If you are looking for a fun family adventure in Killarney National Park, try the Torc Mountain hike with kids. We did this hike with our kids and found it to be a fun mix of easy walking, steep climbs on boardwalks and rock steps up to the summit.
Our kids loved the boardwalk sections, we all enjoyed the views getting bigger as we climbed, and even though the weather was wet for part of our hike, they kept going all the way to the top without complaining. Best of all, the accomplishment of summiting a mountain is a huge confidence builder for kids! Without question, this was one of our favourite things to do in Killarney National Park with kids.
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What the Torc Mountain Trail Is Like
We first noticed Torc Mountain as we were hiking towards Torc Waterfall. It’s a decent-sized mountain on the shores of Muckross Lake and we knew there was a hike to the top. After doing some research on the Torc Mountain walk, we knew our kids (aged 3 & 6) could do it.
The Torc Mountain hike has two distinct sections:
1) The first 1.8 km (1.1 miles) is along the Old Kenmare Road Walk. This wide, gravel trail is pretty easy walking with only a gentle incline.
2) Leaving Old Kenmare Road, you begin the 2.2 km (1.4 mile) ascent to the summit of Torc Mountain.
The Old Kenmare Road Section
The Old Kenmare Road is a beautiful walk through a forest of old, gnarled oak trees covered in moss, with a lush undergrowth of emerald ferns and moss-covered boulders. Much of this trail follows the Owengarrif River and you’ll enjoy a few small trailside waterfalls along the way.
The second half of this initial section is through an open meadow where you’ll enjoy distant views of the surrounding mountains. It was raining pretty hard during this part of our walk and we had to cross a few streams via little rock bridges.
The Climb to the Summit
At the 1.8 km (1.1 mile) mark, you leave the Old Kenmare Road and begin your ascent up Torc Mountain. Here the trail winds its way up an open grassy meadow, providing outstanding views the whole way up. As you get higher, you can start to see some lakes in the distance, which simply adds to the amazing scenery.
The trail to the Torc Mountain summit is evenly split between steps made from rocks and wooden boardwalks built over marshy grassland. The wooden boardwalks have chicken-wire stapled to them to provide additional traction, which we really appreciated on this soggy day.
The rock steps are like climbing stairs and can get steep in spots, but the wooden boardwalks are built with reasonably gentle inclines. The rock steps can get slippery on a rainy day, so take them slow. We’d estimate half the trail to the top consists of boardwalks, giving you chances to catch your breath after some of the steeper parts.
By the time we reached the summit of Torc Mountain, we had entered the clouds. Luckily they were thin enough that we could still make out the incredible views of the Lakes of Killarney and the Killarney National Park below. The strong winds made it a bit unpleasant at the top, so we snapped a few summit pics and headed right back down.
Torc Mountain Summit Hike Stats
All told, we measured the Torc Mountain walk distance as 8 km (5 miles) in total with 416 m (1,365 feet) in elevation gain. We completed the hike in 3.5 hours, which is slightly faster than typical for us with kids (likely due to us taking less pictures because of the rain).
The Torc Mountain walk seemed a lot easier than its stats seem to indicate, likely due to the nice incline breaks you get from the boardwalks. Our kids were amazing! They climbed steadily to the top without complaining, and just kept going until we reached the summit.
Torc Mountain Hike Location and Parking
You can begin the Torc Mountain walk from the Upper Torc Mountain parking lot. From here, the Torc Mountain walk starts south along Old Kenmare Road Walk which parallels the Owengarrif River.
Torc Mountain Hike Map
You can download the Torc Mountain trail map on your phone by using the AllTrails hiking app. Once in the app, search the hikes for “Torc Mountain”. Select the trail and download the map on your phone before you head out for your hike.
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The Torc Mountain Hike Highlights
The initial stretch of this hike along Old Kenmare Road is especially beautiful. Here you’ll walk through a lush, old growth oak forest which follows alongside the Owengarrif River.
I don’t know what it is about boardwalks, but kids of all ages enjoy hiking along them. There is an abundance of boardwalks along the Torc Mountain trail. They also give you a nice break from climbing the rock steps.
Although the strong winds forced us to cut short our time at the Torc Mountain summit, we felt the incredible vistas from the summit made the effort to the top all worthwhile.
Tips for Hiking Torc Mountain with Kids
There are no toilets at the trailhead, but if anyone in your family needs to go, just stop at the Torc Waterfall parking lot on your way.
If you don’t feel your family is up for summiting Torc Mountain, an excellent option for some easy family walking is to simply keep hiking along Old Kenmare Road. It just keeps on going for miles along the valley floor treating you to some exceptional scenery.
Be prepared for all kinds of weather. The forecast for our hiking day called for “light rain” and for the most part this was true. The wind became very strong near the top, making the “light rain” seem much harder.
Near the top, we kept hold of the kids because the wind was so strong. There are no dangerous drop-offs here, which made that section feel much less stressful.
Before you head out, read our best tips for hiking with kids and see what we actually pack in our guide to hiking gear for kids.
Interesting Information
Torc Mountain translates to “The Mountain of the Wild Boar”. The name is tied to Irish legends involving wild boars, which were symbols of strength and bravery.
Our Killarney National Park with Kids Video
Want to see what our family trip to Killarney National Park looked like? This short video includes highlights from our family hike on Torc Mountain, along with our other favorite things to do from the park.
After watching, keep reading for links to our related Ireland posts.
We’re slowly adding more of our family travel videos to our YouTube channel, so feel free to subscribe if you’d like to follow along.
Follow Along our Family Trip to Ireland
We arrived in Killarney National Park after a visit to the Dingle Peninsula with kids. We spent five amazing days in Killarney National Park, before making our way to visit Cork with kids.
If you are planning a family trip to Ireland, don’t miss our favorite things to do in Ireland with kids.
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