Yarrangobilly Caves is one of those stops that gives you two very different things in one afternoon: a limestone cave you can walk through on your own, and a warm, spring-fed pool beside a mountain river. We called in on a Saturday in early September 2025, on our way north along the Snowy Mountains Highway after Selwyn Snow Resort and Bullocks Hill Campground.
Featured inKosciuszko National Park (NSW) Guide
We arrived around one o’clock and left at about three, which was enough time for South Glory Cave and a swim in the thermal pool. Both are great and worth a visit, and it was very quiet when we were there.
About Yarrangobilly Caves
The caves sit in a limestone valley in the north of Kosciuszko National Park and are run by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. There’s a visitor centre where you buy your tickets, several caves, a handful of walking tracks and the thermal pool.
South Glory Cave is the one you can explore without a guide. The other caves, including Jillabenan, Jersey, North Glory, Harrie Wood and Castle Cave, are visited on guided tours, and the visitor centre can tell you what’s running on the day. The Yarrangobilly area is open all year, with extra tours in the NSW school holidays, and you can call the caves on (02) 6454 9597 to confirm tour times.
Quick facts
- AddressYarrangobilly Caves, Snowy Mountains Highway, Kosciuszko National Park, NSW 2720, AustraliaSee on the trip map →
- Phone reception:Patchy
- Facilities:Visitor CentreParkingToiletsChange RoomsPicnic TablesSwimmingWalking TrailsLookoutsNo CampingNo PetsNo Caravan Access
- 9.0/10Overall rated
- Good to know:Self-guided cave open 9.30 am to 4 pmPool is 27°C all year700 m walk to the pool, a bit steep
- Fees:$22 per adult for the self-guided cave$4 day pass per vehicle
Getting There and Tickets
The turn-off is signposted on the Snowy Mountains Highway. A sign there warns that the road ahead is unsuitable for caravans, and you soon see why: the road in is narrow, turns to gravel and is cut into the hillside above a creek. Take it slowly.
Your first stop is the visitor centre, where you pay. We paid $48 for the two of us: $22 per adult for the self-guided cave and $4 for a day pass for the car. The $4 per vehicle per day applies if you don’t already have a Kosciuszko National Park day pass or an NPWS All Parks annual pass. Every vehicle has to display a pass, and last entry to the self-guided cave is at 4 pm.
South Glory Cave
From the Glory Cave car park it’s about 500 metres to the cave. A sign at the start of the track shows the distances to the caves, the walks and the thermal pool.
The walk in is a highlight in itself. The path squeezes between tall limestone pillars and then runs along the side of the gorge, with a handrail on one side and the river far below.
Then the Glory Arch comes into view: a huge opening in the cliff face.
Standing under the arch and looking up, you see sky through a hole in the roof.
South Glory Cave itself is one way only, about 470 metres long. Inside there are lit walkways with handrails, so you can take it at your own pace, past stalactites, thick columns and a still pool of water.
The Thermal Pool
The thermal pool has its own car park. From there a steep 700 metre track, the Thermal Pool walk, leads down to the pool beside the Yarrangobilly River, and on the way down you look straight onto it from above.
The pool is fed by a natural spring and stays at a constant 27°C. It’s 20 metres long and up to 2.5 metres deep, and the water is so clear that you can see the green of the bottom. Next to it there’s a children’s wading pool, and there are change rooms, toilets and picnic tables.
We had a swim here, and after a night at Denison Campground without a shower, that was awesome. It was very quiet too.
The river runs just below the pool, and two walks start here: the River Walk and the Glory Hole Farm Walk. The walk back up to the car park is a bit steep, but very doable.
Walks and Practical Tips
Walks. Besides the caves and the pool, the signs list the Glory Arch Walk (1 km return), the River Walk (3 km round trip), the Glory Hole Farm Walk (2.8 km return), the Castle Walk (3.2 km return) and the Bluff Lookout Walk (2.5 km round trip).
What to bring. Swimmers and a towel for the pool, good shoes for the tracks, and something warm for the cave. Signs around the pool and the car parks warn that snakes live in the area, so watch where you step in the warmer months.
Good to know. Phone reception is patchy in the valley. There’s no camping here, and dogs aren’t allowed. Caravans can’t use the road in. The nearest campground we looked at is Bullocks Hill Campground, a short drive back down the highway. Heading north towards Tumut, Black Perry Lookout is an easy stop beside the highway.
Summary
Yarrangobilly Caves packs a lot into one stop, and both the cave and the pool are great and worth a visit. For $22 each we walked through a big limestone cave at our own pace, and then had a swim in the warm pool, which was awesome after a night of camping without a shower. The road in is narrow, and the track to the pool is a bit steep but very doable. Allow at least a couple of hours, and more if you want to swim and do a walk.
A limestone cave you can walk through at your own pace and a 27°C spring-fed pool beside the river, in one stop.
Both are great and worth a visit. Allow a few hours, bring your swimmers, and leave the caravan behind: the road in isn’t suitable for one.
- Families
- Couples
- 4WD tourers
Yes. We paid $48 for two adults: $22 each for the self-guided South Glory Cave and a $4 day pass for the car. The thermal pool and the walks are included.
Recommended Gear for Yarrangobilly Caves
A quick-drying towel like the Kathmandu Microfibre Towel is the thing to pack for the thermal pool. Carry your own water in a water container, and bring a torch from our camping lighting reviews for the darker corners of the cave. After the swim, a couple of camping chairs by the car make a good lunch stop.
