Last updated: March 2, 2024
Discover the 15 most beautiful waterfalls in the Blue Mountains, some easy to walk to and others a bit more challenging to find.
The Blue Mountains area is home to countless walking tracks, panoramic lookout points, and pretty waterfalls of all sizes.
Some of these waterfalls are very popular and easy to find, but there are also various waterfalls and cascades hidden in valleys and canyons where most tourists don’t go.
In this article, we reveal the 15 most beautiful waterfalls in the Blue Mountains, ordered from east to west, including details on how to find them.
15 Best Blue Mountains Waterfalls:
| Waterfall | Where | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Horseshoe Falls | Hazelbrook |
| 2 | Federal Falls | South Lawson |
| 3 | Dantes Glen Waterfall | North Lawson |
| 4 | Weeping Rock | Wentworth Falls |
| 5 | Wentworth Falls | Wentworth Falls |
| 6 | Empress Falls | Wentworth Falls |
| 7 | Sylvia Falls | Wentworth Falls |
| 8 | Leura Cascades | Leura |
| 9 | Bridal Veil Falls | Leura |
| 10 | Linda Falls | Leura |
| 11 | Minnehaha Falls | Katoomba |
| 12 | Katoomba Cascades | Katoomba |
| 13 | Katoomba Falls | Katoomba |
| 14 | Govetts Leap | Blackheath |
| 15 | Victoria Falls | Mount Victoria |
Practical Tips:
Before heading out to visit any of these waterfalls, it’s recommended to check the latest alerts on the NPWS website to see if there are any closures.
Some of the below waterfalls also have natural swimming holes at their bases, which makes for a great outdoor adventure. So, if you’re heading out on a warm summer’s day, be sure to bring your swimmers!
1. Horseshoe Falls
Horseshoe Falls in Hazelbrook is a small but scenic waterfall on Hazelbrook Creek, located within Horseshoe Falls Reserve in the Blue Mountains, approximately 18 kilometres east of Katoomba.
The waterfall can be accessed via a moderately challenging bushwalk that takes in three more waterfalls, in the following order:
- Fairy Falls
- Horseshoe Falls
- Oaklands Falls
- Burgess Falls
What’s exciting about Horseshoe Falls is that you can walk underneath a rock overhang right behind the waterfall, which is a wonderful experience.
Horseshoe Falls is also one of the few spots in the Blue Mountains where you can see glow worms, but you will need to visit after sunset to witness that unique spectacle.
2. Federal Falls
Federal Falls is one of four waterfalls in South Lawson that are all on the same walking trail: the South Lawson Waterfall Walk. This is a 2.5 km circuit walking track that takes in the following scenic waterfalls:
- Adelina Falls
- Junction Falls
- Federal Falls
- Cataract Falls
The four waterfalls along the walking track aren’t tall or majestic by any means, but they are unpretentiously pretty. The beautiful bushland scenery in the area also adds to the experience.
The circuit walk is over a century old and is one of the few walking tracks in the Blue Mountains where dogs are more than welcome.
3. Dantes Glen Waterfall
Similar to the waterfalls in South Lawson, the four waterfalls (including Dantes Glen) in the northern part of Lawson are all quite small but very pretty, and they can be explored via a circuit trail.
The Empire Pass waterfall circuit takes in the following four waterfalls:
- Dantes Glen
- St Michael’s Falls
- Frederica Falls
- Fairy Falls
The Dantes Glen waterfall is perhaps the prettiest of the four, but we may be a little biased. It’s also the first waterfall to visit on the walking track.
Note that only one section (Dantes Glen walking track) of the entire waterfall circuit is dog-friendly, and includes three of the four waterfalls. The rest of the circuit is on National Park land, where dogs are not allowed.
4. Weeping Rock
The Weeping Rock is a small but unique waterfall on Jamison Creek, located moments away from the big waterfall we all know as Wentworth Falls.
Weeping Rock is so named because the water spills over a circular rock overhang. The rocky area in front of the waterfall is a great spot to wander around and take photos.
This waterfall is part of the Weeping Rock circuit walk, which starts from the Wentworth Falls picnic area and includes a few scenic lookout points.
5. Wentworth Falls
Wentworth Falls is a beautiful, 3-tiered, almost 200-metre high waterfall located in the town that goes by the same name.
The Wentworth Falls waterfall is by far the most impressive and highest waterfall in the Blue Mountains, especially after heavy rainfall when large amounts of water drop into Jamison Valley.
There are various walking tracks in the Wentworth Falls area, some very short and others quite long and challenging. There are also numerous lookout points that offer spectacular views of the waterfall and the valley.
Read our extensive Wentworth Falls hiking guide for the best walking tracks and lookout points in this area.
6. Empress Falls
The third waterfall in the Wentworth Falls area that is worth visiting is Empress Falls. It is smaller than Wentworth Falls, but still one of the prettiest waterfalls in the Blue Mountains.
A short (but steep) walking trail starting from the old Conservation Hut leads to this waterfall. Several lookout points along the track to Empress Falls offer panoramic views of the Jamison Valley and beyond.
For example, the Queen Victoria lookout offers brilliant views that reach as far as Mount Solitary, Kings Tableland, and the Lincoln’s Rock lookout.
Empress Falls is also a popular spot for canyoners abseiling down the waterfall into the pool at the base. On a warm day, bring your swimmers, as swimming at the base of Empress Falls is a great experience.
7. Sylvia Falls
The walking track to Empress Falls continues as part of the Valley of the Waters Track, following the path downstream along the creek.
Continuing this walking track is highly recommended, as you can explore more waterfalls that are just as pretty as Empress Falls.
The set of stepping stones in front of Empress Falls is where the walking track crosses the Valley of the Waters Creek and soon arrives at Sylvia Falls, a beautiful water spectacle that you can get very close to.
The walking track continues further downstream, where a couple more waterfalls await, but Empress and Sylvia Falls are, by far, the prettiest.
8. Leura Cascades
The short walking track along Leura Falls Creek through a rainforest landscape, offers excellent close-up views of Leura Cascades, a series of small waterfalls.
At the end of the path is a beautiful lookout point with incredible valley views. From that lookout, you can keep hiking and go deeper into the valley to get better views of the waterfall where the creek drops into the valley.
If you’d like to make a day of it, go and have a picnic at the popular Leura Cascades picnic area, with various tables, benches, toilets, and plenty of shaded areas.
9. Bridal Veil Falls
Bridal Veil Falls is where Leura Falls Creek drops into the valley, just south of the Leura Cascades.
It’s a pretty waterfall that looks a bit like a smaller version of Wentworth Falls, and is at its best after a period of decent rainfall.
The best views of this waterfall can be enjoyed from the Bridal Veil Falls lookout point, which is a short detour from the Prince Henry Cliff Walk, close to the Tarpeian Rock and Olympian Rock lookouts.
The other option is to do the Bridal Veil Falls circuit walk, a fantastic 4 km walking trail that passes the base of this beautiful waterfall.
10. Linda Falls
Linda Falls is a small and not-so-well-known waterfall on Linda Creek, quietly tucked away in Leura Forest, seemingly far away from the tourist crowds.
The waterfall can be accessed via the Dardanelles Pass circuit walk, an exciting bushwalk in the Leura and Katoomba area.
It’s not the easiest walk, though, because to see the actual waterfall, you will need to descend into the valley via the Giant Stairway at the Three Sisters and climb back up via various stairs closer to Leura.
But it’s a highly enjoyable and adventurous walk, with Linda Falls as one of the many highlights to explore.
11. Minnehaha Falls
Minnehaha Falls is another hidden treasure in the Blue Mountains, although this waterfall has seen a significant increase in visitors in recent years.
The 20-meter high Minnehaha Falls on Yosemite Creek can be accessed via a walking trail starting at Minnehaha Reserve, north of the Great Western Highway.
What’s great is that Minnehaha Falls usually doesn’t get very busy, mainly because the tourist buses don’t visit this part of the Blue Mountains. The spelling of this waterfall can also vary, depending on who you talk to.
Regardless, the waterfall is a beauty, and the natural swimming pool at the base makes for a great spot to relax in the warmer summer months.
12. Katoomba Cascades
When visiting the Katoomba area of the Blue Mountains, a trip to Katoomba Cascades is an absolute must.
The Katoomba Cascades area is a popular, family-friendly destination in the Blue Mountains, with an excellent picnic area and a couple of easy walking tracks nearby to enjoy.
From the cascades, an easy, family-friendly walking track along the creek leads to a lookout where visitors can enjoy fantastic district views, right above the spot where Katoomba Falls drops into the valley.
A second walking track worth exploring leads to the beautiful Cliff View Lookout, with even more impressive Jamison Valley views.
13. Katoomba Falls
Katoomba Falls is a stunning waterfall that drops almost 150 meters into Jamison Valley, beautifully located between Echo Point and Scenic World.
A family-friendly circuit walking trail starting at Scenic World brings visitors closer to this waterfall, with pretty views of the valley and surrounding escarpments as a bonus.
The start of the Katoomba Falls Round Walk is located between the car park and the main entrance to Scenic World. This is also the starting point of the Prince Henry Cliff Walk, a 7 km hike to the Gordon Falls lookout in Leura.
The path to Katoomba Falls includes several lookout points that offer excellent views of the waterfall.
14. Govetts Leap
Govetts Leap is a beautiful waterfall close to Blackheath, which can be viewed from the popular Govetts Leap Lookout.
Interestingly, this waterfall is also often referred to as Bridal Veil Falls, but the actual Bridal Veil Falls is located in Leura.
It’s not a very wide waterfall, but the height (180 metres), the surrounding valley, and the escarpments make Govetts Leap such an impressive sight in the Blue Mountains.
One walking track leads to the top of the waterfall and the Barrow Lookout close by, and a much more challenging walking track descends into the valley to the waterfall’s base.
15. Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls is a unique cascade waterfall on Victoria Creek that drops 20 metres from a rock overhang.
A steep walking track, starting from the car park at the end of Victoria Falls Road in Mount Victoria, leads to this waterfall.
Close to Victoria Falls is Victoria Creek Cascades, also known as Silver Cascades, a fantastic water spectacle in beautiful natural surroundings that makes the hike down into the valley even more worthwhile.
Both the waterfall and the cascades have natural waterholes at the base that are perfect for a refreshing swim on a warm summer’s day!
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