The best waterfall hikes and walks in the Blue Mountains

The Scenic Cableway brings bushwalkers over Blue Mountains National Park. The Scenic Cableway Top Station is an exciting, busy area, where the train and Skyway also depart. There are toilets, Skyway Souvenirs and the Terrace Cafe & Bar, all indoors, ideal in case of rain. Here visitors descend the steep cliff into the valley below, and by steep, it's steep, the cableway is at 36° incline. The Scenic Cableway is open Friday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and every other day of the week from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Cars depart around every 10 minutes from the top and bottom stations, and ticket prices start at $39 per adult and $21 per child but provides unlimited rides for the day. If you would like to avoid taking the cableway, the climb in and out can be done from the Giant Stairway track.

The Scenic Cableway brings bushwalkers over Blue Mountains National Park and is part of the park's network of cableways, a historic incline railway, and elevated forest boardwalks and scenic skyway. This is the bottom of the cableway. If you get on at the bottom, you will be effortlessly taken up a steep part of the park. By steep, it's quite a steep ride, the cableway travels at a 36° incline and moves at a speed of 3.8 metres per second. The cableway is open Friday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and every other day of the week from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Cars depart around every 10 minutes from the top and bottom stations, and ticket prices start at $39 per adult and $21 per child but gives unlimited rides for the day. If you would like to avoid taking the cableway, the climb in and out can be done from the Giant Stairway track.

Katoomba Cascades is a picturesque series of small cascades on the Kedumba River, where the water tumbles over wide sandstone shelves before continuing downstream to Katoomba Falls. There are boardwalks, bridges, benches and viewing platforms that surround the cascades for a close-up view of the flowing water within the lush gully of ferns and rainforest vegetation. It’s one of the few places where you can experience the river up close before it drops into the Jamison Valley.

Honeymoon Point is a popular lookout spot from a manmade platform hanging over Jamison Valley. Named after romantic and breathtaking scenery where iconic landmarks like the Three Sisters rock formation are visible. It is easily accessible from the parking area and bus stop on Cliff Drive.

The Giant Stairway is a famous, challenging and exhilarating staircase, totalling almost 1000 steps, from the edge of the Blue Mountains National Park cliffside down toward the valley below. The views are hard to beat, and the stairs are carved into the sandstone cliffs, which do become quite slippery after rain. Remember, you must go down before you come up!

Katoomba Falls is a fantastic multi-tiered waterfall that cascades over sandstone cliffs into the Jamison Valley, and is one of the Blue Mountains’ most recognisable waterfall locations. The falls are surrounded by rugged escarpments, and from here, there are beautiful expansive views across the eucalyptus-covered ridges that stretch through the valley. The combination of plunging water, towering cliffs, and wide valley scenery makes it especially impressive if you're lucky enough to be here after it rains.

Federal Pass Walking Track is a historic and relatively challenging route that follows the base of the Jamison Valley cliffs between Leura and Katoomba, passing under dramatic escarpments and connecting several iconic walking routes. The track winds through cool forest, fern-filled gullies, creek crossings, and waterfall areas, with access to Leura Forest, the Giant Stairway, Scenic World, and routes toward Ruined Castle. The towering sandstone cliffs combined with the lush valley vegetation, and changing views of the escarpment create an ideal immersive walk that contrasts with the busy exposed lookouts high above you.

Spooners Lookout is a quieter viewpoint along the Three Sisters Walk near Echo Point, offering a slightly different angle of the iconic Three Sisters rock formation with extended views across the Jamison Valley. Reached by a short detour on a paved path through eucalypt forest, this lookout provides a more peaceful vantage point than the main Echo Point platform while still capturing the impressive escarpment scenery. Sandstone cliffs, forested ridges, and expansive valley views make it an excellent spot for appreciating the scale and beauty of the Blue Mountains landscape.