Named in honour of the third son of King George V and Queen Mary, the Prince Henry Cliff Walk was completed in 1936 after several years of construction.
This iconic 7 km walking track between Scenic World in Katoomba and Gordon Falls Lookout in Leura follows the cliff edge facing the Jamison Valley.
Along the way, you’ll see plenty of scenic lookouts offering some of the best views in the Blue Mountains.
| Prince Henry Cliff Walk | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 7 km (one way) |
| Duration: | 3-4 hours (depending on stops) |
| Grade: | Moderate |
| Wheel-friendly: | No |
| Dog-friendly: | No |
| Route: | Google Maps |
Getting There
You can start this walk from either Scenic World in Katoomba or Gordon Falls Lookout in Leura. Both locations have ample parking and nearby bus stops.
To start from Scenic World, drive into Katoomba Street from the Great Western Highway, then follow Cliff Drive to the car park at Scenic World.
Otherwise, to start the walk from Gordon Falls Lookout, turn into Leura Mall from the Great Western Highway and follow Olympian Parade to the parking area.
Below is a map of the entire walk. Click the link in the table above to see the entire walk in Google Maps.
Track Notes
Since its inception, the Prince Henry Cliff Walk has evolved into one of the most iconic hikes in the Blue Mountains. It’s a moderately challenging bushwalk with plenty of steps, although it never gets overly steep.
We’ll discuss the walk along the following four sections:
- Katoomba Falls and Katoomba Cascades
- Echo Point and the Three Sisters
- Leura Cascades and Bridal Veil View
- Olympian Rock, Elysian Rock and Gordon Falls
1. Katoomba Falls and Katoomba Cascades
At Scenic World, look out for the green signpost, which marks the starting point of the Prince Henry Cliff Walk.
This is also the starting point of the Katoomba Falls Round Walk, a family-friendly trail with several lookouts that offer views of the waterfall.
At the next junction, turn left to stay on the main walking track. However, if you have time and energy and are keen to see Katoomba Falls from close by, continue straight to do the round walk. That walk eventually reconnects with the Prince Henry Cliff Walk, so it’s certainly an option.
If you’re staying on the main path, you’ll soon arrive at a four-way junction, where we recommend taking a short detour to explore the lookouts on the Reids Plateau. Walk up the stairs and follow the short trail past the three lookouts, including the Katoomba Falls Lookout.
From the four-way junction, continue on the main path eastbound, heading towards Katoomba Cascades, passing a couple more lookouts.
The cascades are a scenic water spectacle on the Kedumba River, which eventually drops 150 metres into Jamison Valley via the above-mentioned Katoomba Falls.
From the cascades, the track continues along the cliff edge towards Echo Point, passing several lookouts offering panoramic views of Jamison Valley, Katoomba Falls, Narrow Neck, and Mount Solitary.
2. Echo Point and the Three Sisters
The most popular lookout in the Blue Mountains is undoubtedly Echo Point. Visited by millions of tourists each year, Echo Point offers the best views of the Three Sisters.
From Echo Point, follow the Three Sisters Walk to continue on the main walking track.
Just before reaching the Three Sisters, the Prince Henry Cliff Walk makes a left turn (signposted) from where the track continues along the cliff edge, heading towards the Leura Cascades.
3. Leura Cascades and Bridal Veil View
Similar to Katoomba Cascades, the Leura Cascades are a series of small waterfalls on Leura Falls Creek, leading to a scenic lookout point with an amazing view of Jamison Valley.
The Prince Henry Cliff Walk connects with the Leura Cascades Walking Track and continues to Bridal Veil View and the Tarpeian Rock Lookout.
These lookouts offer views of the waterfall (Bridal Veil Falls) where Leura Falls Creek drops into the valley. Two short detours will get you to these two lookouts, both of which are signposted.
4. Olympian Rock, Elysian Rock and Gordon Falls
The last section of the Prince Henry Cliff Walk passes a few more lookouts that typically don’t get very crowded, yet offer some of the best views in the Blue Mountains.
One of Leura’s best-kept secrets is Olympian Rock Lookout. While most tourists visit Echo Point to see the Three Sisters, Olympian Rock offers views of the Three Sisters from a different angle.
If you look closely, you may also see glimpses of the Ruined Castle in the distance, situated between Mount Solitary and Castle Head.
Buttenshaw Bridge
An interesting highlight in this final section of the walking track is the historic Buttenshaw Bridge, which links the two lookouts that form part of Elysian Rock.
The original bridge was built in 1936 and was replaced by a modern 14-metre-long steel bridge in 2015 by the Blue Mountains City Council.
The views from this remarkable piece of engineering, across a deep rock chasm on the cliff edge, are pretty special.
Gordon Falls
Gordon Falls Lookout marks the end of the Prince Henry Cliff Walk.
The views from the lookout to Mt Solitary, Kings Tableland, and the waterfall are superb, though the waterfall is often hardly visible during periods of dry weather.
With a large parking area, tables, and toilet facilities, the picnic area at Gordon Falls is a great spot to rest up and recharge after an adventurous half-day of hiking.
Should you still have energy for another walk, the Pool of Siloam Track starts from Gordon Falls Reserve. This is only a short walk and worth the effort as the small waterfall and the pool at its base are quite special.
