A selection of some of the best walking tracks, lookouts, tours, waterfalls and sights in the greater Blue Mountains region.
Getting to the Blue Mountains from Sydney is much easier than you may think. Sydney’s most popular national park, located around 60 km west of the city, is easily accessible by car, by train, as well as by bus or coach.
By car, it takes about 90 minutes to get to Katoomba from Sydney, and by train it takes less than two hours from Sydney Central to Katoomba train station.
Hanging Rock, a large sandstone object hanging out from a cliff, is one of the most iconic landmarks in the greater Blue Mountains region.
It is situated a few moments away from the Baltzer Lookout, from where visitors can enjoy eye-dropping views of the Grose Valley and surrounding escarpments.
The Rock Lookout is a scenic vantage point in the Mulgoa Valley that offers panoramic views of the Nepean River and the Blue Mountains.
Nearby Rileys Mountain Lookout is also worth a visit, which can be reached via a 5 km return bush walking track through beautiful scenery.
Horseshoe Falls in Hazelbrook is a small yet scenic waterfall on Hazelbrook Creek, located within Horseshoe Falls Reserve in the Blue Mountains.
An exciting dog-friendly bush walking track leads to this waterfall and three other waterfalls, including Oaklands Falls and Burgess Falls.
Read on to find out more about this track, how to get there, where to park, and how to find all these beautiful natural sights.
Staying overnight in the Blue Mountains makes the trip to Sydney’s most popular national park even more special.
While most visitors plan day trips to the Blue Mountains, booking accommodation for one or two nights allows you to take your time and to fully enjoy the popular walks and sights.
A visit to the Glow Worm Tunnel in Wollemi National Park combined with the scenic walking track to get there, makes for an adventurous day out and about.
The former railway tunnel is now home to thousands of glow worms that are capable of putting up a mesmerising light show.
The Blackfellows Hand Cave is a large rock overhang and shelter north of Lidsdale and Lithgow. It’s a place of cultural significance, and is home to well-preserved Aboriginal drawings of hands and weapons.
A short and easy walking trail leads to this cave, where visitors can spend time exploring the various drawings and the beautiful natural surroundings.
Lithgow is an historic town located on the western edge of the Blue Mountains, approximately two hours driving from Sydney via the Great Western Highway or the Bells Line of Road.
The town has a rich industrial history, and is surrounded by various national parks such as the Gardens of Stone National Park, the Wollemi National Park, and the Blue Mountains National Park.
The Sublime Point Lookout is a scenic vantage point in the Leura area of the Blue Mountains that offers panoramic views of the Jamison Valley.
Not only are the views absolutely stunning, Sublime Point is also a popular spot for bird watching, picnicking, and rock climbing.
The historic Lapstone Zig Zag Walk is an exciting bushwalking track in Glenbrook that follows an old railway. This railway was built and used in the second half of the 19th century.
The walking track leads to the Knapsack Bridge, a huge sandstone arch viaduct which was built to carry the Zig Zag Railway line across the Knapsack Gully.