Best Blue Mountains Bushwalks and Lookouts

The lungs fill with fresh, eucalyptus-infused air; the calves scream with exertion; and the mind is clear of the noise of everyday life. But bushwalking in the Blue Mountains is more than just great exercise – it’s a full sensory experience, from absorbing vast vistas that intrigue and inspire, to the shivers that permeate your soul as a black cockatoo flies overhead, its mournful cry a connection to a culture as old as time.

Just 90 minutes from Sydney, the Blue Mountains is a hiker’s paradise, with more than 140 kilometres of trails within a World Heritage-protected National Park and another 135 kilometres of bushland tracks maintained by the local council.

 

BE PREPARED

Your choice of trails in the Blue Mountain is endless, from easy, accessible pathways suitable for the whole family, to multi-day epic adventures. But whatever track you choose, preparation is key to a safe, enjoyable day in the bush.

Be mindful of your fitness levels and choose your walk accordingly – what goes down has to come up again, and that can mean a lot of huffing, puffing and pain for those who aren’t fit.

Be aware of your time constraints – don’t set out on a five-hour hike, for instance, in the late afternoon unless you’re carrying a tent.

Wear sensible clothing - good walking shoes with grip is a must, as is a hat and clothes that will protect you from the elements. Layers are advisable, with weather in the Mountains often unpredictable. Check forecasts, and prepare for the worst.

Before departing, check alerts and track closures on the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Blue Mountains City Council websites.

Always carry water – at least two litres per person, as well as plenty of snacks.

Obey safety signs, and be cautious near cliff edges, especially when taking selfies.

And always let someone know where you are planning to walk, with registration with National Parks and Wildlife Service encouraged on a Trip Intention form.

Image NPWS

 

T.R.E.K

Think Before You TREK is a National Parks and Wildlife Service and NSW Police initiative that helps remind hikers to plan ahead for bushland adventures. TREK stands for:

T: Take enough water, food, equipment and first aid supplies for your hike

R: Register your trip

E: Hire an Emergency Personal Locator Beacon from a NPWS office (mobile phones don’t always work in the valleys)

K: Keep to your planned route

For more information about TREK, visit www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/safety/bushwalking-safety/think-before-you-trek#keep-to-your-planned-route

And remember … our beautiful bushland backyard is a precious resource – visiting here is both a privilege and responsibility. Please take all rubbish with you, leaving behind only footprints and memories of a safe and wonderful day.

Here’s a selection of some of our favourite walks within the Blue Mountains region.

 

EASY HIKES

Fairfax Heritage Walking Track

This gentle 1.8 kilometre sealed walking track sets off from the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre at Blackheath, skirting the edge of a hanging swamp before arriving at the dramatic views over Govetts Leap. Mostly flat with some gentle slopes, it’s wheelchair and pram accessible, and is ideal for families with small children. Seats are provided along the pathway to soak up the bushland ambience and spectacular views.

Distance: 1.8km one way
Time: 30 to 45 minutes
Difficulty: Grade 1 = easy on a sealed pathway.

Katoomba Falls Night-Lit Walk

An easy and pretty walk that showcase some of the most beautiful waterfalls and iconic views in the Blue Mountains. A 1.5km stroll down a paved walkway and boardwalk, it can be enjoyed during the day, and at night when it is lit by 390 LED lights as well as floodlights illuminating natural features such as Orphan Rock, Witches Leap, Katoomba Falls and Katoomba Cascades. The lights turn on at dusk and are turned off at 11pm.

Distance: 1.5km

Time: Up to one hour return

Difficulty: Grade 1 = easy on a paved walkway or boardwalk. Some steps, so not wheelchair accessible (except for the pathway to Cliff View Lookout)

 

Red Hands Cave

Walk in the footsteps of the Darug people and admire some of the best examples of stencil art in the region, said to be between 500 and 1600 years old. The cave is accessible via an 8-kilometre loop that runs along Campside Creek (where you can see axe-grinding marks in the rock) or enjoy an abbreviated version from the carpark, located 13 kilometres past the park entrance.

Distance: 8km loop or 1km return from carpark

Time: 30 minutes (for shortcut) to 2.5 hours

Difficulty: Grade 2 = easy to moderate, with some stairs and uneven surfaces

South Lawson Waterfall Circuit

This three-kilometre track links four pretty cascades – Adelina, Federal, Cataract and Junction Falls - and is particularly popular with locals taking their dogs for a walk (on a leash). Start from the trailhead on Honor Avenue in Lawson, with shortcuts available if you have time restrictions.

Distance: 3.5-km circuit

Time: One to two hours

Difficulty: Grade 2 = easy to moderate on an established track starting at the trailhead near 95 Honour Avenue, Lawson. Some steep and slippery sections, particularly after rain.

 

MODERATE HIKES

Grand Canyon Track

This often-crowded track is popular for a reason – it’s stunningly beautiful, a steep descent into a cool, fern-swathed canyon with dripping overhangs, a secret tunnel and an ancient, bubbling waterway peppered with mossy stepping stones. Setting off from the new Grand Canyon carpark, the well-shaded track features more than 1200 sandstone steps that complement the natural sandstone cliffs, emerging to dramatic views of the Grose Valley from Evans Lookout.

Distance: 6.3-kilometre loop
Time: Three to four hours
Difficulty: Grade 3 = with many stairs - some bush-walking experience necessary

 

Clifftop Track (Govetts Leap to Evans Lookout)

This 6.2 kilometre return cliff-edge walk at Blackheath is rewarded by breathtaking views across the Grose Valley as well as distant glimpses of waterfalls plummeting into the abyss. From Govetts Leap, the trail passes through wildflower-strewn heathland to the top of Govetts Leap waterfall, before continuing along the edge of the cliffs to Evans Lookout. There are plenty of benches along the way to rest, catch your breath and take in the spectacular vistas.

Distance: 6km return

Time: 3-4 hours

Difficulty: Grade 3 = short steep hills and many steps

 

Popes Glen

Starting from Park Avenue behind Blackheath pool, travel along the sandy banks of Popes Glen Creek on 631 newly-laid stone steps, emerging at Govetts Leap with several dramatic waterfalls and spectacular views of the Grose Valley. This picturesque trail offers moments of solitude, beautiful vistas and a diversity of habitats along the way.

Distance: 7.4km return

Time: Three hours return

Difficulty: Grade 3

 

Lockleys Pylon Track

This seven-kilometre return track off the gravel Mount Hay Rd in Leura offers lesser-known views of the Blue Mountains, with the ridgetop walk through undulating wildflower-strewn heathland culminating in a conical-shaped peak with 360 degree views.

Distance: 7km return

Time: 2-3 hours

Difficulty: Grade 3 = some bush-walking experience necessary

 

Centennial Glen/Porters Pass track

Starting at the end of Centennial Road in Blackheath, this trail – popular with locals and rock climbers – can be attempted in its entirely, or there’s an abbreviated version for an easier hike. The shorter, 1.8 km loop goes via the Walls Edge rock climbing cliffs, with spectacular views over the tranquil Kanimbla Valley; you can also make a diversion to the Grotto – a beautiful waterfall tumbling into a slot canyon (make sure you duck your head on the low cave ceiling!) Continue on along Porters Pass, where the going becomes a little more challenging, with some rough terrain underfoot.

Distance: 5.2km

Time: 2.5-3 hours.

Difficulty: Grade 3 = some experience necessary

 

MULTI-DAY HIKES

Grand Cliff Top Walk

The Blue Mountain’s newest bushwalking attraction, the Grand Cliff Top Walk is a scenic 19-kilometre, two-day walking experience spanning the escarpment between Wentworth Falls, Leura and Katoomba. Showcasing some of the most majestic mountain scenery in Australia, it connects existing tracks and pathways to allow walkers to tailor the length of their walk, enjoying a night of rest and relaxation in one of our gorgeous mountain villages. NPWS also offers a 3-hour ranger-guided walk starting with Wentworth Falls picnic area on Saturday, giving an overview of the landscape, it’s flora and fauna and serving as an introduction to the full walk.

Distance: 19km
Time: 2 days
Difficulty: Grade 3; the guided tour is Grade 2

 

Six Foot Track

This classic multi-day journey starts in Katoomba, ending three days and 42 kilometres later at Binda Bush Cabins near Jenolan Caves. So named because it was the original c.1884 road to Jenolan – six feet wide to carry horses and carts - you’ll need to carry your own gear (or go with a licensed tour group), with camping available en route as well as accommodation in an eco-lodge near the Swing Bridge. Note that there is no public transport available from Binda Bush Cabins, so you’ll need to arrange your own transfer.

Distance: 45km
Time: Three days
Difficulty: Grade 4 = suitable for experienced hikers

 

BLUE MOUNTAINS LOOKOUTS

A plateau that drops dramatically into bush-covered valleys, the Blue Mountains is a place where looking down takes precedence over looking up. There are dramatic lookouts from nearly every angle – some positioned to take in the sunrise, others the sunset. And in between, spectacular vistas all day long

Best lookouts for sunrise

For sunrise, lookouts that face east but have escarpment views to the south or north make prime viewing when the first rays hit.

Olympian Rock, Leura (via Olympian Parade)

Sublime Point, Leura

Govetts Leap, Blackheath

Anvil Rock, Blackheath (end of Hat Hill Rd) 

Best lookouts for sunset

The escarpment comes alive with vibrant shades of red and russet as the sun descends in the west. Choose a viewpoint with views both to the setting sun and with cliff views illuminated by the rays.

Hargraves Lookout (end of Shipley Rd, Blackheath)

Cahills Lookout (Cliff Drive, Katoomba)

Narrowneck Lookout (Cliff Drive, Katoomba)

Echo Point and Three Sisters (Cliff Drive, Katoomba)

Great views all day

Fletchers Lookout with views of Wentworth Falls (via Wentworth Falls Picnic Area)

Lincoln’s Rock, Wentworth Falls

Evans Lookout, Blackheath

Portal Lookout, Glenbrook (views across Glenbrook Gorge and the Nepean River)