Most people identify the Blue Mountains as being the home of The Three Sisters.
The Blue Mountains National park is the perfect destination for those who are after adventure, whether it's abseiling, rock climbing, canyoning or walking some of the most breathtaking bush tracks in the world.
A GOOD LEVEL OF BUSHWALKING EXPERIENCE AND FITNESS IS REQUIRED FOR MANY OF THESE EXPERIENCES.
STUDY THE TRAILS BEFORE YOU GO AS IT EXTREMELY EASY TO GET LOST.
ALWAYS ENSURE YOU HAVE ADEQUATE WATER, CLOTHING AND SUPPLIES.
Wheeny Gap Falls
Wheeny Gap Falls is a bit of an adventure that takes you to two stunning swimming holes. North Wheeny Gap trail is accessed from Mountain Lagoon Road which leads off Bells Line of Road at Bilpin. Access to Wheeny Gap falls is via a 6km rough dirt North Wheeny Gap trail. Although this would normally be considered a 4WD trail, dry conditions made it suitable for me to drive most of the way in my 2WD reducing our walk to around 6km return. Note we could have driven further along to reduce the distance but we felt we needed to stretch our legs and not be too lazy 😊 Warnings The walk down to Wheeny Gap Falls is steep and at points very slippery. It would be treacherous during or directly after heavy rain. Some navigational skills required as the descent is not marked and difficult to find and can create problems entering and returning if missed. I did rely on my AllTrails app for GPS plotting for this part of the walk. For this reason I would rate this walk as hard and for experienced bushwalkers only.
Kanuka Brook and Blue Pool Loop
This 17 km loop walk near Glenbrook, takes you through some pretty impressive locations in the Blue Mountains National Park, including Blue Pool and Kanuka Brook. I’m glad we took the advice to walk this track anti clockwise, taking on the most challenging section while the legs were still fresh. This is a hard walk and definitely for experienced bushwalkers only with good navigational skills, as the track is almost no existent in many places. I did find myself relying a lot on the AllTrails app for this walk, needing to back track a few times, struggling to find a track. Be prepared to do a bit of scrambling and bush bashing, especially on the climb out from Kanuka Brook. Thankfully there were a few blue markings along this difficult section and the occasional arrow to guide us on this climb out. Our walk did take around 7 hrs allowing us time to take in the beauty Once again thanks to trusty Keen boots - Feet survived 😁👌 ** Experienced bushwalkers only
Colosseum,Sunbath,Tuckers Lookout aka Megalong Mess
We decided to try one of the lesser visited tracks in the Blue Mountains. This trail includes a fair bit of overgrown out and back tracks that mostly take you out to impressive lookouts overlooking Megalong Valley. I will say there were moments when I had to question some of the trails marked on Alltrails app, taking us to some pretty frightening drops. Eventually we did find a few more frequented tracks including Glen Rosa, Sunbath and Colosseum track. * This is not a track for inexperienced bushwalkers
Asgard Swamp Track
Temperatures were just right today for a first time walk along the Asgard Swamp Track near Mount Victoria, in the Blue Mountains. This is a 8.7km out and back trail packed with surprises, including stunning views overlooking Grose Valley, an interesting disused Coal mine to explore and of course the namesake of this trail, Asgard Swamp. Top the day off with masses of wattle in full bloom making this the perfect most enjoyable walk. I would rate this walk as medium, although I believe some may have rated it as med-hard. As always know your limits before heading out on any of these walks and extreme care to be taken around any of the scenic viewing points.
Ruined Castle - via Golden Stairs
With so many walks closed in the Blue Mountains, we decided to take on the iconic Ruined Castle, where this adventure takes you deep into the heart of the Blue Mountains. We began this 11km return walk at Narrow Neck lookout due to a closure of the road leading to the Golden Stairs. The early morning start was a bit cool on the fingertips with a temperature near Zero, however the body quickly warmed up not long into our hike. Once we arrived at the Golden Stairs, we began our rocky uneven descent to Jamieson Valley, giving us some stunning views along the way. As you get closer to Ruined Castle, you will see several boulders that look like they don’t belong there at all, and that’s precisely what makes the Ruined Castle so fascinating. It’s an unusual rock formation in the middle of nowhere, located on top of a ridge, giving you magnificent 360 degree views overlooking this stunning mountain range. *This walk is rated hard and is probably due to all the uneven steep steps and elevation. As always do your homework on any of these walks, take plenty of supplies and know your limits. Temperatures in the Blue Mountains can quickly drop below zero so best to be prepared
Dalpura Canyon
Dalpura Canyon is a beautiful canyon that lies between Dalpura Ridge and Jinki Ridge. Our walk began at Bells Line of Road, with the trail taking us to our first misty views overlooking Grose Valley and Blue Gum Forest. From here, the trail eventually took us down to the stunning Dalpura Canyon. This is a canyon that can involve a bit of abseiling for those keen enough, however we were pleasantly surprised with just how long and relatively easy it was to access this natural wonder. Although our walk was originally planned to be a loop trail, we did have a lot of trouble finding the exit point, forcing us to go back the way we came. Out and back can vary depending on how far you want go. Our adventure was around 7km return and took us approx 4hrs to complete allowing us plenty of time to take it all in. **There are no signs on this walk so do your research before going as you can easily get lost on any of these trails.
Centennial Paas Loop via Colliers Causeway
Centennial Pass Loop is one of those walks that has just about everything you could possibly ask for. From the Blue mountains escarpment to the windswept heath, rainforest, gums and a very cool slot canyon to explore. The only thing missing on our day was the view overlooking Megalong valley. At times the low clouds did clear giving us that million dollar view. Just magic.
Lockleys Pylon to Perrys Lookdown via Blue Gum Forest
Lockleys Pylon to Perrys Lookdown via Blue Gum Forest has to be up there with one of the most challenging yet most rewarding walks I have been on in the Blue Mountains. This 10km one way walk, began along Lockleys Pylon walking track offering stunning scenic 360-degree views overlooking Grose Valley. From here our walk took on the next level of excitement with a steep descent into Blue Gum Forest via Shortridge Pass. (not for the faint hearted) Once in the valley we were surrounded by magnificent Blue Gum trees and dozens of Waratahs eventually reaching Govetts Creek. We finished the walk with a steep heart pumping 2km walk back out along Perrys Track to another car we had previously dropped off. I would definitely rate this level 4 hard and for the experienced bushwalkers only.
LAWSON NORTH to HAZELBROOK via 8 Waterfalls. 💦
It was a cold wet day but the waterfalls were certainly at their best. This 12km walk began at Lawson North were we entered the Blue Mountains National park. It wasn't long before we came across the first of many stunning waterfalls, Fairy Falls. We then continued on this lush rainforest trail that mostly followed a creek leading us to the next waterfall. Our walk included 2 separate tracks in Lawson North and Hazelbrook. The track are divided by approx 2km of suburbia requiring a bit of navigating to find the next point of entrance. Our walk finished with a short train ride from Hazelbrook station back to our car at Lawson station.
Wentworth Falls - Empress Falls Loop via Wentworth Pass
Just the right amount of rain and no sun made it the perfect day out in the Blue Mountains. We started our walk at Wentworth falls car park, following the trail down to the second tier of Wentworth Falls on what I consider to be the most breathtaking section in the Blue Mountains. From here we headed down to lower Wentworth Falls via Slacks steps. Slacks steps consist of steel steps and 5 extremely interesting but very safe steel ladders. (Definitely one of the highlights of the walk) We then continued along Wentworth Pass eventually heading back up the stunning cascading waterfalls of Empress Falls. This walk is a must but does require a reasonable amount of fitness. As always know your limits and study the trails before doing any of these bushwalks
Lockleys Pylon
Lockleys Pylon walking track, just near Leura, is an invigorating walk offering awe inspiring views of the Grose Valley with heaps of outstanding photography opportunities The walk is around 7kms return, however, for those wanting more there is the option of continuing down into Blue Gum forest eventually joining onto other trails and tracks. (Highly recommended to study the walk before continuing past Lockleys Pylon - Experienced bushwalkers only past this point) I would rate Lockleys Pylon walking track as medium and well worth the effort.
Bridal Veil Falls via Giant Stairway
We began this 10km Loop trail walking along Prince Henry Cliff Walk to one of Australia's famous landmarks, The Three Sisters. From here we descended the 930 steps down to the base where we continued along Dardanelles Pass towards Bridal Veils Falls. I would consider this walk as hard due to the long descent and what seemed even longer climb out. Highly recommend this walk. Note. Leura Cascades was closed due to track damage.
Lawson South Waterfalls
WATERFALL LOVERS MUST WATCH VIDEO. The rain has been falling and the Waterfalls are at their best so NOW is the best time to check out the many waterfalls around Lawson in the Blue Mountains. Be prepared to get wet as you explore some of the best waterfalls the mountains has to offer. This 13km double loop trail just kept on giving with what I can only describe as the best waterfall adventure I have experienced. With over a dozen waterfalls listed on this walk I would probably estimate it was more close to 20 falls we came across. The distance given on the AllTrails app is 8.7km however we added a few out and back trails on to this walk to check out more waterfalls. **Important to know your limits before heading out on any of these walks. As always I highly recommend downloading the paid version of the AllTrails app to help keep you on track. The paid version of this app will work on satellite similar to GPS once the walk you are doing has been downloaded to your phone.
Red Hand Caves via Campfire Creek Track Loop
Red Hands Cave walking track in Blue Mountains National Park near Glenbrook NSW, is a 9km easy to medium rated loop track. This track has most likely been used by Aboriginal people for thousands of years and winds through remote bushland to one of the best Aboriginal stencil galleries in the Sydney Basin. The track also passes some very impressive rock carvings that date back hundreds if not thousands of years. Overall a great walk well worth putting on your must do list.
Sassafras Gully and Magdala Gully Loop Trail
The Sassafras Gully loop is an excellent walk setting out from Springwood Station. The walk uses the gullies to navigate past some wonderful rock features, dense bushland and waterfalls. A nice cool walk in the shade and never too far from water, this 10.5km walk (more like 14km on my GPS) mostly follows the very picturesque Sassafras and Magdala creeks. * The walk is rated Hard possibly due to its elevation profile which is typical for most of these walks in the mountains Highly recommended
Glow Worm Tunnel - Wollami National Park
One of the most popular and famous tracks near Lithgow has to be the Glow Worm Tunnel Walk. The Glowworm Tunnel is a disused railway tunnel around 50km from Lithgow notable for its resident glow-worms. These insect larvae glow through bioluminescence and when in total darkness of the tunnel can give you the impression you are looking at stars in the galaxy. The adventure begins near the ZigZag railway where you will drive 40km on semi maintained graded road to the Glow worm tunnel cark park From here the tunnel entrance is only around 2km For those wanting a bit more I would highly recommend continuing on through the tunnel and completing the 9km Pagoda circuit track, eventually getting you back to your car.
Wallangambie Canyon- Stage 2
This full day adventure starts with a 1.5 hr walk and rope climb down to the exit of Stage 1 of the canyon. From here, the second stage of Wollangambe will not disappoint, from its crystal-clear waters winding through some very colourful passages, to its magnificent towering rock walls. Entry is from Cathedral Reserve at Mt Wilson and does involve 2 rope climbs which can be a bit challenging for those who have issues with heights. The canyon involves many long swims for which inflatable matts and wetsuits are highly recommended
Wallangambie Canyon- Stage 1
Wollangambe Canyon located at Mt Wilson is a very picturesque canyon that involves many long swims for which inflatable matts and wetsuits are highly recommended.
There is a significant amount of climbing up, down and around house-sized boulders and can take around 6 to 8 hours return for a "moderately fit and experienced party however this can easily blow out.
The end of stage one requires two rope climbs which can be a bit daunting for those with height problems and a descent uphill return to car park.
I would rate this circuit as "Medium to Hard" but well worth the effort
Rodriguez Pass
aRodriguez Pass walking track is a challenging 12km loop hike that can be started from either Govetts Leap or Evans lookout, in Blackheath. This Grade 5 track winds past numerous spectacular waterfalls, lookouts and lush rainforest in Blue Mountains National Park. *Note. The track is very steep and difficult in places and has minimal signage. It’s recommended for experienced hikers with good fitness and navigation skills. Take care as there are exposed cliff edges, steep stairs and slippery creek crossings
Twister and Rocky Creek canyon
These truly spectacular canyons consists of lots of great and sometimes challenging jumps, long swims and some fun slides.
Give yourself a full day as the drive to the start is around 1.5 hrs from Katoomba with the last 45 minutes of rough unsealed road.
The canyons have everything from lovely rain forest trails to technical jumps and some very interesting and unusual rock climbs.
** Experienced guides highly recommended as these canyons should not be attempted without prior knowledge of access in and out, and most importantly depth of water holes.
*Wetsuits a must as the water can be extremely cold.
BMAC (Blue Mountains Adventure company) and RDMH (River Deep Mountain High) are a couple of professional adventure companies who run organised tours to this region.
Empress Canyon
Take the leap and try one of the many Canyoning experiences the Blue Mountain National Park has to offer
We decided to take the half day trip and explore the very picturesque Empress Canyon.
This canyon consists of majestic rainforest scenery with rock jumps into ponds from around 2m up to 5m and finishes with the final breath-taking 30m abseil down a raging waterfall! WOW The whole experience lasted around 3hrs and is the perfect way to introduce you to the amazing world of canyoning. We booked this tour through Eagle Rock Adventures however there a number of other companies around Katoomba that provided these adventure experiences.
High and Wild also specialise in Canyoning, Abseiling, Rock Climbing and other adventures and are conveniently based inside YHA Blue Mountains
Blue Mountains YHA is an award-winning hostel located in the heart of Katoomba and has a range of accommodation suitable for backpackers, families or for those who just want to escape the city for a bit break.
Grand Canyon
This is one place that holds true to its name and is a must do walk. From the moment you descend into the Canyon you enter into another world of truly magnificent luscious native vegetation.
This historic loop track sets out from Evans lookout and can take around 3-4 hrs to complete.
There are some creek crossings and steep sections that may be challenging, however the experience and beauty of this walk will be absolutely rewarding.
National Pass (closed)
Check online for updates about this walk as it was closed due to a fatality from a rock slide.
Built into the side of the cliff, the National Pass is a spectacular walking track offering unrivalled views of the many natural wonders of the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park.
Your journey begins at Wentworth Falls picnic area, where you can stroll over to Jamison lookout and take in magnificent views of the valley below. Listen to the cascading water at Wentworth Falls, before tackling the historic Grand Stairway, built by hand in the early 1900’s.
Walk through the Valley of the Waters where you will pass some very impressive waterfalls, including Empress, Silvia and Lodore Falls.
The walk ends with a long steep climb from the magnificent Empress Falls back up to Conservation Hut.
Conservation Hut is a great spot for a bite to eat giving you the energy to maybe take the short? 3km walk back by road to Wentworth Falls Picnic ground.
* Some planning will be required as this walk takes around 2.5 - 3hrs one way
Wentworth Falls
Wentworth Falls is a three-tiered waterfall situated in the world heritage Blue Mountains National Park. The falls are accessible via the very scenic National Pass Walking Trail. This track has sections of steep stairs cut into the side of the mountain that will give you some of the best views of this waterfall and at times test your fear of heights. You will most definitely appreciate the views and challenge of stairs and ladders that will get you down to the lower level of the falls.
Empress Falls to Leura
We started this walk from Conservation Hut heading down to Empress Falls. The trail to Leura leads off from here and eventually comes out at the Fairmont resort along side a golf course where you will need to take the road for around 1.5km to another track leading to Prince Henry Cliff walk.
Prince Henry Cliff is a very scenic track which runs between Katoomba and Leura, passing the iconic Three Sisters and Echo Point in Blue Mountains National Park.
Echo Point to Scenic World
Try the awe inspiring walk through scenic Jamison Valley via the historic 900 step Giant Stairway that runs down to the base of the Three Sisters.
The walk, around 4.7km one way from Echo Point to Scenic World takes around 2-3hrs to complete and requires a reasonable level of fitness however well worth the effort.
Arriving at Scenic World, the decision will then be yours, whether to take the steps or be tempted to ride the historic Scenic Railway to the cliff top.
*Taking the stairs will be rewarding on all levels as you will get some of the most amazing views of Katoomba Falls and most importantly you will also have the bragging rights of climbing over 1000+ steps to the top
The Giant Stairway begins with some steep stairs that lead down to a bridge that will get you across to one of the iconic Three Sisters.
Some may find this a bit difficult if heights are an issue but the views from there will definitely make up for it.
If you can get past this point then you will most certainly be comfortable with the rest of the descent down to the base of the Sisters.
Leura Cascades Fern Bower circuit is a moderately challenging track along an impressive cliff line, with waterfalls and gorgeous scenic views.
This is a great walk for those who love nature and the great outdoors and is a photographer’s paradise.
Listen to the sounds of birds singing in the valley including the very distinctive sounds from the Bell bird.
I would rate this track as medium but it does have a descent amount of stairs as you approach the cascades.
* This walk is well worth the effort to the falls and can take around 1.5 to 2hrs one way from Echo Point.
You can reduce your times by taking a Hop-on Hop-off tour which allows you the flexibility to plan your day according to your interests.
Stopping off for a bit of a cool down and water massage at the base of Wentworth Falls is nothing short of exhilarating.
Special thanks to Elsa, John, Karen, Trina, Adam, Louise and Evan for their assistance with the videos and for making this adventure happen.