7 amazing short walks near Katoomba

Located just west of Sydney, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains are one of the most beautiful regions of New South Wales and the perfect place to escape to from the hustle and bustle of the city. The Blue Mountains National Park is a bushwalker's dream, blessed with hundreds of well-maintained walking paths and stunning lookouts over the ancient sandstone valleys of this part of the Great Dividing Range.

Centring on the town of Katoomba and its surrounds, we've chosen seven of the best short walks (under 1½ hours) amidst this sublime natural landscape. Whether you're young or old, a hardcore hiker or prefer to take things easy, there's something for everyone here, so lace up your walking shoes and read on...

Katoomba area

Katoomba Cliff Circuit

Image: Destination NSW

Grade: Easy | The tourist-favourite Katoomba Cliff Circuit is easily reached from the centre of Katoomba (and YHA Blue Mountains), and offers more bang-for-buck in terms of easily accessibly viewpoints than nearly anything else in the Blue Mountains. This leisurely, well maintained loop totals about 1.8km, and starting at Katoomba Falls Reserve, incorporates the pretty Katoomba Cascades and at least 7 lookouts with stunning views across the Jamison Valley.

There are some steps to contend with here, but the going is fairly easy all the way around, and even better, the section from Cliff View Drive to Cliff View Lookout is paved and entirely wheelchair accessible, so everyone can be included in a bit of horizon gazing.

The entire circuit should come in at around 45 minutes to complete (even with frequent stops for snaps and snacks), and is a great choice for those looking to just dip their toe in to what the Blue Mountains has to offer. 

Also note that this is one of the only walks or attractions in Katoomba which can alternatively be done at night, when floodlights light up the path and parts of the valley (until 10:30pm) to make for a totally distinct and unique experience. Bring a torch with you and wear something warm if you go for this option.

Maple Grove Park to Echo Point Lookout

via Prince Henry Cliff Walk

Grade: Easy | Totalling about 1.5km one-way, this quintessential, if short, Blue Mountains walk takes you from the aforementioned Katoomba Falls Reserve along the cliff tops to one of the state’s most recognisable tourist spots – Echo Point Lookout.

The terrain here is enjoyable, with a smattering of stairs, stepping stones and boardwalks following the naturally winding edge of the valley. The views are incredible as well, and there are plenty of lookouts along the way for you to catch a breath and take it all in.

From Echo Point Lookout, it’s worth extending your stroll to include the brief but spectacular Three Sisters Walk (also partially wheelchair accessible), but keep in mind that this whole stretch between Scenic World and the Three Sisters is very much a tourist-frequented area, so expect plenty of company on all but the coldest or wettest of days.

Combine these two routes with the Katoomba Cliff Circuit, and you’ve got a ‘greatest hits’ of Katoomba in one afternoon.

Leura Area

Leura Cascades and Bridal Veil Lookout walk

Grade: Moderate | Tucked between the conjoined towns of Katoomba and Leura, the Leura Cascades picnic area is the starting point for our next short walk.

This gorgeous and compact 1.8km loop descends part way down and across the burbling Leura Falls Creek (before it turns into Bridal Veil Falls), past several lookouts, including Bridal Veil Lookout (which offers an excellent vantage point of the Falls), before climbing back up to spit you out again in the picnic area above.

The entire loop should take you about 35 minutes to complete, but you can optionally take a fork to descend to the bottom of Bridal Veil Falls and the Bridal Veil Swimming Hole. We recommend a dip here in summer, but it’ll probably be too cold to attempt this in the colder months!

Lyrebird Dell Walking Track

via Pools of Siloam

Grade: Moderate | A little (but not much) further afield, the picturesque Lyrebird Dell Walking Track begins at Gordon Falls Reserve on the east side of Leura. Depending on which way around you tackle the loop, the trail descends past the Instagram-famous Pools of Siloam and around to the pretty Lyrebird Dell itself, which features a small waterfall and a cave site used for shelter by local Aboriginal people for at least 12,000 years.

Despite the signposted distance of just 1.5km, allow at least an hour or more to navigate this one, especially if you like to take your time and stop to take photos.

The trail gets a bit confusing towards the end if you’re going anticlockwise, where things become a little mazey and overgrown, but everything eventually leads back to the road or reserve so there’s no real danger of getting lost.

Wentworth Falls area

Foot of Wentworth Falls

via National Pass/Grand Stairway

Grade: Moderate/Challenging | Located one town over from Leura (and about 10 minutes’ drive from Katoomba), Wentworth Falls is home to its own great network of walking trails and viewpoints. There are dozens of routes to pick from, but this concise 2km out-and-back to the base of the falls is one of our favourites, and might just be the most spectacular walk on this list.

Starting from Wentworth Falls Lookout, make your way down to the stepping stones at top of the waterfall (you can stop off at Fletchers Lookout on the way), then keep going past the easy-to-miss left fork up to Rocket Point Lookout. Take a detour here if you want, but the most spectacular bit is further along the main path to the right, skirting the cliff’s edge and joining the National Pass track, the start of which is marked by a small lizard statue.

Follow the Grand Stairway as it descends steeply along the cliff face into the valley, taking in the dizzying views as you go. Keep a firm grip on the handrails and be cautious on the metal stairs here – they tend to get slippery when wet. Once at the bottom, you’ll be rewarded with an incredible view of Wentworth Falls tumbling down from above. Take your time and soak it all in, because the climb back up the way you came is no joke.

After you've made it back up, you can optionally head straight at the Fletchers Lookout crossroads and loop back via the Undercliff Track to slightly extend your walk.

Empress Falls

via Valley of the Waters Track



Grade: Moderate | Another short but rewarding jaunt to the foot of some waterfalls, the descent into the Valley of the Waters to Empress Falls (and friends) comes in at just 1.5km return and won’t take much longer than 50 minutes all up. The only drawback here is that it’s nearly all stairs, and every step down is adding to your climb back out, but it’s well worth the effort and nowhere near as steep as the Wentworth Falls/National Pass descent.

Starting at the car park by Valley of the Waters Lookout, look for the gravelly steps behind the Conservation Hut and follow the path down, ignoring the confusing sign that makes it look like the Falls are back the way you came. Be sure to stop off at both Queen Victoria and Empress lookouts on the way before you reach the bottom, where the tranquil Empress, Silvia and Edith Falls await along the trickling creek.

If you’re feeling energetic, double back and link up with the Nature Track, which will get you another hour of pretty scenery and waterfalls before looping you back around to the car park.  

Blackheath Area

Govett’s Leap to Cripps Lookout

via Pulpit Rock Track

Grade: Moderate | A little further from Katoomba in the opposite direction to Leura and Wentworth Falls, Blackheath is an excellent spot for exploring some of the Blue Mountains’ less well-travelled walking trails, with Govett’s Leap being one of the area's main hubs.

Starting from Govett's Leap Lookout, this 2km out-and-back route skirts the cliff’s edge around Govett’s Gorge, taking in breathtaking views of waterfalls, sheer rock walls and gum forest in the valley below. While this version of the trail extends as far as the excellent Cripps Lookout, Pulpit Rock Lookout further along offers arguably the most spectacular views in the entire Blue Mountains, if you can brave the significantly longer distance (approximately twice as far again). 

There isn't anything overly challenging on this one and it's a refreshing change (for the Blue Mountains) that there relatively few stairs to deal with, but go carefully as there are some areas along the path with massive drop offs and no handrail.

Looking for an affordable basecamp for your next Blue Mountains bushwalking expedition? Look no further than YHA Blue Mountains (Katoomba).

Blue Mountains walking tips

• Remember that the centre of Katoomba and the Three Sisters are the most touristy spots in the Blue Mountains, so fan out further from there if you don’t like crowds or dodging people stopping for selfies.
• Our favourite time to visit the Blueys is March-September – whether you get a crisp winter day or an atmospheric misty one, there'll be less people around and the cool weather is perfect for exerting yourself on a bush walk.
• Take our estimated times for these walks with a huge grain of salt – they'll vary wildly depending on how fit you are, whether you have kids with you and whether you're stopping at lookouts to take photos. Also keep in mind that a 1km walk up a sheer cliff will take a lot longer than the same distance over flat ground.
• Having a car is ideal in the Blue Mountains, but all of the walks on this list can be reached either on foot or by train or bus from Katoomba. Just be sure to allow for extra time walking to the trailhead.
• The walking paths in the Blue Mountains are overall very well maintained, and there are hundreds of criss-crossing trails to choose from. You can shorten or extend any walk easily by chop and changing the route to suit you.
• The cliffs south of Katoomba, Leura and Wentworth Falls face south over the Jamison Valley, so there are long shadows in the afternoon (especially in winter), meaning the sun effectively disappears a lot earlier than sunset. Keep that in mind when planning long walks down into the valley in the PM. 
• This is Australia, so do be careful where you put your feet when walking. Be mindful of snakes and try to make extra noise/vibrations when treading through long grass or patches of warm sun. 

Words: A. Hill-Lees

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