Blue Mountains

Blue Mountains

Blue Mountains, NSW ~90km west of the CBD · ~1.5–2hr drive Bring: Good walking shoes

Sandstone cliffs, eucalypt forest and some of the best bushwalking in NSW. There are too many good walks out here for one write-up, so I'm splitting them out one by one, starting with my favourite.

Best places to swim in the Blue Mountains

Grand Canyon Track

Blackheath 6km loop Moderate ~2.5 hours (give yourself longer) Bring: Swimmers Loop
Walking through a waterfall on the Grand Canyon Track Tree ferns lining the track Sandstone overhang along the path Wooden staircase section of the walk

Park: Neates Glen car park ↗, not the Grand Canyon car park. It's a loop, once you reach Evans Lookout at the end, keep following the path back to the car.

  • My favourite hike out here, hands down, fairytale-like pathways, waterfalls and wildlife.
  • A hidden swimming spot, including a plunge pool at the bottom of the canyon, that leads into a little cave, if you're brave enough to swim through it.
  • Steep on the way down (just as steep back up) and it gets busy, get there early, trust me.
  • Walk it anti-clockwise so you finish climbing out to Evans Lookout, the view over the Grose Valley at the end is honestly one of the best in the Blue Mountains.
The secret swim spot, not the main walk Secret swim spot Watch on TikTok

Wentworth Falls

Wentworth Falls 1.4km return Hard, steps & ladders ~1 hour Bring: Grippy shoes Loop
Swimming at the base of Wentworth Falls Cooling off in the pool at the bottom of Wentworth Falls Wentworth Falls seen from the base, with people at the bottom Wentworth Falls dropping down the cliff, seen from a lookout on the way down

Park: Wentworth Falls Picnic Area ↗ or the Conservation Hut.

  • The one for jaw-dropping waterfall views.
  • It includes roughly 200 steep steps down to Fletchers Lookout.
  • Steep basically the entire way down, carved steps and steel ladders bolted straight into the cliff.
  • Full view of the falls partway down (worth the pause for photos), then a pool at the bottom to cool off in.
  • Same steep climb back up, so pace yourself, no shame in a breather or two.

Three Sisters & Giant Stairway

Echo Point, Katoomba 3.1km one-way Hard, very steep ~3 hours Bring: Sturdy shoes Loop
One of the Three Sisters, seen up close from the walkway A waterfall cascading down the cliffside seen through the forest Cooling off in the plunge pool near the end of the trail View out over the Blue Mountains valley from a rocky outcrop

Park: Birdwood Avenue near Echo Point ↗ (free). Cliff Drive and Echo Point Road are metered.

  • Start where the classic Three Sisters walk does, at Echo Point.
  • Cross Honeymoon Bridge for a totally different angle on the Three Sisters, then follow the track down to the top of the Giant Stairway.
  • Nearly a thousand hand-hewn steps, very steep both ways, your legs will know about it tomorrow.
  • Bottom turns into a real forest walk (Federal Pass), with a well-deserved plunge pool waiting near the end of the trail.
  • Climbs back out via Furber Steps to Scenic World, not officially a "visitor centre," but close enough once you spot the café.

Getting back: pick up the 686 outside Scenic World, loops back to Echo Point.

Leura Cascades & the Infinity Pool

Leura ~2km return Short but steep ~1.5 hours Bring: Swimmers Loop
Swimming in the Infinity Pool below Leura Cascades View of the valley from near Leura Cascades Walking down through the fern-lined track to Leura Cascades Sitting in the Infinity Pool looking out at the cliffs

Park: Leura Cascades Picnic Area ↗

  • Head down via the Amphitheatre Track towards Bridal Veil Falls. Short but steep, don't let the 2km fool you.
  • We went purely for the Infinity Pool, but the views on the way down are incredible. Bridal Veil Falls itself is a massive waterfall, worth stopping for.
  • Past the falls, at the metal bridge, skip the stairs up. Go through the railing on the left instead and follow the creek downstream.
  • Look for the Infinity Pool sign (a concrete cylinder), then a rope-assisted scramble down. It's a genuine Instagram spot now, so don't expect to have it to yourself.
  • Right on an unfenced cliff edge with slippery rocks, so take it slow. Not the spot to be reckless.

Heads up: skip it after heavy rain or if rain's forecast, flash flooding and slippery rocks make it unsafe.

Every spot, on the map