The Blue Mountains region is home to countless walking tracks, panoramic lookout points, and pretty waterfalls of all sizes.
Some of these waterfalls are very popular and easy to find, but there are also various waterfalls and cascades hidden in valleys and canyons where tourists don’t go.
Below, we reveal the 15 most beautiful waterfalls in the Blue Mountains, ordered from east to west. You can find all of them in this interactive map.
Top 15 Blue Mountains Waterfalls:
| Waterfall | Where | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Horseshoe Falls | Hazelbrook |
| 2 | Federal Falls | South Lawson |
| 3 | Dantes Glen Waterfall | North Lawson |
| 4 | Weeping Rock | Wentworth Falls |
| 5 | Wentworth Falls | Wentworth Falls |
| 6 | Empress Falls | Wentworth Falls |
| 7 | Sylvia Falls | Wentworth Falls |
| 8 | Leura Cascades | Leura |
| 9 | Bridal Veil Falls | Leura |
| 10 | Linda Falls | Leura |
| 11 | Minnehaha Falls | Katoomba |
| 12 | Katoomba Cascades | Katoomba |
| 13 | Katoomba Falls | Katoomba |
| 14 | Govetts Leap | Blackheath |
| 15 | Victoria Falls | Mount Victoria |
Practical Tips:
Before heading out to visit any of these waterfalls, we strongly recommend checking the latest alerts on the NPWS website to see if there are any closures.
Some of the below waterfalls also have natural swimming holes at their bases, so if you’re heading out on a warm summer’s day, be sure to bring your swimmers!
1. Horseshoe Falls
Horseshoe Falls in Hazelbrook is a small but scenic waterfall on Hazelbrook Creek, located within Horseshoe Falls Reserve in the Blue Mountains, approximately 18 kilometres east of Katoomba.
The waterfall can be accessed via a moderately challenging bushwalk that takes in three more waterfalls, in the following order:
- Fairy Falls
- Horseshoe Falls
- Oaklands Falls
- Burgess Falls
What’s exciting about Horseshoe Falls is that you can walk underneath a rock overhang right behind the waterfall, which makes for a great experience.
2. Federal Falls
Federal Falls is one of four waterfalls in South Lawson that are all on the same walking trail: the South Lawson Waterfall Walk. This is a 2.5 km circuit walking track that takes in the following scenic waterfalls:
- Adelina Falls
- Junction Falls
- Federal Falls
- Cataract Falls
The four waterfalls along the walking track aren’t tall or majestic by any means, but they are unpretentiously pretty. The beautiful bushland scenery in the area also adds to the experience.
The circuit walk is over a century old and is one of the few walking tracks in the Blue Mountains where dogs are more than welcome.
3. Dantes Glen Waterfall
Similar to the waterfalls in South Lawson, the four waterfalls (including Dantes Glen) in the northern part of Lawson are all quite small but very pretty, and they can be explored via a circuit trail.
The Empire Pass waterfall circuit takes in the following four waterfalls:
- Dantes Glen
- St Michael’s Falls
- Frederica Falls
- Fairy Falls
The Dantes Glen waterfall is perhaps the prettiest of the four, but we may be a little biased. It’s also the first waterfall to visit on the walking track.
Note that only one section (Dantes Glen walking track) of the entire waterfall circuit is dog-friendly, and includes three of the four waterfalls. The rest of the circuit is on National Park land, where dogs are not allowed.
4. Weeping Rock
The Weeping Rock is a small but unique waterfall on Jamison Creek, located moments away from the big waterfall we all know as Wentworth Falls.
Weeping Rock is so named because the water spills over a circular rock overhang. The rocky area in front of the waterfall is a great spot to wander around and take photos.
This waterfall is part of the Weeping Rock circuit walk, which starts from the Wentworth Falls picnic area and includes a few scenic lookout points.
5. Wentworth Falls
Wentworth Falls is a beautiful, 3-tiered, almost 200-metre high waterfall located in the town that goes by the same name.
The Wentworth Falls waterfall is by far the most impressive and highest in the Blue Mountains, especially after heavy rainfall when large amounts of water drop into the Jamison Valley.
There are various short and long walking tracks in the Wentworth Falls area, in addition to numerous lookout points that offer spectacular views of the waterfall and the valley.
Read our Wentworth Falls hiking guide for the best walks in this area.
6. Empress Falls
The third waterfall in the Wentworth Falls area that is worth visiting is Empress Falls. It is smaller than Wentworth Falls, but still one of the prettiest waterfalls in the Blue Mountains.
A short (but steep) walking trail starting from the old Conservation Hut leads to this waterfall. Several lookout points along the track to Empress Falls offer panoramic views of the Jamison Valley and beyond.
For example, the Queen Victoria lookout offers brilliant views that reach as far as Mount Solitary, Kings Tableland, and Lincoln’s Rock.
7. Sylvia Falls
The walking track to Empress Falls continues as part of the Valley of the Waters Track, following the path downstream along the creek.
Continuing this walking track is highly recommended, as you can explore more waterfalls that are just as pretty as Empress Falls.
The set of stepping stones in front of Empress Falls is where the walking track crosses the Valley of the Waters Creek and soon arrives at Sylvia Falls, a beautiful water spectacle that you can get very close to.
8. Leura Cascades
The short walking track along Leura Falls Creek through a rainforest landscape, offers excellent close-up views of Leura Cascades, a series of small waterfalls.
At the end of the path is a beautiful lookout point with incredible valley views. From that lookout, you can keep hiking and go deeper into the valley to get better views of the waterfall.
That walk, the Bridal Veil Falls Circuit, is one of our favourite walks in the Blue Mountains.
9. Bridal Veil Falls
Bridal Veil Falls is where Leura Falls Creek drops into the valley, just south of the Leura Cascades.
It’s a pretty waterfall that looks a bit like a smaller version of Wentworth Falls, and is at its best after a period of decent rainfall.
The best views of this waterfall can be enjoyed from the Bridal Veil Falls lookout point, which is a short detour from the Prince Henry Cliff Walk, close to the Tarpeian Rock and Olympian Rock lookouts.
10. Linda Falls
Linda Falls is a small and not-so-well-known waterfall on Linda Creek, quietly tucked away in Leura Forest, seemingly far away from the tourist crowds.
The waterfall can be accessed via the Dardanelles Pass circuit walk, an exciting bushwalk in the Leura and Katoomba area.
It’s not the easiest walk, though, because to see the actual waterfall, you will need to descend into the valley via the Giant Stairway at the Three Sisters and climb back up via various stairs closer to Leura.
11. Minnehaha Falls
Minnehaha Falls is another hidden treasure in the Blue Mountains, although this waterfall has seen a significant increase in visitors in recent years.
The 20-meter high Minnehaha Falls on Yosemite Creek can be accessed via a walking trail starting at Minnehaha Reserve, north of the Great Western Highway.
The waterfall is a beauty, and the natural swimming pool at the base makes for a great spot to relax in the warmer summer months.
12. Katoomba Cascades
When visiting the Katoomba area of the Blue Mountains, a trip to Katoomba Cascades is an absolute must.
The Katoomba Cascades area is a popular, family-friendly destination in the Blue Mountains, with an excellent picnic area and a couple of easy walking tracks nearby to enjoy.
From the cascades, an easy, family-friendly walking track along the creek leads to a lookout where visitors can enjoy fantastic district views, right above the spot where Katoomba Falls drops into the valley.
13. Katoomba Falls
Katoomba Falls is a stunning waterfall that drops almost 150 meters into Jamison Valley, beautifully located between Echo Point and Scenic World.
The family-friendly Katoomba Falls Circuit Walk, starting at Scenic World, brings visitors closer to this waterfall, with pretty views of the valley and surrounding escarpments as a bonus.
This walking track to Katoomba Falls includes several lookout points that offer excellent views of the waterfall.
14. Govetts Leap
Govetts Leap is a beautiful waterfall close to Blackheath, which can be viewed from the popular Govetts Leap Lookout.
It’s not a very wide waterfall, but the height (180 metres), the surrounding valley, and the escarpments make Govetts Leap such an impressive sight in the Blue Mountains.
From the lookout, there are various exciting walking tracks, with one of them leading to the top of the waterfall.
15. Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls is a unique cascade waterfall on Victoria Creek that drops 20 metres from a rock overhang.
A steep walking track, starting from the car park at the end of Victoria Falls Road in Mount Victoria, leads to this waterfall.
Close to Victoria Falls is Victoria Creek Cascades, also known as Silver Cascades, a fantastic water spectacle in beautiful natural surroundings that makes the hike down into the valley even more worthwhile.
Both the waterfall and the cascades have natural waterholes at the base that are perfect for a refreshing swim on a warm summer’s day!
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