At the end of a quiet inconspicuous fire trail in Bilpin lies a secret emerald swimming hole. It’s the kind of place you can visit on a scorching hot day in the summer holidays and still get it all to yourself. It’s a lovely spot, but the real allure is its tranquility. It’s not one of the most spectacular or easy to access swimming holes in the mountains, but it is peaceful and picturesque.
The walk to reach the pool is on a well maintained fire trail, so athough there is a decent amount of elevation gain, it’s not a difficult walk. Here’s how to find it.
The Tootie Creek Walk
The stats
Distance: 7.5km return
Elevation gain: 350m
Difficulty: Easy, but not flat
Trailhead: Layby on Mountain Lagoon Road
Summary: The walk to the Tootie Creek swimming hole is on a fire trail until the last few metres at which point there is an easy creek crossing.
There are rocks to use as stepping stones and the water level is generally low. The fire trail does go downhill for much of the way to the pool, so it’s a decent climb on the way back up.
Only very minor sections are steep and loose, footing is generally good.
Starting the trail: to the first creek crossing
From the parking area (full details below) you head along the Tootie Creek Trail and arrive at a locked gate after 150m.
Head around the gate and then follow the fire trail uphill for 350m. A brief flat section follows before you reach another gate at the 680m mark.
Once you pass around this gate the descent begins. It’s on a wide well maintained fire trail through shady bushland.
Sections of the fire trail are steep and minor bits are also loose.
I chose to run down a significant amount of the trail as I generally find it easier than going more slowly and I never feel like I will slip when running. Joe didn’t take this tack and had no problems though!
The trail winds down through pretty bush with occasional peeks out to steep forested mountains. Just before you reach the first creek the temperature cools and you enter a damper part of the forest.
There’s an easy creek crossing at the 2.25km mark where there are small rocks to use as stepping stones.
Reaching the swimming hole
The scenery gets even better on the last section of the fire trail, with a series of stunning blue gums just after the creek crossing.
You’ll soon hear the sound of the cascades below you and the path is now flat and lined with ferns. The flat track lasts for around 750m before you begin descending again, but it’s more gentle.
As you near the bottom of the descent there are some particularly lovely mountain views.
You’ll reach the end of the fire just over 3.7km into the walk. The swimming hole is just a few metres away, but you need to walk into the bush and then cross the creek.
The creek was very shallow on our visit and there were rocks to use so you can cross with dry boots. This will bring you out to a sandy area beside the pool.
The Tootie Creek swimming hole
The swimming hole is very picturesque, with a bushy mountain backdrop and surrounded by gum trees. The water has a stunning emerald hue in the sunshine, but is still a gorgeous deep green even in full shadow.
I think the only thing which makes it less picturesque is that the beach in front of the pool is littered with debris. However, once you cross over to other side of the water it’s much nicer.
Accessing the water is easy as you can just walk off the sandy bank and the bottom of the pool is sandy at first too. The water is deep in the majority of the pool and though there are rocks inside, they are generally quite far below you - contrary to how it looks from outside the pool as the water is so clear it appears very shallow.
There are two small cascades which contribute to the relaxing vibe and though you are only moments from the fire trail, it’s so seldom used that it feels very remote.
We spent hours here on an unseasonably (28C) Easter Sunday and we never saw another soul. It was pure tranquility and the perfect way to spend another great afternoon in the mountains.
If you’re up for more exploring, there is another swimming hole around 100m upstream from this one, best accessed by cutting down from the fire trail. There is no track and though it only takes a couple of minutes to reach, it’s rougher and has tree fall to climb over.
It’s only small and definitely not as good for swimming, but it’s very pretty.
When you’re ready to leave the creek you retrace your steps back uphill, which though steep in parts, it’s not too difficult due to the good track condition.
Keep them wild
Please remember to take all rubbish with you and keep these places wild and pristine - as with anywhere in the outdoors. It’s important to leave them exactly as you found them so they will remain beautiful for generations to come.
Litter tends to breed litter, so if you do spot any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the area, it will go a long way to keeping the area clean.
Parking for the Tootie Creek swimming hole
There is no specific car park for the Tootie Creek Trail, but room for several cars to pull fully off Mountain Lagoon Road at these coordinates: -33.450484, 150.604443. It’s around 10km and a 10 minute drive from Bilpin, or 70km and a 1 hour drive from Katoomba.
The nearest facilities are located in Bilpin.
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