Some time ago we walked up the valley of Friday Creek, then climbed Snail Trail to a lovely lookout over the Upper Orara Valley. This time, we went back and walked up the valley of Dingo Creek on Saddle Trail to another lookout with views to Sawtell and south to Picket Hill and beyond.
Expect wet boots, as the track crosses the lovely Dingo Creek multiple times. In addition to the ankle deep creek crossings, we also had to negotiate a few muddy puddles. This is a shady walk – flooded gums in the creek valley give way to lush rainforest and palms in the headwaters, and large old growth trees on the ridge top.
The climb up Saddle Trail is steep clay. I was amused by the word STOP painted on a tree at the top. Too late, we’d already climbed up, but I did scavenge a sturdy stick before we began the descent. At an intersection, Snail Trail continues to climb to your left, but we turned right for an easier climb to a different lookout. If you like hill climbing and have the time, do both lookouts!
We parked at the intersection of Saddle Trail and Frontage Creek Road, at the end of Dingo Creek Rd. If the road conditions are not suitable for your 2WD, you may need to park at earlier on Dingo Creek Road, adding a couple of kilometres to the walk.
