The family-friendly Darwins Walk follows Jamison Creek to the top of the Wentworth Falls waterfall through beautiful bushland scenery, with a few smaller cascades and creek crossings to explore along the way.
Previously known as the Charles Darwin Walk, this popular dog-friendly walking trail is equipped with several bridges and boardwalks, and is suitable for all ages and fitness levels.
Darwins Walk | |
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Distance: | 2.4 km (one way) |
Duration: | 1 hour (depending on stops) |
Grade: | Easy |
Wheel-friendly: | No |
Dog-friendly: | Yes (on a lead) |
The Darwins Walk is currently partially closed due to restoration works. The last section (a few hundred metres) of the walk is closed, which means that if you want to reach the waterfall area, you will need to follow a signposted detour along Fletcher Street and Falls Road. For the latest updates, check the Blue Mountains City Council website.
How to Get There
The Darwins Walk is the perfect way to walk from the Wentworth Falls station and town centre to the popular hiking area at the waterfall.
The walk starts in Wilson Park, Wentworth Falls, south of the Great Western Highway and within walking distance from the train station.
If you’re travelling to the Blue Mountains by train, get off at Wentworth Falls station, cross the Great Western Highway at Station Street, and walk to Wilson Park (see map location).
If you’re travelling by car, ample free street parking is available on Falls Road next to the park. The start of the walking trail is just north of the tennis courts.
Map
Here is a map of the walking trail with parking (P) on Falls Road and the train station (T) on the other side of the highway:
Track Notes
The Darwins Walk is an easy walking trail, suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels.
Dogs are also welcome, but they need to be on a lead. Also note that there are a couple of metal bridges that some dogs may find challenging to cross.
Start of the Walk
The trailhead can be found just north of the tennis fields in Wilson Park and is very easy to recognise with the information boards, benches, and sandstone landscaping.
This trailhead is also the official starting point of the Grand Cliff Top Walk, the 19 km hike between Wentworth Falls and Scenic World.
The walking track was named after Charles Darwin to commemorate his inland journey in 1836 when he crossed the Blue Mountains on his way to Bathurst.
He discovered the unique beauty of the Wentworth Falls area as he was walking along Jamison Creek towards the valley further south.
The Darwins Walk follows Jamison Creek downstream to Weeping Rock, Queen’s Cascades, and the top of Wentworth Falls.
The walking trail is a pleasant stroll through scenic and peaceful surroundings, with several creek crossings, boardwalks, and footbridges.
There are multiple (signposted) entry and exit points along the way, so you can make this walk as long or as short as you like.
Weeping Rock
Darwins Walk ends at Weeping Rock, a small waterfall on Jamison Creek, named so because the creek falls over a wide rocky overhang before it cascades down into a flat pool area.
The track navigates alongside the waterfall via a staircase, offering hikers lovely views of the waterfall from close by.
From Weeping Rock, the trail continues to Queen’s Cascades, another pretty water spectacle right before Wentworth Falls drops into the Jamison Valley.
Once you’ve reached the top of Wentworth Falls, you have several options to continue your hiking adventure. We recommend visiting the Rocket Point Lookout, a secluded viewing point that can be reached via a short loop walk.
Another option is to head down into the valley via the Grand Stairway, a historic staircase that leads to the mid-section of the waterfall.