Corang Arch in Morton National Park is entirely possible as a long day hike, Jon chose to break up the 28km walk with an overnight camp at Burrumbeet Brook and take a little more time to soak up the sights.

 

We acknowledge that this adventure is located on the traditional Country of the Yuin people who have occupied and cared for the lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them as the Traditional Custodians and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

Quick Overview

Corang Arch is a 28km out-and-back hike located on the western side of Morton National Park in NSW. Less than two hours drive from Canberra, fit and experienced hikers could complete this in a day but it’s recommended to camp overnight and fully enjoy all that this area has to offer.

About Corang Arch

Corang Arch will appeal to those who love to get out into nature and experience solitude and the raw beauty of Morton National Park’s landscape.

The highlight of the hike is, of course, Corang Arch itself. This incredible natural formation is a massive sandstone bridge, towering over the surrounding forest. It’s the perfect spot to take a break and soak in the breathtaking views, and ponder just how long this archway has been standing for.

Fit and experienced hikers will be able to reach Corang Arch and return to the trailhead at Wog Wog campground in a single day, but you’ll appreciate the area fully if you hike a little further on past the arch and spend the night before returning to your car.

Read more: Remember to leave no trace

Corang Arch History

Morton National Park history is rich in culture, and there’s evidence of human habitation dating back over 20,000 years.

The area was originally inhabited by the Dharawal people, who lived at one with the land for thousands of years until European settlement. Today, the park is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, offering a range of activities such as hiking, camping, and wildlife watching.

How to Get to Corang Arch

The Corang Arch trail is only really accessible by car. The trailhead is at Wog Wog Campground on the western side of Morton National Park. You can get to Wog Wog by following the Nerriga Road which runs between Nerriga and Braidwood, then turning onto Charleys Forest Road. Wog Wog is about 5km up this road on your left.

It’s about three hour’s drive if you’re coming from Sydney, or less than two hours if you’re heading from Canberra.

As the hike is an out-and-back style walk, simply park at the campground and start walking! My hot tip – leave your car fridge running with a cold bevvy for the return!

Where to Camp Near Corang Arch

There are a couple of campsite options just a little further beyond Corang Arch.

After you’ve admired the arch and had a rest, continue along the trail and down off the plateau and you’ll find a couple of small campsites down the bottom at Canowie Brook.

In my opinion, the best place to camp near Corang Arch is a little further on, over a small ridge near Burrumbeet Brook.

You’ve got a few options, but I’d highly recommend the caves just up on the right-hand side of Burrumbeet Brook. There’s a nice cleared area under shelter and you’re only a short walk from the brook for easy water access.

Read more: How To Poo in The Bush

Skill Level

Intermediate – Advanced

Hiking out to Corang Arch is for those of you with intermediate to advanced hiking experience.

This is a wilderness area within Morton National Park, and while the trail is not overly difficult to follow if you’re a seasoned hiker, there’s very little in the way of signposts marking junctions, and at times on the rocky plateau the trail is not clear. I was glad I had the route marked on my Garmin GPS watch, and of course I had a good old-fashioned paper map and compass as a back up.

Read more: A Beginner’s Guide to Navigating With a Map and Compass

Mobile reception should definitely not be relied upon – my Telstra coverage was only decent up on certain ridge lines and on top of Mt Corang itself.

Sufficient water supplies were also limited. After crossing Wog Wog creek right at the start of the trail, I didn’t encounter any decent water until reaching the campsite at Burrumbeet Brook. And of course, filtering or treating your drinking water is always a safe move.

Distance / Duration / Elevation Gain of Corang Arch hike

28km return / 5-6 hours total walking time / 940m elevation

Essential Gear for Hiking to Corang Arch

• Tent and sleeping gear
• Good hiking boots – track is rough and rocky in places
• Plenty of water to get you all the way to the campsite
• Walking stick or hiking poles – great for the ups and downs but also handy for pushing through some of the overgrown sections of the track!
• Gaiters – also great for pushing through the overgrown scrub, and recommended to reduce the risk of snakebites
• First aid kit – definitely including snakebite kit
• PLB
• Good sun protection – most of the track is exposed

What it’s Like to Hike to Corang Arch?

Day 1 – Wog Wog campground to Burrumbeet Brook

Distance: 14km
Time: 3 hours plus breaks

After leaving Wog Wog Campground, the trail drops down towards Wog Wog Creek – keep an eye out for a multitude of wildflowers in the summer months.

The following undulating sections provide some good tree cover from the sun, although it can get a little stifling if there’s no breeze around!

Eventually you’ll gradually climb up onto a ridge line, with several opportunities for rest at great natural lookouts. The trail is fairly exposed from here on, so make sure to top up the sunscreen.

As the trail starts to curve around and head more to the north, you’ll start to see some impressive views open up back towards the coast on your right and also start to get glimpses of some breathtaking rocky formations.

Push on up to the top of Mt Corang for some truly epic views and a well-earned break, before continuing down the other side and onto the plateau where Corang Arch is located.

The arch can be difficult to spot if you haven’t pinned it in your GPS route, but if you stick to the left-hand side of the plateau you should find it OK.

A little scrambling can get you down to some more impressive views, but this area is quite loose and slopes down to a drop-off – take it super easy around here.

Once you’ve taken in the arch, head down off the plateau to your first option for camping at Canowie Brook. Otherwise, if you’ve got some daylight left and fuel in the tank, continue on over the next ridge line and follow Burrumbeet Brook around to your accommodation for the night.

As you head into a steep valley, almost a wide gorge, the brook will be on your left and you’ll see trails heading up to the camping caves on your right.

Day 2 – Burrumbeet Brook to Wog Wog Campground

Distance: 14km
Time: 3 hours plus breaks

Day two is essentially the reverse of your walk in, although if you don’t feel the need to summit Mt Corang again you can skirt around the base to the east and save yourself some climbing.

If I had to choose three words to describe my overnight hike to see Corang Arch, they would be: Solitude. Heat. Rugged. Let me dive into these words a little further.

Solitude

From the drive in, somewhere back near Nerriga, until the drive out (once again, somewhere near Nerriga) I didn’t see a single person, and that’s exactly what I was seeking on this trip. I did this hike solo, so it was just me and my thoughts in nature.

P.S! Don’t forget to fill out a Trip Intention Form before heading out!

Hiking solo, I was a little apprehensive of snake encounters, especially given how overgrown the track was at times. I did in fact have one reasonably close encounter with a snake (looked brown to me but very hard to tell!). It quickly withdrew into the scrub, causing me to walk as heavily as I could from then on!

Heat

Mid-summer is possibly not the wisest time of year to head out to Corang Arch… but I had a window and I took it. The largely exposed trail would be simply stunning during the cooler months, but if you choose a summer adventure then make sure to carry plenty of water and sun protection!

Read more: How To Hike in Hot Weather

I slightly underestimated my water requirements and was very grateful to reach Burrumbeet Brook to rehydrate, and had the wonderful experience of watching a few freshwater crayfish scuttling around as I filtered my water.

Rugged

The landscape through this part of Morton National Park is exactly that – rugged, rocky, scrubby, steep, and scrambly in places, this trail shows you some truly wondrous vistas.

Corang Arch is of course impressive, however I was blown away by the views north and east as you approach and summit Mt Corang.

Epic rocky peaks, escarpments, and gorges sweep out before you and on a clear day you’ll clearly see Didthul / Pigeon House Mountain and the ocean to the east.

FAQs Corang Arch

Where is Corang Arch located?

Corang Arch is located in the western part of Morton National Park, in NSW. The trailhead for this hike is Wog Wog Campground, less than two hours drive from Canberra.

How do you get to Corang Arch?

The Corang Arch trail is only really accessible by car. You can get to the trailhead at Wog Wog Campground by following the Nerriga Road which runs between Nerriga and Braidwood, then turning onto Charleys Forest Road. Wog Wog is about 5km up this road on your left.

It’s about three hour’s drive if you’re coming from Sydney, or less than two hours if you’re heading from Canberra.

When is the best time of year to hike out to Corang Arch?

This is a fairly exposed route and can get very hot and dry in summer, so autumn, spring, and winter are a sensible option. If heading out in summer, be sure to take plenty of water and sun protection.

Is Corang Arch good for beginners?

Beginners should only attempt this hike if accompanied by more experienced hikers. This is a wilderness area and requires a good level of fitness and experience navigating to safely follow the trail.

How long does it take to complete the hike to Corang Arch?

I’d suggest doing this as an overnight hike to fully experience this area of Morton National Park. A reasonably fit and experienced hiker can reach the campground at Burrumbeet Brook (14km) in around three hours walking time (allow extra time for breaks and photos).

Do you need a 4WD to get to Corang Arch?

No, 2WD is fine to reach the trailhead at Wog Wog Campground.