Black Canyon and Thunder and Lightning Falls

With the closure of the track down from the Albert River Circuit at it's junction with the Albert River the only appropriate way to get to Thunder and Lightning Falls and Black canyon is via the Albert River left branch leaving much earlier from the Albert River Circuit track.

At the time we did this track there were significant flagging down the the route. Leave it in no uncertain terms this hike is very difficult. What lifts it to the very difficult category is the very complex navigation required over the drop into the Albert River. There is a steep escarpment that can be seen on maps facing south west of Lamington and this route navigates over that.

Essentially if you are going to do this like you need to do the Albert River circuit and note the place where you leave the track. We noted that there were markings indicating where the tracks started where it leaves the Albert River Circuit.

Essentially you proceed down through the bush on a rough track following a spur slowly descending to the Albert River. Add times the track becomes indistinct. There will be a number of occasions where you will be on all fours seeking to edge down or up.

When you hit the Albert River the hike essentially becomes a rock hop upstream until you get to the base of Thunder and Lightning Falls. The route back is exactly the same as the route out. Please note that the route back is 3 times harder than the route out. In other words you won't find out that you're unfit until the return when it is too late.

Definitely a hike at the Pinnacle of experience and skill. The starting point is from O'Reilly's.