The Overcliff Undercliff Track in the Wentworth Falls area of the Blue Mountains is a 4 km long circuit through beautiful scenery, taking in several panoramic lookouts.
This hike doesn’t descend into the valley. Instead, it stays higher up on the cliffs, with stunning views to enjoy from start to finish.
| Overcliff Undercliff Track | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 4 km (circuit) |
| Duration: | 2 hours (depending on stops) |
| Grade: | Easy / moderate |
| Wheel-friendly: | No |
| Dog-friendly: | No |
| Route: | Google Maps |
Getting There
The Overcliff Undercliff Track can be started from the Wentworth Falls Picnic Area or from the Conservation Hut.
To get to the picnic area, turn into Falls Road from the Great Western Highway. At the end of that road, turn into Sir H Burrell Drive, where you will find a car park.
To get to the Conservation Hut, turn into Fletcher Street from Falls Road, which leads directly to the car park. If that’s full, try street parking nearby.
It doesn’t really matter where you start the walk, nor if you go clockwise or anti-clockwise. In this article, however, we’re going to do this walk clockwise, starting from the Wentworth Falls Picnic Area.
Track Notes
The Overcliff Undercliff Track is a relatively easy bushwalk on a well-maintained path. There are a few steep sections with steps, but for the most part, the walking track is quite easy to do.
The walk is about 4 km long and consists of four sections (in clockwise order, starting from the picnic area):
- Wentworth Falls Track
- Undercliff Track
- Overcliff Track
- Shortcut Track
Below is a map of the walk with those four sections highlighted.
1. Wentworth Falls Track
The first part of the Overcliff Undercliff Track is a section of the Wentworth Falls Track, from the picnic area to the Fletchers Lookout.
This part follows the footpath along Sir H Burrell Drive and includes two scenic lookout points: Jamison Lookout and Wentworth Falls Lookout.
While you can’t see much of the waterfall from those two lookouts, the valley views are fantastic.
At Wentworth Falls Lookout, the track heads into the bush and soon arrives at an intersection with a short trail to the Fletchers Lookout. We recommend visiting that lookout, as it offers nice views of the waterfall.
That intersection also marks the start of the Undercliff Track, going westbound away from the waterfall.
2. Undercliff Track
This is where the walking track gets exciting, passing several large rock overhangs and sections with stepping stones through a scenic landscape of moss and ferns.
The views of the valley on your left are pretty impressive too, and even though you’re walking quite close to the edge of the cliff, the path is safe and comfortable.
There are no official lookouts along the Undercliff Track, but in our opinion, this is the best section of the entire Overcliff Undercliff Track.
The Undercliff Track evolves into the Overcliff Track at the crossing of the Den Fenella Creek via a small footbridge.
3. Overcliff Track
At that small footbridge, you can do a short detour to the Den Fenella Lookout, a not-so-well-known vantage point that offers excellent views of the Jamison Valley.
To get there, follow the 200m walking trail along the creek, which leads to that lookout. It’s a bit steep, with several staircases to help you navigate this short rainforest trail.
From the Den Fenella Creek crossing, the circuit walk continues westbound and passes two more scenic lookouts.
The first one is the Breakfast Point Lookout.
This is a non-signposted vantage point with a stone wall, offering excellent views of the Jamison Valley and beyond.
The second one is the fenced Lyrebird Lookout.
This is not the prettiest vantage point along the entire walk, but if you look closely, you may be able to recognise Sublime Point and, further back, Mount Solitary.
The Overcliff Track soon connects with the Valley of the Waters Track and the Empress Falls Track, where you make a right turn heading towards the Conservation Hut.
This is quite a steep section, but it’s only short.
4. Shortcut Track
Before completing the loop via the Shortcut Track, it’s worth doing a quick detour to Empress Falls, a small but impressive waterfall. To get there, follow the path heading down into the Valley of the Waters.
Otherwise, continue up the staircase towards the Conservation Hut.
Just before arriving at the Conservation Hut, the Overcliff Undercliff Track makes a right turn into the bush at the signpost (see above photo).
This last section is aptly named the Shortcut Track, as it’s a quick way to walk back to the Wentworth Falls picnic area. While this is not the most spectacular section of the loop, it’s a pleasant and easy stroll back to the car park.
Once you’ve completed the Overcliff Undercliff Track, consider doing the Weeping Rock Circuit nearby, which is especially enjoyable after rainfall.
