The Blue Mountains rise to the west of Sydney, beginning about 50 kilometres from the city centre and reaching their highest points at around 1,100 metres above sea level. The name is literal — the blue haze that hangs over the eucalyptus forests is caused by fine droplets of oil released from the trees, scattering light in the blue spectrum. On a clear morning, looking out from Evan’s Lookout or Echo Point, the effect is extraordinary.
Most visitors see the Blue Mountains from the lookouts at Katoomba, photograph the Three Sisters, and leave. This is understandable — the Three Sisters are remarkable — but it misses what makes the Blue Mountains genuinely special: the walking. The network of trails that drops from the plateau rim into the canyon systems below includes some of the finest day hiking in New South Wales.
The Three Sisters and Echo Point
Echo Point, a short walk from Katoomba town centre, is where the Three Sisters — three sandstone pillars rising from the Jamison Valley floor — are viewed from above. The formation is the result of erosion acting on horizontal sandstone over millions of years; the three columns are what’s left after the softer rock on either side was worn away.
Come very early or very late. At midday in peak season, Echo Point is uncomfortably crowded. At dawn, with mist in the valley below and the light just catching the orange rock faces, it’s one of the finest natural views in the state. The Giant Stairway descends from near the Three Sisters down into the valley — 800 steps cut into the cliff face, steep and narrow and not suitable for those with serious mobility issues, but entirely manageable for most walkers and offering increasingly dramatic perspectives as you descend.
The National Pass Walk
The National Pass is, by common consensus, one of the finest walks in the Blue Mountains. It runs for 8.7km as a loop from Wentworth Falls, and the route along the cliff face — cut into the rock itself, with the valley falling away to your right and sandstone overhangs above — is unlike any other walking experience in NSW.
If you’re planning further afield, our guides to Best Hikes in Tasmania are well worth a look.
The walk passes Wentworth Falls (among the most impressive waterfall cascades in the mountains), follows the National Pass shelf track along the Jamison Valley wall, drops to the valley floor and then climbs back up via the Conservation Hut. The entire loop takes four to five hours at a moderate pace. The track can be slippery after rain — take decent footwear and check the Parks NSW trail conditions before you go.
The Grand Canyon Walk
Despite the name, the Blue Mountains Grand Canyon has nothing to do with Arizona. It’s a narrow slot canyon system near Blackheath that can be walked as a 5.3km loop from Evans Lookout Road, descending through increasingly narrow rock passages, crossing streams, ducking under overhangs, and emerging into a canyon space that feels entirely enclosed by the towering sandstone walls above.
The Grand Canyon walk takes three to four hours and is rated moderate — there are some steep sections and some awkward scrambles, but nothing requiring technical ability. The canyon section itself is the highlight: a slot perhaps ten metres wide with ferns and mosses covering every surface, the light filtered down from 200 metres above. It’s one of those walks that doesn’t photograph well and is far more impressive than any photograph suggests.
Getting There by Train
The Blue Mountains are exceptionally well served by the Blue Mountains Line from Central Station in Sydney. Trains run regularly throughout the day to Katoomba (the main hub for walking, around 2 hours from Central), Leura, Wentworth Falls, and Blackheath — covering the key starting points for most walks. On weekends, the train fills with walkers, and it’s a genuinely pleasant way to travel — watching the suburbs give way to the escarpment as you climb through Penrith and Springwood.
Katoomba has good cafés, a decent pub lunch scene, and an excellent independent bookshop. The Blue Mountains Cultural Centre in Katoomba contains a worthwhile regional gallery. The Hydro Majestic Hotel at Medlow Bath — a fantastically strange Federation-era resort hotel perched on the escarpment edge — is worth a stop for afternoon tea and the view.
Where to Stay
Katoomba, Leura, and Blackheath all have accommodation options ranging from guesthouses and B&Bs to boutique hotels. Staying overnight allows you to walk in the early morning before day-trippers arrive, which transforms the experience. Echoes Hotel in Katoomba has excellent escarpment views and a good restaurant. Lilianfels is the most established luxury option. For a more characterful stay, the older guesthouses in Leura village — a beautiful, leafy town a few kilometres east of Katoomba — are a good option.
Looking for more hiking adventures in Australia, read our guides to eco lodges in Blue Mountains, things to do in port stephens, things to do in port stephens, luxury lodges new south wales, luxury experiences Blue Mountains, and luxury experiences Sydney.
