Snapshot
| Where | Katoomba, Blue Mountains, New South Wales — a sandstone plateau that begins about 60km west of Sydney · About 90 minutes' drive from central Sydney to Katoomba via the M4 and Great Western Highway · Blackheath sits a further 12.5km west · Trains reach Katoomba from Sydney Central in about 2 hours on the Blue Mountains Line |
|---|---|
| Getting there | Sealed the whole way — the M4 and Great Western Highway from Sydney, or Bells Line of Road from Richmond; 2WD is enough for every town and main trailhead · Unsealed roads (Victoria Falls Road, Mount Hay Road, Glenraphael Drive) reach some outer trailheads and close from time to time for fire-trail work or subsidence · Winter fog and black ice are possible at Blackheath and Mount Victoria, and the highway is busy on weekends, public holidays and through summer |
| Best time | March to May — settled autumn days for long cliff-top walks, the lowest fire risk of the year and autumn colour in the old gardens around Leura, Blackheath and Mount Wilson |
| Worst time | December to February — heatwaves past 30°C at Katoomba, afternoon thunderstorms in January and February, the peak bushfire danger period and the year's biggest crowds at Echo Point |
| Time needed | Two to three days to cover Katoomba, Wentworth Falls and Blackheath; a single day from Sydney fits Echo Point and one major walk |
| Cost | Free entry to most of the park; $8 per vehicle per day applies only at the Glenbrook area, paid through Park'nPay · NPWS Multi Parks Pass $65 for one year or $115 for two, All Parks Pass $190 or $335 · Park campgrounds charge their own fees, which no annual pass covers |
| Facilities | Drinking water at Echo Point, Govetts Leap lookout, Wentworth Falls picnic area and the Grand Cliff Top Walk; toilets and barbecues at the main lookouts and campgrounds · Fuel, supermarkets and ATMs in Katoomba, Leura, Wentworth Falls, Blackheath and Lithgow · Mobile reception is limited in the park and unreliable in the valleys |
| Best for | Cliff-top walkers, photographers chasing waterfall flow and valley haze, and day-trippers from Sydney after one iconic view |
| Difficulty |
3 of 5 — Challenging
The lookouts are roadside and the Fairfax Heritage track is Grade 1, but the signature walks run on steep stone steps and long stairways — the National Pass is Grade 4 and the Golden Stairs is Grade 5. Valley tracks here close repeatedly after rockfall and landslide damage, so check the NPWS alerts before every walk. |
Driving there? Car hire and what to check →
Blue Mountains National Park protects the core of a sandstone plateau uplifted 60–80 million years ago and cut by water into the sheer cliffs and deep valleys that make this Australia's most walked escarpment. The Grose Valley took about 15 million years to carve and carries 500m cliff walls at Mount Banks; below Katoomba lies the Jamison Valley, and the blue haze the mountains are named for hangs over both. The Greater Blue Mountains Area was World Heritage listed in 2000 for its geology, its biodiversity and its Aboriginal significance — more than 95 eucalypt species have evolved across it, and the dinosaur-age dwarf mountain pine survives in a single 9km stretch between Katoomba and Wentworth Falls. This is the Country of the Gundungurra and Darug peoples: ochre hand stencils at Red Hands Cave, axe-grinding grooves at Campfire Creek, and the Gathering Place amphitheatre at Echo Point built with Darug and Gundungurra elders.
Most people come for the Three Sisters at Echo Point and the 19km Grand Cliff Top Walk between Wentworth Falls, Leura and Katoomba. More than 140km of tracks run through the park, and the crowds thin within minutes of leaving the lookout.
Go if…
- You want the full spread of walking, from a sealed Grade 1 path to Grade 4 and 5 cliff and valley tracks, all in one park
- You are based in Sydney and want world-scale escarpment walking with no flight and no 4WD
- You like finishing a hard walk in a village with trains, cafes and a real bed
- You want waterfalls that improve after rain, plus real chances of gliders, gang-gangs and quiet forest between the lookouts
Skip it if…
- You want solitude on the famous tracks — Echo Point and the Scenic World precinct are genuinely busy, especially on weekends and through January
- You need guaranteed access to particular valley tracks; rockfall and landslide closures here are frequent and often open-ended
- You are after warm-weather swimming or a beach-style holiday
- You or your group cannot manage long stairways — most signature walks descend and climb hundreds of stone steps
What to expect
Reviewed
You step off the escarpment and the character of the walking announces itself immediately: formed track cut into sandstone, steel handrails bolted to cliff ledges, and stairways that go down and down. NPWS grades these walks honestly and the difference between them is real — the Fairfax Heritage Walking Track at Blackheath is a sealed, wheelchair-and-pram-friendly 1.8km one way, while the National Pass is Grade 4 and the Golden Stairs, 1.6km return from Cliff Drive, is Grade 5 with a very steep, step-heavy gradient. Expect stone steps in the hundreds on anything that leaves the rim, and remember the whole park runs on more than 140km of tracks that are not always signposted: carry a map, tell someone your route and file a trip intention form with NPWS before anything long or remote. Mobile reception is limited in the park and drops out in the valleys, so download your mapping before you leave the car park.
Katoomba, Leura, Wentworth Falls and Blackheath sit in a line along the Great Western Highway and the train, each with its own cliff-top access. The Grand Cliff Top Walk links them: 19km over two days from Wentworth Falls through Leura to Katoomba, staying on the rim past a chain of lookouts and waterfalls. From Echo Point the Prince Henry Cliff Walk runs west along the edge toward Leura, passing Katoomba Falls and the historic Giant Stairway that drops to Federal Pass in the valley below. This is the busiest corner of the park — the Three Sisters lookout fills with tour groups through the middle of the day — and it empties out again as soon as the track bends away from the railing.
Blackheath, 12.5km west of Katoomba, is the quieter end and the gateway to the Grose Valley. Govetts Leap lookout gives the full sweep of the valley with a waterfall dropping off the escarpment beside it, and the Grand Canyon track loops 6.3km through fern gullies and cliff overhangs below the village. This is also where the park's fragility shows: wet weather brings subsidence, rockfall and landslides, and NPWS closes sections of track, sometimes for years, while repairs are made. The National Pass has had a major section shut since a landslide, and the Govetts descent, Rodriguez Pass, Roberts Pass and Lindeman Pass have all been closed at various times. Check the park's alerts page the day before you walk, and always have a plan B.
The bush here is the reason the area is World Heritage listed, and it rewards attention between the lookouts. More than 95 eucalypt species have evolved across the Greater Blue Mountains, and the blue haze that names them settles over the valleys on a still day. The dwarf mountain pine, a relic from the age of dinosaurs, survives in one 9km stretch between Katoomba and Wentworth Falls, and the Blue Mountains cliff mallee grows only on exposed cliff edges in the upper mountains. Watch for yellow-bellied gliders in the Katoomba area, spotted-tail quolls in the deep valleys and gang-gang cockatoos feeding in the eucalypts near Wentworth Falls, along with the hanging swamps that cling to cliff faces and remnant rainforest in the waterfall spray zones. In October a giant dragonfly with a wingspan up to 12.5cm can appear, the red triangle slug comes out only in rain along the Fairfax track, and the critically endangered Megalong Valley bottlebrush flowers pink-purple along the Six Foot Track in November and early December.
Where to stay
Almost everyone bases in the four ridge villages — Katoomba, Leura, Wentworth Falls and Blackheath — strung along the Great Western Highway and the train line with the cliff walks at their back door. NPWS's Euroka campground is in the Glenbrook area at the eastern end of the park, which is a different base altogether.
When bookings open: NPWS publishes no booking window for Euroka campground. Book online for up to 20 people or five sites, or through the National Parks Contact Centre on 1300 072 757 (7am to 7pm daily) for larger groups; check-in is 2pm and check-out 10am. Official booking page. Checked 6 November 2026. Booking dates for every state.
| Stay | Guest rating | Best for | Distance | Style | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Euroka campground (NPWS) | Not rated | Glenbrook-area walks, Red Hands Cave and quiet bush camping | Glenbrook area, eastern end of the park | Tent camping on unpowered, unmarked sites across five areas (Appletree Flat, Bennett Ridge, Darug, Nioka, Red Gum) · toilets, barbecues, picnic tables · bring drinking water and firewood | Book now |
| Katoomba Falls Tourist Park | Not rated | Walkers who want the Katoomba cliff tracks on the doorstep | In Katoomba, on the escarpment | Paid caravan park and campsite with cabins, in the Katoomba Falls area | Check rates |
| Blackheath Glen Tourist Park | 4.2 / 5 (160 reviews, Tripadvisor) | Families and caravanners at the Blackheath end | Blackheath, 12.5km west of Katoomba | Grassy, slab and ensuite sites plus cabins beside Popes Glen · powered sites, laundry, barbecue, pets allowed | Check rates |
| Federation Gardens and Possums Hideaway | 4.8 / 5 (641 reviews, Tripadvisor) | Groups and families wanting a self-contained base near Evans Lookout | Blackheath, near Evans Lookout | Self-contained cabins and lodges with heated indoor pool, games room, tennis court, fireplaces and spa baths | Check rates |
| Parklands Country Garden & Lodges | Not rated | A quiet garden base for Govetts Leap and the Grose Valley | Blackheath, near Govetts Leap | Suites in 11 hectares of gardens with fireplaces and bay windows · breakfast room and day spa | Check rates |
| Hydro Majestic | Not rated | A heritage escarpment hotel between Katoomba and Blackheath | Medlow Bath, between Katoomba and Blackheath | Historic Great Western Highway hotel with Megalong Valley views, high tea and a bar | Check rates |
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What to do here
8 walks & sights
Echo Point and the Three Sisters
Echo Point is the postcard: three sandstone pillars standing above the Jamison Valley with Mount Solitary beyond, all a few steps from a car park with accessible parking and drinking water. It is also the busiest place in the park by a distance — tour buses stack up from late morning to mid-afternoon, and the Gathering Place amphitheatre beside the lookout, built with Darug and Gundungurra elders and etched with a map of the region's waterways, fills with people photographing the same three rocks. Come early, come late, or come in weather that keeps the buses away: low cloud sitting on the ridges is common in winter and changes the view entirely. From here the Prince Henry Cliff Walk runs west along the escarpment toward Leura and the Giant Stairway drops to Federal Pass below the sisters, so Echo Point works as a starting point rather than a stop.
Grand Cliff Top Walk
NPWS's flagship multi-day walk along the rim between Wentworth Falls, Leura and Katoomba, taking two days at a relaxed pace past a chain of lookouts and waterfalls. You stay on the escarpment edge the whole way and sleep in villages rather than tents, which makes it unusual among Australian multi-day walks. Sections are shared with the Prince Henry Cliff Walk and other local tracks, so you can walk it in pieces or use the train to get back to your base.
Wentworth Falls track
From the Wentworth Falls picnic area to Fletchers lookout and the top of the waterfall, where the creek goes over the escarpment into the Jamison Valley. Short, steep in places, and one of the most rewarding half-hours of walking in the park. The escarpment lookouts at Rocket Point and Princes Rock are nearby, and the National Pass begins in this area.
National Pass
One of the great Australian cliff walks, cut into a sandstone bench above the valley floor and finished with hundreds of stone steps. It is a Grade 4 loop of 4.5km from the Wentworth Falls picnic area and it demands a head for edges. Because a major section has been closed by landslide damage, the loop cannot be walked end to end — walk only the sections that are open and signed, and check the alerts page first.
Govetts Leap and the Clifftop Track
Govetts Leap lookout is the Blackheath end's headline view: the full sweep of the Grose Valley with a waterfall dropping straight off the escarpment beside the railing and sunlit cliff walls running away to the west. From the lookout the Clifftop Track follows the rim to Evans Lookout and back, 6km return with steep hills and plenty of steps between the two viewpoints. NPWS calls Govetts Leap one of Australia's most famous lookouts, and the council visitor guide names it a sunset spot — the valley fills with colour in the last hour of light just as the car park empties. Bring a jacket even in summer: the lookout sits exposed at the top of the range and the wind funnels straight up the valley.
Grand Canyon track
A loop that drops off the ridge near Blackheath into a deep, fern-filled gully, running beneath cliff overhangs and through sections of rainforest before climbing back out. It is Grade 3 and the longest single walk in this list at 6.3km, so allow three to four hours. The carpark sits at the end of the access road out of Blackheath, and the descent starts steeply.
Fairfax Heritage Walking Track
The park's easiest serious walk: a sealed path from the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre in Blackheath that works for wheelchairs, prams and anyone who wants valley views without a climb. It is also the place to see the red triangle slug after rain. The Heritage Centre adds interpretive displays, wifi, drinking water and a cafe to the outing.
Red Hands Cave loop (Glenbrook area)
A loop through the Glenbrook area at the eastern end of the park, reaching Red Hands Cave — one of the best Aboriginal stencil galleries in the Sydney region, where ochre hand stencils in red, yellow and white were made by blowing ochre and water over a hand against the rock. Walk quietly, look without touching and leave the art exactly as it is; the stencils are dated to between 500 and 1,600 years old. The Glenbrook gates are locked at night — 6pm, or 7pm between the first Sunday in October and the first Sunday in April.
Blue Mountains National Park itineraries: 1, 2 or 3 days
3 plans
One day: Echo Point and Wentworth Falls
- Morning. Start at Echo Point in Katoomba for the Three Sisters over the Jamison Valley, then follow the cliff-top tracks west along the Grand Cliff Top Walk toward Leura. The lookouts sit minutes apart and the crowds thin quickly once you leave the railing.
- Afternoon. Drive or take the train one stop east to Wentworth Falls and walk the Wentworth Falls track, 1.4km return (45 minutes to 1 hour, Grade 3) from Fletchers lookout to the top of the falls. The escarpment lookouts at Rocket Point and Princes Rock are close by if you still have light.
About 1.4km of graded walking plus whatever cliff-top sections you choose, and no nights. Base in Katoomba or day-trip from Sydney — the drive is about 90 minutes each way. Entry is free here; the $8 per vehicle per day fee applies only in the Glenbrook area. Fuel and food are in Katoomba and Wentworth Falls, and drinking water is at Echo Point and Wentworth Falls picnic area. Weekends and public holidays are busy, so start early.
Two days: the Katoomba rim, then Blackheath's canyon
- Day 1. Echo Point and the Three Sisters in the morning, then the cliff-top tracks west toward Leura. Overnight in Katoomba, Leura or Blackheath.
- Day 2, morning. Drive 12.5km west to Blackheath and walk the Grand Canyon track, a 6.3km loop (3 to 4 hours, Grade 3) from the Grand Canyon carpark near the village.
- Day 2, afternoon. Govetts Leap lookout over the Grose Valley, then the Fairfax Heritage Walking Track, 1.8km one way (30 to 45 minutes, Grade 1), from the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre.
About 8km of walking (the 6.3km loop and 1.8km one way) and one night. Base in Katoomba, Leura or Blackheath rather than camping — the park's Euroka campground is in the Glenbrook area, at the other end of the park, and its fees are separate from entry. Entry is free except the $8 per vehicle per day Glenbrook fee; fuel is in all three villages, and drinking water is at Echo Point and Govetts Leap lookout. Book the night ahead in school holidays and on long weekends.
Three days: Clifftop Track and the Glenbrook caves
- Day 1. Echo Point, the Three Sisters and the cliff-top tracks toward Leura, with a night in Katoomba, Leura or Blackheath.
- Day 2. Blackheath: the Grand Canyon track (6.3km loop, 3 to 4 hours, Grade 3) in the morning, Govetts Leap lookout and the Fairfax Heritage Walking Track (1.8km one way, 30 to 45 minutes) in the afternoon.
- Day 3, morning. The Clifftop Track from Govetts Leap to Evans Lookout, 6km return (3 to 4 hours, Grade 3), along the rim of the Grose Valley.
- Day 3, afternoon. Drive east to the Glenbrook area and the Red Hands Cave loop, 8km, to the ochre hand stencils. The Glenbrook gates are locked at 6pm, or 7pm between the first Sunday in October and the first Sunday in April.
About 24km of walking across three days and two nights, with the longest day the last one. Entry is free except the $8 per vehicle per day fee in the Glenbrook area, paid through Park'nPay; fuel is in Katoomba, Blackheath and Lithgow, and drinking water is at Echo Point and Govetts Leap lookout but on neither valley walk. Stay in a village rather than camping — Euroka campground is in the Glenbrook area and its fees are separate from entry. Check the NPWS alerts before each day, because valley and cliff tracks here close after rockfall and landslide damage.
Experiences worth booking
Depart Syd: Blue Mountains Best All Inclusive with Local Guide
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Blue Mountain Small Group Tour All Inclusive
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Blue Mountains Day Trip from Sydney Including Scenic World
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Blue Mountains authentic tour Scenic World waterfalls lookouts
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Exclusive Blue Mountains Wildlife and Bushwalk Tour From Sydney
Check availability →Tours run by independent operators and booked on Viator. Booking links go to Viator, and we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices are "from" figures in AUD, checked 2026-11-09.
Suggested gear for Blue Mountains National Park
17 items
- Water bottles or a hydration bladder Carry at least 2 litres per person on the walks.
- Water treatment tablets or a filter Treat creek and camping-area water before drinking.
- Sun hat, sunscreen (SPF 50+) and sunglasses
- Sturdy, broken-in walking shoes or boots
- Day pack (20–30 L)
- First aid kit, including blister care
- Insect repellent
- Head torch with spare batteries
- Lightweight rain jacket
- Personal locator beacon Mobile coverage is unreliable in remote parks.
- A warm mid-layer, beanie and gloves Katoomba sits around 1,000m and runs 5–8°C cooler than central Sydney; winter nights at Blackheath drop to 0–3°C with frosts.
- Trekking poles Long stone stairways and steep descents on the National Pass, Grand Cliff Top Walk and Golden Stairs punish knees on the climb back out.
- Offline maps and a compass or GPS Tracks are not always signposted, valleys cut phone reception, and a wrong turn at a junction can put you on a Grade 5 route.
- More water capacity than a single bottle Most tracks have no drinking water — it is only at the listed lookouts, picnic areas and the Heritage Centre.
- A power bank Phones double as maps here and reception is limited, so a flat battery becomes a navigation problem.
- A filed NPWS trip intention form and printed route notes Deep valleys and patchy reception mean nobody notices you are overdue unless you have told them where you are going.
- A windproof shell for the lookouts Escarpment lookouts like Govetts Leap are fully exposed to valley winds, and cold, drizzly, changeable days are common in winter and spring.
How this compares
Blue Mountains National Park vs Kanangra-Boyd National Park
Kanangra-Boyd National Park, the range country immediately south-west of the Blue Mountains, is the step up in seriousness: mostly declared wilderness, deep gorges and the classic Kanangra-to-Katoomba multi-day walk. Access is via Kanangra Walls Road from Hartley or the Oberon-Colong Stock Route, and there are no villages, trains or cafes to fall back on. Choose Kanangra-Boyd for gorge scrambling, canyoning and true wilderness; choose the Blue Mountains for graded tracks, big lookouts and a bed in a village each night.
- Difficulty
- 4 of 5 — Demanding
- Access
- Unsealed access roads via Hartley or Oberon; 2WD usually fine in dry weather, high clearance better
- Best for
- Multi-day walkers · canyoning · self-sufficient groups
Blue Mountains National Park vs Wollemi National Park
Wollemi National Park covers the plateau-and-canyon wilderness north of the Blue Mountains, the country the Wollemi pine calls home. Few signed tracks, no village services and real navigation demands — this is where the region's walkers go when the cliff-top tracks feel too civilised. Choose Wollemi for solitude and self-sufficient canyon travel; choose the Blue Mountains for graded walks, lookouts and a train home.
- Difficulty
- 4 of 5 — Demanding
- Access
- Remote unsealed approaches and walk-in access; no village facilities
- Best for
- Wilderness walkers · canyoners · experienced navigators
Blue Mountains National Park vs Bungonia National Park
Bungonia National Park, gorge country south of Sydney near Goulburn, packs lookouts, steep canyon descents and abseiling into a compact park you can walk in a day. It suits people who want a harder, quieter outing than the Blue Mountains headline tracks, without driving to the western wilderness. Choose Bungonia for steep gorge and canyon days; choose the Blue Mountains for escarpment views, waterfall walks and village bases.
- Difficulty
- 3 of 5 — Challenging
- Access
- Sealed roads to the park, with car parks at the lookouts and trailheads
- Best for
- Day walkers · abseilers · canyoners
Before you go
- Check the NPWS alerts page the day before you walk — rockfall, landslides and wet-weather damage close sections of track here regularly, and some parts of the park close overnight
- On extreme or catastrophic fire danger days NPWS can close tracks, parks and lookouts at short notice; check the NSW Rural Fire Service rating and any total fire ban the day before and again in the morning
- Entry is free across most of the park; the $8 per vehicle per day fee applies only at the Glenbrook area on Bruce Road, paid through Park'nPay — walking or cycling in is free everywhere
- Carry more water than you think you need: drinking water is at Echo Point, Govetts Leap, Wentworth Falls picnic area and on the Grand Cliff Top Walk, but most tracks have none
- Fuel and food in Katoomba, Leura, Wentworth Falls, Blackheath and Lithgow; Mount Wilson and Mount Irvine have no shops or ATMs, so arrive with a full tank and cash
- Do not rely on mobile reception — coverage is limited in the park and drops out in the valleys. Download the Emergency Plus app, tell someone your route and file an NPWS trip intention form for longer walks
- No dogs in the national park, on or off lead
- Winter driving needs care: fog and black ice around Blackheath and Mount Victoria, and traffic changes around Victoria Pass — check Live Traffic NSW before leaving
When to go
seasons & the hard months
Autumn (March to May) is the sweet spot: days cooling from the high teens to the low teens, settled weather for long cliff-top walks, the lowest fire risk of the year and autumn colour in the old gardens around Leura, Blackheath and Mount Wilson. Spring (September to November) is the other good window — wildflowers along the cliff tops, waratahs in some years, and peak wildflower and birdwatching time in the Mount Wilson area in September and October — but it is changeable and windy, with strong westerlies in September, and only second-best for long walks. Winter gives the clearest long-distance views and the emptiest tracks midweek, though the sun sets around 5pm in June, nights drop to 0–3°C with frosts, and low cloud can sit on the ridge for days.
Summer (December to February) is the hardest season to love: Katoomba can pass 30°C on the worst days, the lower mountains are hotter still, afternoon thunderstorms are common in January and February, and the whole period is the peak bushfire danger time, when parks and lookouts can close at short notice. It is also the wettest part of the year, with February often the wettest month, which is exactly what puts Wentworth Falls and Katoomba Falls at their best flow — the trade-off is real. Crowds peak over Christmas, January and the Australia Day long weekend at Echo Point, Scenic World and Leura Mall; if that is when you can come, walk early, carry extra water and treat the fire danger rating as the deciding factor for the day.
Questions
6 answers
Not for most of the park. The only entry fee is $8 per vehicle per day in the Glenbrook area, paid through the Park'nPay app at the Bruce Road entrance, and walking or cycling in is free. NPWS annual passes such as the Multi Parks Pass ($65 for one year) cover vehicle entry at fee-collecting parks but never camping fees.
Yes — the drive to Katoomba is about 90 minutes and trains run from Sydney Central. A day comfortably covers Echo Point and the Three Sisters plus one walk such as the Wentworth Falls track (1.4km return) or the Fairfax Heritage Walking Track (1.8km one way). Weekends and holidays are busy, so leave early.
Some are. The Fairfax Heritage Walking Track is sealed, Grade 1 and accessible to wheelchairs and prams, and the Wentworth Falls track is a short Grade 3. Beyond that, expect stone steps in the hundreds — the National Pass is Grade 4 and the Golden Stairs is Grade 5 with a very steep gradient, and neither has wheelchair access.
Not as a complete loop. A major section west of the Wentworth Falls middle crossing has been closed after a landslide and NPWS has published no reopening date, while other valley sections close and reopen as repairs are done. Check the park's alerts page before setting out and walk only what is open and signed.
Katoomba for transport, food and the Three Sisters; Leura for gardens and quieter streets; Wentworth Falls for immediate access to the escarpment walks; Blackheath for the Grose Valley and the least crowded end. All four sit on the Great Western Highway and the train line.
After rain — and the wettest months are December to February, with February often the wettest, so a wet February gives full flow over Wentworth Falls and Katoomba Falls. Summer rain also brings fresh track closures, so the best flow and the best walking conditions rarely coincide.
Nearby & next
Official information
Always check current alerts before you travel.