Almost ruined then suddenly abandoned by Instagram: Figure 8 Pools, the famous beauty of Royal National Park – and a great day trip from Sydney. There were times when they spoke about restricting access to it, because of the many rescues and even deaths. But it’s possible to have a safe and enjoyable visit, and we’ll tell you how, along with everything else you need to know about it.
This post is all about the Figure 8 Pools hike, so let’s dive in:
What to expect at the Figure 8 Pools?
Imagine about a dozen beautiful rock pools, sitting on a rock platform at the bottom of a dramatic cliff on a really wild coastline. You’ll feel tiny – and so overwhelmed by untamed and amazing nature!
But let’s get back to the hard facts: there are several rock pools here, yes, but only one of them is a proper “figure 8”, the others are of different shapes and sizes. It wasn’t a disappointment for us, and we loved the rest of the crystal clear rock pools, as well, but I just wanted to make it clear, because the name “Figure 8 Pools” is a bit misleading.
And while the pools are definitely among the highlights of the Figure 8 Pools Track, the hike itself is very pretty, with ocean views, cabbage palms, Burning Palms Beach and giant waves.
Stay safe: visit the Figure 8 Pools at the right time
So there have been several accidents and even deaths at the Figure 8 rock pools – which should never have happened. They did because people ignored the rules of visiting it safely.
The pools can only be accessed a couple hours either side of low tide – and when the ocean is calm. The rock platform is completely submerged during high tide, and large waves frequently break across the entire platform. You should never attempt a visit at high tide or rising tide. If you visit at low tide, you need to make sure you get back by the time the tide is rising again.
But how to figure out the tide times and current ocean conditions? Parks NSW created a risk chart that gives you the conditions hour by hour up to four days in advance. Use this chart to pick a low risk time period, and double check again the night before to make sure it hasn’t changed.
warning sign before the last section
Obviously, this applies to the very last section of the hike: between Burning Palms Beach and the pools. It’s about 20 minutes to complete this section one-way, and you need to make sure the tide is still low on your way back.
You can hang out at Burning Palms Beach for as long as you’d like after your visit to the pools. On the day we visited the low risk period started after 12 pm, so we spent the morning on Burning Palms Beach.
How hard is the trail to the Figure 8 Pools?
First of all, this is a hike, not a walk down to the beach. Wear proper hiking shoes. But as a hike it’s not a hard one.
It’s downhill on the way, then uphill on the way back, which requires stamina, but it’s not long, and quite a few sections are boardwalked. It’s only the last section, between Burning Palms Beach and the pool, that’s more challenging.
There’s no defined hiking trail here, you walk (and occasionally scramble) over the rocks, they can be slippery or loose. Take it slow, watch your steps. We did this hike with our 3-year-old son, and he hiked on his own, holding our hands.
So how to get to the rock pools?
The Figure Eight Pools are not the only Royal National Park pools, but probably the most famous ones, and there are two ways to access them, both requiring hiking.
You can either do the 6 km return hike from Garrawarra Farm, or the 12 km return hike from Otford Lookout. Most people, including us, opt for the shorter option, the only reason to do it from the Otford Lookout is that you want to hike more.
Get to the trailhead: Garrawarra Farm
Drive to the Garrawarra Farm Car Park in Royal National Park, and pay the entrance fee in the parking lot (or buy a NSW parks annual pass). To reach the car park, turn to Garie Road from Sir Bertrams Stephen’s Drive, then turn right onto Garrawarra Farm Road.
The last 1.5 km of Garrawarra Farm Road is dirt. It might be bumpy, but suitable for any kind of car if you take it sloooow.
Then you start the descent in the forest, and get your first ocean views roughly after a kilometer. Descend further, and take in the views of Burning Palms Beach and its rolling waves from above. You’ll also get a view of your final destination: the rock platform where the Figure of 8 Pools are located. If you see waves crashing over the platform, postpone your visit – there’s a signpost with the first warning here.
Burning Palms Beach
Continue further down to Burning Palms Beach. You’ll lose the ocean views for a short while, but you get huge Cabbage tree palms instead as you take the stairs down. There are also a few houses, because a small community lives here. 40 minutes walk from the nearest road to take you shopping or whatever other errands, it’s just fascinating to me – but surely this place is a paradise.
The trail takes you behind Burning Palms Beach, but you can take one of the narrow paths down to the beach. I definitely recommend doing it, either before or after your visit to the rock pools.
This beach is stunning, wild, has fine golden sand and dramatic cliffs at both ends. It’s not a swimming beach though, strong currents make it dangerous. Simply looking at the waves, it’ll be obvious to anyone that swimming is not even possible. Admire the power of the ocean and enjoy the soft sand instead. It’s a beach for romantic walks – and for building sandcastles, if you visit with kids.
Rock scramble to Figure 8 Pools
From Burning Palms Beach you start the last kilometer of the hike, the one to only attempt at low risk conditions.
Choose your way carefully over the rocks. Occasional scrambling might be needed, but it’s still not a challenging hike – especially if you have experience in high mountains and rocky terrains. What makes it challenging is that wet rocks can be slippery, and some rocks might be loose. Do it slowly and carefully, and you’ll be fine.
Don’t forget to stop from time to time to admire the large waves, they are quite impressive even when “the ocean is calm”. It’s a wild section of the coastline. You’ll pass a little rocky beach, and then there you are: on a large rock platform that contains the Figure 8 Pool and the rest of the bigger and smaller rock pools.
Can you swim in the Figure 8 Pools?
Not really. The Figure of Eight Pool is too small for swimming, it’s a natural plunge pool. It’s deep enough, but I personally wouldn’t jump in, because it’s easy to bruise yourself.
Some of the other rock pools are a bit larger, but usually it takes a few strokes to cross the entire pool. They’re not really for swimming. But it’s refreshing to take a plunge, and I found all of the pools incredibly beautiful, with crystal clear water and the wild surroundings.
Is it crowded?
I googled about the crowds and found quite a few underwhelming pictures. But they were taken a few years ago.
I hate being in the crowd when I’m out in nature, and I usually refuse to queue for pictures (I mean, I usually give up on taking the picture – not choose to be rude and ignore the line, of course). Crowds spoil the magic, that’s the thing.
But the Figure 8 Pools surprised us pleasantly. We visited in the summer, but mid-week, and there were a few other groups, friends and families, around, but no crowd. No queue. We plunged into the pools several times, the perfect 8 figure and the rest, as well. We took pictures without any rush.
While I can’t guarantee a similar experience for any summer visit (or any visit at all), I think the hype is over. There are many beautiful rock pools along the Australian coastline, let’s hope none of them will be “loved to death”.
Is the Figure 8 Pools hike family-friendly?
According to what I read about it, it’s not the typical attraction they recommend visiting with a kid. Considering the injuries and fatalities that happened earlier I totally understand that.
I’d never take my 3-year-old son anywhere where it’s dangerous – but I wouldn’t put myself in danger either. The question for us was: is it safe to do this with a kid?
If you do it when the risk is low, the only challenge is the hard terrain, that’s what I understood. Since we hiked with our son in high mountains ever since he was born (and we hiked there without him before), we thought we could cope with the hard terrain. We had our toddler carrier just in case, but we ended up not needing it.
Our son walked the path all the way down and then back up on his own. We took his hand during the slippery sections on the rocks. He couldn’t only complete the hike, but also enjoyed it.
We found some very shallow rock pools, far enough from the end of the rock platform to be completely safe from waves. That’s where one of us played with him while the other plunged into the deeper pools. We walked around the deeper pools with him when he asked for it later, but we held his hand all the time. The rocks were wet, it was slippery.
The highlight for him was not the Figure 8 Pool, and it’s fine. He enjoyed playing in the warm, shallow (and not that pretty) rock pools much more.
So what’s our verdict? It’s not the typical family-friendly hike, but it can be done with kids. You have to do this assessment for your family though, there’s no general answer. You know your abilities and your kids the best.
If you have experience hiking rough terrain with your kid, choose a low risk period for visiting, prepare with enough food and water (shade is very limited!) and carefully watch your kids on the rock platform, it could be a great, unforgettable family adventure.
Other swimming holes in Royal National Park
Figure 8 Pools are not your only chance to experience wild swimming holes near Sydney. Even if we consider Royal National Park only, you can find more stunning pools. We’ve visited three of them so far, and liked them very much:
Karloo Pool
Karloo Pool is a fabulous water hole in a river, surrounded by lush greenery. It’s actually large enough for swimming, but simply taking a refreshing plunge and being surrounded by the beautiful forest is a special experience. Or sitting into the small waterfall cascading into the pool.
The pool is surrounded by large, smooth rocks, and they provide plenty of space to sit and relax. Though it’s often mentioned as a “hidden gem”, I think plenty of people know about it. We visited it on a weekday in summer, and found just as many people there as at the Figure 8 Pools – which didn’t make it unenjoyable, but we were definitely not alone.
It’s a 5 km return track from Heathcote train station to get to Karloo Pool, and you have the option to make it longer by venturing further to Uloola Falls.
Wattamolla Lagoon
Okay, this is not an actual swimming hole, but Wattamolla Lagoon has shallow, calm waters. It’s right behind Wattamolla Beach, and it has a sandy shore, shaded by trees. The lagoon is also home to a small waterfall that cascades into it, and you can swim under it – or just marvel at this pretty, tranquil setting.
Also, Wattamolla Beach is among those few beaches in Royal National Park that are protected enough so that it’s (usually) safe to swim there. The picnic area above the beach has benches, BBQs and plenty of grassy areas, making it a popular spot for family or group gatherings.
To reach it you can park your car or take the bus to the Wattamolla Picnic Area. Only a short walk from the parking is required to reach Wattamolla Lagoon. If you’re looking for a typical family-friendly place to visit, this is the one.
Wattamolla Dam
You can reach Wattamolla Dam on a ~750 m boardwalk from the Wattamolla picnic area parking. You’ll pass Wattamolla Falls, and quickly reach Wattamolla Dam which has a calm, picturesque water hole, great for a refreshing dip. After rain lots of small waterfalls cascade down into the pool, making the scene even prettier.
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