Cumberland State Forest Guide
A gated day in Sydney’s only metropolitan State forest. Picnic, three short walks, dog on a leash. No camping.
Unofficial operator’s manual
Independent, unofficial, not Forestry Corporation, not NPWS · Content reviewed 23 Sep 2026
You cannot camp here. Trail bikes and 4WD are not permitted. The gate is 8.30am to 5.00pm, or 6.00pm in daylight saving (last-checked 23 Sep 2026). Check that morning. This page cannot tell you if the gate is open. Forestry Corporation of NSW owns live conditions. Confirm on the official Cumberland page and closures.
- Day picnic
- Three short walks
- Dogs on a leash
- Gated
- No camping
- Not a national park
Plan, picnic, maps, a bed elsewhere
Not the national park
This is a State forest, not the national park
Cumberland State Forest is a Forestry Corporation of NSW forest at 95 Castle Hill Road, West Pennant Hills. It is about 40 hectares, inside Sydney, and it is not a national park. You come in through the gate: 8.30am to 5.00pm, or 6.00pm in daylight saving, last-checked 23 Sep 2026. Camping, trail bikes and 4WD are not permitted. Picnic tables are free and first-come, and they cannot be reserved. Dogs are on a leash. If you wanted a night in a forest, that is Olney and The Pines, on a different website. This site is an unofficial operator’s manual in the State Forest Guide Australia network.
If you wanted a night in a forest, that is The Pines in Olney, on the Olney State Forest guide. It is also first-come. It is not a bed held from here.
What kind of forest day?
Picnic
Free · first-come · not a camp
Four picnic areas: Calgaroo, Shepherds, Swains and Bellamy. Tables and gas barbecues cannot be reserved. You are out when the gate shuts.
Three short walks
Brochure times · not walked by us
Forestry Trail, Palm Gully Trail, and the flat Sensory Trail. The brochure lists the lengths. Bicycles stay off the walking trails.
You cannot camp
Official exception · with Strickland
Most NSW State forests are first-come camping. Cumberland is not. No trail bikes. No 4WD. A night under trees is Olney, not this gate.
I typed national park
Different manager
Castle Hill and West Pennant Hills do not make this a national park. It is a State forest of about 40 hectares, with a gate on Castle Hill Road.
Best for
A Sydney day: a picnic, a short walk, a dog on a leash, and out before the gate. The Sensory Trail is the flat one.
Skip if
You need a tent tonight, a trail bike, or a 4WD loop. You wanted Lane Cove National Park or The Pines in Olney. You are arriving in the last hour and still want a walk.
Picnic areas
Four picnic areas, none of them a camp
Forestry Corp’s visitor list. Place pictures are AI illustrative — not a field photograph.
- Calgaroo Picnic Area
At the top of the forest. Forestry Corp says it suits large groups and includes a barbecue. Free. First-come. You cannot reserve the tables.
- Shepherds Picnic Area
A barbecue close to the visitor centre, the cafe and the nursery. Bellamy’s barbecues are across the road here.
- Swains Picnic Area
At the top of the forest, looking over the arboretum pine grove. Forestry Corp says it suits large groups and has a barbecue and a shelter.
- Bellamy Picnic Area
Close to the visitor centre, cafe and nursery. A shelter seats about 30. Barbecues are across the road at Shepherds.
How long
A day inside the gate. Not a night.
Short visit
Picnic at whichever table is free. Sensory Trail if you want the flat loop. The brochure says about 30 minutes.
A longer morning
Add the Forestry Trail or Palm Gully. The brochure says about an hour each, moderate. Not independently walked. Be back before the gate.
Overnight
Not here. A suburb bed, or The Pines in Olney if you actually wanted a forest camp. Read the no-camping page before you pack a tent.
Named walks
Three trails, lengths from the brochure
Not independently walked. If a sign on the day disagrees with the brochure, follow the sign.
Forestry Trail
Tall eucalypt forest. The brochure lists 1.3 km, about one hour, moderate grade. It is the walk Forestry Corp uses to show how native forests are managed in NSW.
Brochure: 1.3 km · about 1 hour · moderate. Last-checked 23 Sep 2026.
View guide →
Palm Gully
Moist rainforest. The brochure lists 1 km, about one hour, moderate grade. You are walking among the palms the trail is named for.
Brochure: 1 km · about 1 hour · moderate. Last-checked 23 Sep 2026.
View guide →
Sensory Trail
Wheelchair and stroller-friendly. The brochure lists a 350 m loop, about 30 minutes, easy grade. Interpretive signs. Braille books by arrangement.
Brochure: 350 m loop · about 30 minutes · easy. Last-checked 23 Sep 2026.
View guide →
Private, on the forest
Treetops, the cafe, the nursery
They operate inside the gate. They are not Forestry Corporation, and this guide does not sell their tickets or their plants. Treetops Adventure The Hills is not the Central Coast park and not Coffs.
- Treetops Adventure The Hills — private ropes course. Their phone is 02 9188 4051.
- Cafe Saligna — private cafe. Their site, last-checked 23 Sep 2026, said the kitchen closes at 2:30pm. That is earlier than the gate.
- Plants Plus Cumberland Forest — private nursery. Enter from 95 Castle Hill Road.
Cumberland State Forest Guide
Cumberland State Forest Guide downloads
Printable planner and itineraries with the site name on them. Gate hours, a picnic, a short walk, and out before close. Official Forestry Corp / RFS links on every file.
- Planner — gate hours, leash, gas barbecues, no camping
- Itineraries — a morning picnic, a short walk, and out before the gate
- Gate mark + www.cumberlandstateforest.com.au on every sheet
Free direct download — no email required. Maps · Itineraries · Privacy.
Part of the State Forest Guide Australia network
This unofficial Cumberland State Forest guide is in that network. Not government. Not a national-park directory.
Browse state forests → stateforestguide.com.au
Sister state forests
FAQ
Is Cumberland State Forest a national park?
No. It is a Forestry Corporation of NSW forest at 95 Castle Hill Road, West Pennant Hills. About 40 hectares. People type “national park Castle Hill” and land here. Lane Cove National Park is a different manager. Not a national park
Can I camp, or reserve a picnic table?
No camping. Picnic areas, barbecues and tables cannot be reserved. They are free and first-come. The statewide “camp in any State forest” rule does not apply here. Strickland is the other named exception. No camping
What time does the gate shut?
Forestry Corp says 8.30am to 5.00pm, and 8.30am to 6.00pm in daylight saving. Last-checked 23 Sep 2026. This page cannot tell you if it is open now. If you are locked in, the brochure says call 1300 136 102. A fee applies. How long
Can I bring a dog?
Yes, on a leash at all times. That is stricter than the usual State-forest line. Pick up droppings. Do not take the dog into a national park. Dogs on Plan your visit
Can I ride a trail bike or bring a 4WD?
No. Trail bikes and 4WD are not permitted. Vehicles stay on the sealed roads and must be road registered. Bicycles are not allowed on the walking trails. Plan your visit
Is this site official?
No. Independent unofficial operator’s manual in the State Forest Guide Australia network. Not Forestry Corporation. Not NPWS. Not Treetops, Cafe Saligna, or Plants Plus.
Rules, gate hours and place names come from Forestry Corporation of NSW’s Cumberland page, their map and brochure, and their statewide camping and dogs pages. Closures: official notices. Fires: RFS plus the brochure rule of gas barbecues only. NSW Government listing used for the street address, free entry, and forest-level facilities.
Not independently walked. Gate hours, closures and fire rules change. Check with Forestry Corporation of NSW. This page cannot tell you if the gate is open.