Last updated: March 9, 2024
The Evans Lookout is a popular vantage point in the Blue Mountains, with panoramic views of the Grose Valley and its surrounding cliff walls.
The Blue Mountains has no shortage of lookout points, but Evans Lookout near Blackheath is undoubtedly one of the most impressive ones.
With unbeatable views of the Grose Valley and the beautiful cliff walls, a trip to Evans Lookout makes for a great day out and about.
And if you feel like hiking after soaking up the views at the lookout, there are various exciting bush walking tracks nearby to explore.
How to Get There
The lookout is located at the end of Evans Lookout Road in Blackheath.
To get there, from the Great Western Highway, turn right into Evans Lookout Road and follow to the end (see map location).
There are two car parks on Evans Lookout Road where you can park to go and visit the lookout:
- Grand Canyon Carpark
- Evans Lookout Parking Area
On the weekends, the small Evans Lookout parking area fills up pretty quickly, so you might need to park a bit further away.
The Grand Canyon Carpark is probably the best option, as it allows you to do the short Evans Lookout Track that leads to the lookout.
A third car park, the Neates Glen Parking Area, should not be used, as advised by NSW National Parks. This is a council-managed car park that overflows very quickly. This results in negative impacts on the residents who live there, as well as the roadside vegetation, which has been driven over, trampled and littered.
About Evans Lookout
The Evans Lookout area was upgraded in 2022 and is now home to a newly designed car park and a wheelchair-accessible walking path from the car park to the lookout.
Evans Lookout was named after George Evans, a local solicitor and pioneer of the Blackheath area who owned property there.
A memorial was placed at the lookout in memory of George Evans.
He was supposedly the first European settler to discover this beautiful viewpoint and entrance to the Grose Valley in 1882.
However, some say there had been others who found access to the valley before George Evans did.
Whilst the Grose Valley views from the lookout are always stunning, sunset and sunrise on a clear day are the best times to go there.
That is when the high cliff walls have this beautiful orange glow, which makes getting up early (or leaving late) very much worthwhile.
If you’d like to organise a picnic at Evans Lookout, you can do so, but the only picnic facility available there is a classic-style shelter structure.
Since it’s the only picnic facility there, it may be challenging to secure a spot, but it can be quite a unique picnic experience.
Valley View Lookout
The Valley View Lookout often gets overlooked by visitors to Evans Lookout, which is a pity because the views from there are just as impressive.
It’s only a short walk away from Evans Lookout and is usually far less crowded, but the platform is much smaller.
To get to this lookout, follow the paved walking trail back towards the car park, and at the signpost, make a right turn to the Valley View Lookout.
The scenery is stunning, and with fewer people around, you will have lots of opportunities to put your camera to good use.
Walks at Evans Lookout
If you’d like to do more than just soaking in the beautiful views, there are some fantastic bushwalks at the Evans Lookout.
1. Evans Lookout Track
With a 1.2 km (return) length, this is the easiest walk to and from the lookout. The trail connects the Grand Canyon car park with Evans Lookout and passes through bushland parallel to Evans Lookout Rd.
It’s a very easy walking trail and a fun way to get to the lookout if you weren’t able to score a parking spot at the main car park.
You can find the starting point at the big signpost at the eastern end of the car park.
2. Grand Canyon Walk
One of the most classic and most enjoyable hikes in the Blue Mountains is the 6 km long Grand Canyon circuit walk.
This track is not for the fainthearted, as it descends deep into the valley, navigating through lush rainforest with several creek crossings, small waterfalls, and rock overhangs to conquer.
It’s not the most challenging walking track in the Blue Mountains, but a reasonable fitness level and good hiking shoes are necessary.
The Grand Canyon walking track has been around since as early as 1907, and it was one of the first official Blue Mountains tracks to be opened to the public.
3. Cliff Top Walking Track
The 3 km Cliff Top walking track is a relatively short but highly enjoyable walking trail between two of the most impressive lookouts in the Blue Mountains: Evans Lookout and Govetts Leap Lookout.
The trail follows the edge of the cliffs between these two lookouts, with incredible Grose Valley views to enjoy from start to finish.
One of the highlights along this walk is the Barrow Lookout, which offers clear views of the waterfall that is known as Govett’s Leap.
From there, the trail continues across the top of the waterfall, eventually arriving at Govetts Leap lookout.
