This guide explores 17 of the best bush walks in Sydney, from easy, family-friendly trails to challenging and adventurous bushwalking tracks.
Sydney is well known for its beautiful coastline, but Australia’s biggest city is also home to some of the best bushwalking tracks. What’s great is that you don’t have to go far away from the city to enjoy scenic bushland.
The Palona Cave Walk is a hidden gem in Royal National Park, featuring beautiful rainforest scenery, a large cave, and a small cascading waterfall.
This family-friendly walking trail is one of the lesser-known walks in this otherwise popular national park, but it has a lot to offer.
Part of the Greater Blue Mountains, Kanangra-Boyd National Park is a remote wilderness area just under 200 km from Sydney.
This beautiful national park is a real treat for those in need of an exciting city escape, with various walking trails, lookout points, and waterfalls to explore.
Find the best walks in the Blue Mountains, from easy, family-friendly walking trails to challenging half-day hikes.
With so many beautiful walking tracks, the Blue Mountains is a true paradise for bushwalkers who want to explore scenic waterfalls, deep valleys, and many lookout points that offer panoramic views.
The walking track to Asgard Swamp, Thor Head, and Asgard Mine, commonly referred to as the Asgard Swamp Track, is an adventurous hike navigating through stunning Blue Mountains scenery.
This quiet walk on the Asgard Plateau passes several interesting sights with fantastic Grose Valley views to enjoy from multiple vantage points.
The Leura Cascades walking track is a short but scenic bushwalk along Leura Falls Creek, leading up to a beautiful lookout point with amazing views of the Jamison Valley.
Make a day of it and enjoy lunch outdoors at the Leura Cascades picnic area, one of the most scenic Blue Mountains picnic spots.
The Bridal Veil Falls Circuit is a stunning walking track in the Leura area of the Blue Mountains, navigating through a rainforest landscape with waterfalls, creeks, and large cliff walls.
Bridal Veil Falls, also referred to as Leura Falls, is a stunning cascade waterfall on Leura Falls Creek, flowing into Jamison Valley.
The best way to see this waterfall and its beautiful surroundings is by doing the 4 km Bridal Veil Falls Circuit, which includes the Amphitheatre Walking Track and the Fern Bower Track.
The steep walking track from Perrys Lookdown near Blackheath to the Blue Gum Forest in the Grose Valley is a challenging but rewarding bushwalking adventure.
The Acacia Flats camping ground is only 500m away from the forest, where you can set up your tent and stay overnight in beautiful surroundings.
The short but scenic Nature Track in Wentworth Falls is a spectacular 3.5 km circuit trail that starts and ends at the Conservation Hut.
This often ignored but highly enjoyable walking track follows the edge of an escarpment before descending to lower grounds, where it takes in a section of the Valley of the Waters.
The Porters Pass circuit is a beautiful bushwalk in the Blackheath area of the Blue Mountains that involves waterfalls, valley views, creek crossings, rainforest gullies, and slot canyons.
This challenging hike combines four different walking trails and is among the best in the Greater Blue Mountains region. What’s great is that Porters Pass is far less trafficked than, for example, the Grand Canyon Walk.
Situated 20 minutes northwest of the Sydney CBD, Lane Cove National Park is a large pocket of scenic bushland surrounding the banks of the Lane Cove River, which flows into Sydney Harbour.
A picturesque 10 km circuit walk along both sides of the river makes for an excellent way to explore the natural beauty of this national park.
The Giant Stairway to Furber Steps Loop in the Katoomba area of the Blue Mountains is a fantastic hike that includes two iconic staircases.
This moderately challenging walking track is one of the best in the Blue Mountains, with panoramic valley views, unique rock formations, beautiful forests, and much more.
Balls Head Reserve on Sydney’s lower north shore is a beautiful forested headland nature reserve facing Sydney Harbour.
The reserve is home to various short bushwalking trails that combine natural beauty with great views across Sydney Harbour, the CBD skyline, the Harbour Bridge, Goat Island, and the surrounding peninsulas.
The 10 km Sphinx Memorial to Bobbin Head loop via Warrimoo Track is an exciting bushwalk through various landscapes in Ku-ring-gai Chase NP.
The first half of the walk follows the shoreline of Cowan Creek, while the second half is mostly a fire trail through a thriving forest of gum trees.
The 5.6 km return walking trail to Ikara Head in Mount Victoria leads to a lookout that offers fantastic Grose Valley views.
With a bit of luck, and when the circumstances are right, you may even see pink flannel flowers and other wildflowers along the way.
Faulconbridge Point is a fantastic lookout in the Lower Grose Valley of the Blue Mountains, offering 360-degree views of the Grose River and the surrounding mountains and valleys.
A moderately challenging, 6.5 km long track via a fire trail leads to this lookout, the perfect spot for a quiet picnic in beautiful natural surroundings.
The Victoria Falls Walking Track in the Blue Mountains takes in a beautiful lookout, an impressive waterfall, and a cascade water spectacle.
Perched on a cliff edge overlooking the Grose Valley, the Victoria Falls Lookout is the starting point of a short but steep bushwalk to two of the prettiest waterfalls in the Blue Mountains.
Opened to the public in 1907, the 6 km long Grand Canyon Walk was the first of its kind. Since its opening, the walk has been challenged by thousands of hiking enthusiasts every year.
Widely regarded as one of the most impressive walking tracks in the Blue Mountains, the Grand Canyon Walk navigates through a beautiful landscape of lush rainforests, with several creek crossings, small waterfalls, high cliff walls, and rock overhangs.
The North Arm Walking Track is an exciting walking trail in the suburb of Castle Cove that passes through beautiful Harbour-side bushland.
This is a moderately challenging 6.5 km long walking trail exploring a quiet part of Middle Harbour, with lovely views of Sugarloaf Bay to take in.
The trail from Tambourine Bay Park to Warraroon Reserve is a family-friendly walk through a pocket of scenic bushland, linking the suburbs of Riverview, Longueville, and Lane Cove.
This easy 3 km return walking trail follows Tambourine Creek, which flows into Tambourine Bay, which, in turn, is part of the Lane Cove River.