To get to the Katoomba area of Blue Mountains National Park:

From Sydney:

• Head west on the M4 and Great Western Highway towards the Blue Mountains
• Katoomba is around 1.5-2 hours drive from Sydney and Wentworth Falls is around 1.5 hours drive from Sydney

From Lithgow:

• Follow the Great Western Highway east toward Sydney
• Katoomba is around 40km, and Wentworth Falls is around 47km

Parking Show more

• Conservation Hut See on map
• Echo Point lookout (Three Sisters) See on map
• Gordon Falls picnic area See on map
• Gordon Falls to Katoomba walk See on map
• Grand Cliff Top Walk See on map
• Ingar campground See on map
• Mount Solitary walking track See on map
• Sublime Point lookout - Leura See on map
• Valley of the Waters lookout See on map
• Wentworth Falls picnic area See on map

By bike

Visit Transport for NSW for cycling and bike transport information.

By public transport

• Regular daily trains run from Sydney Central Station to Katoomba, Leura and Wentworth Falls. The trip takes around 2 hours. Plan your trip on the Transport for NSW website.
• Visit the Blue Mountains transit website for local bus timetables and maps.

The Katoomba area is a great place to visit at any time of year. Here are some of the highlights.

Autumn

Cooler temperatures and clear skies make autumn perfect for a bushwalking or camping getaway. Well-prepared hikers can tackle the 3-day Six Foot track between Katoomba and Jenolan Caves, or Mount Solitary walking track. Keep an eye out for vibrant red, orange and yellow fungus that blooms around Leura Cascades at this time of year. If you’re lucky you might see a male lyrebird putting on a show to attract females.

Spring

From early spring into summer, wildflowers blossom across the heath and forested trails, attracting birds (and birdwatchers). Spot yellow wattles, rich red waratahs, pink boronias, and blue native iris flowers. Why not get off the beaten track and see another side of the Blue Mountains with a bike ride or 4WD to McMahons Point. You’ll be rewarded with sweeping views of Lake Burragorang and the wilderness beyond. A night under the stars at Ingar campground, accessible only by bike or foot, is well worth the effort.

Summer

Enjoy a scenic picnic serenaded by bellbirds at Valley of the Waters picnic area, or set the kids loose in the playground at the council-run Gordon Falls picnic area. On a hot summer day Lyrebird Dell is a great option, taking you into a cool rainforest gully to the beautiful Pool of Siloam and a fascinating Aboriginal shelter. This is also the best (and safest) time to join an introductory canyoning, abseiling or rock climbing tour.

Winter

On a misty winter morning, Mount Solitary rising above the fog is a magnificent sight. Set out on a heart-pumping hike, trail run or mountain bike ride. The steep descents and challenging climbs from Furber Steps or the Giant Stairway, or bike ride along Andersons trail, will soon warm you up. Indulge in a hot chocolate or hearty lunch at Conservation Hut after exploring the tracks and lookouts around Wentworth Falls.

Toilets Show more

• Conservation Hut
• Echo Point lookout (Three Sisters)
• Federal Pass
• Furber Steps walk
• Gordon Falls picnic area
• Gordon Falls to Katoomba walk
• Grand Cliff Top Walk
• Ingar campground
• Kedumba River Crossing campground
• Mount Solitary walking track
• Three Sisters walk
• Valley of the Waters lookout
• Wentworth Falls picnic area
• Wentworth Falls to Leura walk

Picnic tables Show more

• Federal Pass
• Furber Steps walk
• Gordon Falls picnic area
• Gordon Falls to Katoomba walk
• Grand Cliff Top Walk
• Ingar campground
• Kedumba River Crossing campground
• Leura Cascades picnic area
• Mount Solitary walking track
• Sublime Point lookout - Leura
• Three Sisters walk
• Valley of the Waters lookout
• Wentworth Falls picnic area
• Wentworth Falls to Leura walk

Barbecue facilities

• Ingar campground
• Kedumba River Crossing campground

Cafe/kiosk

• Conservation Hut
• Federal Pass
• Gordon Falls to Katoomba walk
• Grand Cliff Top Walk
• Wentworth Falls to Leura walk

Drinking water Show more

• Conservation Hut
• Echo Point lookout (Three Sisters)
• Furber Steps walk
• Gordon Falls to Katoomba walk
• Grand Cliff Top Walk
• Wentworth Falls picnic area
• Wentworth Falls to Leura walk

• Katoomba area factsheet
• Katoomba area map (9.4MB pdf)

Animals

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  Superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae)

  With a complex mimicking call and an elaborate courtship dance to match, the superb lyrebird is one of the most spectacular Australian animals. A bird watching must-see, the superb lyrebird can be found in rainforests and wet woodlands across eastern NSW and Victoria.

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  Wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax)

  With a wingspan of up to 2.5m, the wedge-tailed eagle is Australia’s largest bird of prey. These Australian animals are found in woodlands across NSW, and have the ability to soar to heights of over 2km. If you’re bird watching, look out for the distinctive diamond-shaped tail of the eagle.

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  Yellow-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus)

  The yellow-tailed black cockatoo is one of the largest species of parrot. With dusty-black plumage, they have a yellow tail and cheek patch. They’re easily spotted while bird watching, as they feed on seeds in native forests and pine plantations.

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  Eastern water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii lesueurii)

  The eastern water dragon is a subaquatic lizard found in healthy waterways along eastern NSW, from Nowra to halfway up the Cape York Pensinsula. It’s believed to be one of the oldest of Australian reptiles, remaining virtually unchanged for over 20 million years.

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  Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae)

  Of the 2 species of kookaburra found in Australia, the laughing kookaburra is the best-known and the largest of the native kingfishers. With its distinctive riotous call, the laughing kookaburra is commonly heard in open woodlands and forests throughout NSW national parks, making these ideal spots for bird watching.

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  Short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus)

  One of only 2 egg-laying mammals in the world, the short-beaked echidna is one of the most widespread of Australian native animals. Covered in spines, or quills, they’re equipped with a keen sense of smell and a tube-like snout which they use to break apart termite mounds in search of ants.

Plants

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  Old man banksia (Banksia serrata)

  Hardy Australian native plants, old man banksias can be found along the coast, and in the dry sclerophyll forests and sandstone mountain ranges of NSW. With roughened bark and gnarled limbs, they produce a distinctive cylindrical yellow-green banksia flower which blossoms from summer to early autumn.

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  Grass tree (Xanthorrea spp.)

  An iconic part of the Australian landscape, the grass tree is widespread across eastern NSW. These Australian native plants have a thick fire-blackened trunk and long spiked leaves. They are found in heath and open forests across eastern NSW. The grass tree grows 1-5m in height and produces striking white-flowered spikes which grow up to 1m long.

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  Scribbly gum (Eucalyptus haemastoma)

  Easily identifiable Australian native plants, scribbly gum trees are found throughout NSW coastal plains and hills in the Sydney region. The most distinctive features of this eucalypt are the ‘scribbles’ made by moth larva as it tunnels between the layers of bark.

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  Smooth-barked apple (Angophora costata)

  Smooth-barked apple gums, also known as Sydney red gum or rusty gum trees, are Australian native plants found along the NSW coast, and in the Sydney basin and parts of Queensland. Growing to heights of 15-30m, the russet-coloured angophoras shed their bark in spring to reveal spectacular new salmon-coloured bark.

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  Waratah (Telopea speciosissima)

  The beautiful waratah is not only the NSW floral emblem, it's also one of the best-known Australian native plants. This iconic Australian bush flower can be found on sandstone ridges around Sydney, in nearby mountain ranges and on the NSW South Coast. The waratah has a vibrant crimson flowerhead, measuring up to 15cm across, and blossoms in spring.