Katoomba Cascades

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Safer Bushwalks Tips on staying safe on track
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.

Getting There Transport options and directions

Start	(-33.7263693,150.3062768)
Mode	Bus Car (There is free parking available.)
Directions	From Great Western Highway, A32 Turn on to Parke Street, BMD then drive for 105 m At roundabout, take exit 1 onto Bathurst Road, BMD and drive for another 165 m At roundabout, take exit 1 onto Gang Gang Street, BMD and drive for another 105 m Turn right onto Lurline Street, BMD and drive for another 1.4 km Turn right onto Goyder Avenue and drive for another 140 m Turn left onto Katoomba Street and drive for another 10 m Keep right onto Katoomba Falls Road and drive for another 325 m Turn left onto Cliff Drive, BMD and drive for another 125 m

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Getting started
From the intersection, this walk heads away from the 'Cliff View Lookout' sign, keeping the road on the right of the footpath. The path heads into open parkland, around the edge of the park and down the wooden steps to the bottom, where the walk comes to the Kedumba River crossing, just downstream of the Katoomba Cascades.....

An optional side trip to Kedumba River lookout.

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start. Find the Katoomba Falls Reserve at the start.
	After another 10 m turn right, to head along Prince Henry Cliff Walk. After another 65 m find the "Katoomba Falls Park" (15 m on your right). Katoomba Falls Park The Katoomba Falls Picnic area and park is found at the corner of 'Katoomba Falls Rd' and 'Cliff Dr', Katoomba. The south and western edge of the park is lined with a fence protecting the small Kedumba River, just above Katoomba Cascades. There is a fenced (1.2m high) viewing platform at the top of the cascades, and a smooth/flat conrete footpath leading to it. The park is also home to a series of 8 picnic tables. There is a car park for around 17 cars on Cliff Dr, as well as a separate signposted mobility parking bay at the south-eastern corner of the park. A pleasant picnic area. After another 40 m come to a ford.
	The starting point of an optional sidetrip. An optional side trip to Kedumba River lookout. To start this optional side trip turn left here. On returning from this side trip veer right when you get back to this intersection. Details below. Turn around here and retrace the main route for 115 m to get back to the start. About 15 m past the end is "Katoomba Cascades". Katoomba Cascades Popular with locals and visitors alike, these picturesque cascades are on the Kedumba River. The cascades are nestled in the bend on Cliff Drive, near Katoomba Park. There are stepping stones across the creek at the bottom of the falls and a bench seat in the shade. There are a few small clearings where visitors can sit and enjoy the falls.
	Start heading along Prince Henry Cliff Walk. After 175 m find the "Kedumba River lookout" (5 m on your right). Kedumba River lookout This unnamed, fenced lookout is at the bend in the track along Kedumba River, at the top of Katoomba Falls. The lookout gives great views across the valley to Mount Solitary and Narrow Neck. There are also glimpses of the Katoomba Falls as it drops away, far into the valley below.
	After another 5 m come to the end. About 25 m past the end is "Katoomba Falls". Turn around and retrace your steps back the 180 m to the main route.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Katoomba Cascades

Grading

	Class 3/6 Moderate track
Length	225 m
Time	10 min to 15 min

Quality of track	Formed track, with some branches and other obstacles (3/6)
Gradient	Gentle hills with occasional steps (2/6)
Signage	Directional signs along the way (3/6)
Infrastructure	Generally useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats) (1/6)
Experience Required	No experience required (1/6)
Weather	Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)

Articles Discover more details to thrive on track

Katoomba Cascades
Popular with locals and visitors alike, these picturesque cascades are on the Kedumba River. The cascades are nestled in the bend on Cliff Drive, near Katoomba Park. There are stepping stones across the creek at the bottom of the falls and a bench seat in the shade. There are a few small clearings where visitors can sit and enjoy the falls.

Kedumba River lookout
This unnamed, fenced lookout is at the bend in the track along Kedumba River, at the top of Katoomba Falls. The lookout gives great views across the valley to Mount Solitary and Narrow Neck. There are also glimpses of the Katoomba Falls as it drops away, far into the valley below.

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Wildwalks

Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- Katoomba Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon
  
  Tuesday 23 July
  
  14°C
  Sunny.
  5% chance of rain
  
  Patches of frost this morning, mainly in the west. Patchy morning fog. Sunny afternoon. Light winds. Daytime maximum temperatures between 12 and 17.
  
  UV Alert: Sun protection 11:10am to 1:10pm, UV Index predicted to reach 3 [Moderate]
  
  Wednesday 24 July
  
  1°C → 14°C
  Mostly sunny.
  5% chance of rain
  
  Mostly sunny. Patches of morning frost. The chance of fog in the morning, mainly in the west. Light winds becoming west to northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h in the morning then tending north to northwesterly in the middle of the day. Overnight temperatures falling to between minus 1 and 3 above zero with daytime temperatures reaching between 12 and 18.
  
  Thursday 25 July
  
  5°C → 15°C
  Shower or two. Wind easing.
  50% chance of rain
  0 → 2mm
  
  Mostly sunny morning. High chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. Winds north to northwesterly 25 to 35 km/h. Overnight temperatures falling to between 3 and 7 with daytime temperatures reaching between 14 and 19.
  
  Friday 26 July
  
  8°C → 13°C
  Shower or two.
  70% chance of rain
  0 → 4mm
  
  Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the morning. Winds northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h tending westerly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between 5 and 10 with daytime temperatures reaching between 11 and 17.
  
  Saturday 27 July
  
  1°C → 14°C
  Morning frost. Mostly sunny.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Morning frost. Mostly sunny.
  
  Sunday 28 July
  
  1°C → 13°C
  Partly cloudy.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy.
  
  Monday 29 July
  
  1°C → 11°C
  Morning frost. Sunny.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Morning frost. Sunny.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Alerts
- Blue Mountains National Park alerts
  Closed areas: Parts of Blue Mountains National Park closed
  Many roads, fire trails and walking tracks within Blue Mountains National Park are closed due to infrastructure upgrades or damage caused by wet weather including subsidence, rockfalls, landslides and fallen trees.
  The following areas are closed:
  Katoomba and Leura
  
  Honeymoon Bridge is closed due to rockfall risk.
  
  Leura Falls lookout is closed for upgrade works.
  
  Fern Bower track between Prince Henry Cliff walk (Grand Cliff Top walk) and Amphitheatre track is closed due to multiple landslides.
  
  Federal pass between the Cooks Crossing (Kedumba River) and Dardanelles Pass (near the Giant Staircase) is closed due to a landslide. There is no access along Federal Pass from the bottom Giant Stairs to Scenic World. Visitors can access Scenic World bottom stations via Furber Steps only. Fares apply.
  
  Ruined Castle, Golden Stairs, Solitary Loop and Federal Pass west of Scenic World are closed due to multiple landslides.
  
  Glenraphael Drive (Narrow Neck) will be closed to all traffic (including walkers and cyclists) between Cliff Drive and Miners Track until Friday 26 July 2024. Walkers and cyclists can still access Narrow Neck via Miners Track from Narrow Neck Lookout.
  
  Lone Lyrebird track is closed between Gordon Road and the War Memorial, due to subsidence. Detour is in place.
  
  Prince Henry Cliff walk (part of Grand Cliff Top walk) will be closed between Allambie Lookout and Echo Point from 7am 25/7/2024 to 5pm 26/7/2024 for essential maintenance. Please use Cliff Drive as a detour.
  
  Prince Henry Cliff walk (part of Grand Cliff Top walk) is closed between Gordon Falls picnic area and Elysian Rock lookout, due to a landslide. Visit the Blue Mountains City Council website for information.
  
  Prince Henry Cliff walk (part of Grand Cliff Top walk) is closed between Fern Bower track and Solitary Restaurant (about 100m) due to a landslide. Please use Cliff Drive as short detour.
  
  Part of Lindeman Pass is closed due to a major landslide below Gladstone lookout. Roberts Pass is closed due to rockfall and landslide hazards.
  
  Six Foot track is affected by closures at Jenolan Caves.
  
  Wentworth Falls and Woodford
  
  Valley of Waters track is closed below Sylvia Falls. There is no access to Roberts Pass, Vera Falls, Hippocrene Falls or Wentworth Falls from Valley of the Waters.
  
  Charles Darwin walk (part of the Grand Cliff Top walk) is closed between Fletcher Street and Weeping Rock. Detours are in place to provide directions to Wentworth Falls picnic area. Visit the Blue Mountains City Council website for information.
  
  Part of National Pass (west of Wentworth Falls middle crossing) is closed due to a major landslide and ongoing risks.
  
  Wentworth Pass and Slack Stairs are closed due to multiple landslides.
  
  Bedford Creek trail will be closed Monday to Friday until Friday 26 July 2024 due to road repairs. There will be no access from Anderson fire trail or Murphys Road to Ingar campground. There is also no exit to Woodford from Andersons fire trail. Trials and campgrounds will be open on Saturday and Sunday. Ingar campground is open on Saturday night only.
  
  Blackheath, Mount Victoria and Bells Line of Road
  
  Perrys Lookdown Road will be closed to vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists from Monday 5 August to Friday 16 August 2024 for roadworks. The road will be open weekends. Alternative access to Acacia flat is available via Horse track (via Grand Canyon track) or Lockley Pylon.
  
  Williams track (Govetts descent) and Rodriguez Pass are closed due to rockfalls and landslides.
  
  Pulpit Rock Reserve, lookouts and walking track are closed. Visit the Blue Mountains City Council website for information. Pulpit Rock walking track from Popes Glen is open as far as the NPWS boundary (as shown on Google maps).
  
  Adventure recreation, canyons, abseiling and rock climbing
  Some adventure recreation areas and routes are specifically closed where the access or exit road/track is mentioned above.
  Penalties apply for non-compliance. For more information, please contact the local office.
  
  Closed areas: Prince Henry Cliff Walk - Leura
  Prince Henry Cliff Walk (Grand Cliff Top walk) within Blue Mountains National Park is closed between Leura Cascades and Fern Bower walking track due to major tree fall. The alternative route is along Cliff Drive from Leura Cascades.   For for further information please call the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre on (02) 47878877.
  
  Closed areas: Woodford-Oaks trail closure
  Woodford-Oaks trail is closed on weekdays to all cyclists and pedestrians due to heavy machinery in operation.
  The Oaks and Single tracks will be open to cyclists on weekends, and will fully reopen as soon as works are complete.
  Penalties apply for non-compliance. For more information, contact the local park office on 02 4720 6200.
  
  Safety alerts: Remote walking track conditions
  Remote routes within the Kanangra Wilderness Area including Kanangra to Katoomba (K2K) trail have been impacted by heavy fire regrowth and flood damage.
  In some places, tracks are no longer visible and are not easy to navigate, taking longer to traverse than expected. Limited to zero water sources are currently available along routes.
  If you plan to walk in the area, please ensure you have an appropriate level of experience, navigation skills and equipment including Personal Locator Beacon (PLB).
  Mobile reception is limited so alternative communication methods are strongly recommended.
  For more information, contact the NPWS Blue Mountains Heritage Centre on 02 4787 8877.
  
  Closed areas: Glenbrook precinct closure
  The Glenbrook precinct will be closed on weekdays for major roadworks, from Monday 29 April to Tuesday 15 October 2024.
  Heavy machinery and vehicles will be in operation from Mondays to Fridays during this period. Access beyond the entry gate will be closed to all vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists.
  The closed areas (Mondays to Fridays) include:
  
  Woodford - The Oaks trail
  
  The Single track
  
  Euroka campground
  
  Red Hands Cave
  
  Red Hands Cave walking track
  
  Jack Evans track
  
  Nepean lookout
  
  Nepean River walking track
  
  Pisgah Rock
  
  Mount Portal lookout
  
  Tunnel View lookout
  
  Jellybean Pool
  
  Blue Pool
  
  Glenbrook Gorge walking track
  
  The precinct will open on weekends, with most areas accessible.
  The following areas will be open on weekends:
  
  Euroka picnic area
  
  Woodford - The Oaks trail
  
  The Single track
  
  Mt Portal and Tunnel View lookouts
  
  Jellybean Pool
  
  Blue Pool
  
  Glenbrook Gorge walking track
  
  Other sections, including Red Hands Cave and Euroka campground, will remain closed over the weekend. The precinct will fully reopen as soon as works are complete.
  Penalties apply for non-compliance. For more information, contact the local park office 02 4720 6200.
  
  Other planned events: Notice of ongoing 1080 baiting program
  NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is conducting ongoing ground baiting program from Thursday 2 May 2024 to Friday 1 November 2024 in the following areas:
  
  Abercrombie River National Park
  
  Abercrombie River State Conservation Area
  
  Kanangra-Boyd National Park
  
  Blue Mountains National Park (southern section)
  
  Wollemi National Park (Wolga
  
  Gardens of Stone National Park
  
  Jenolan Karst Conservation Area
  
  Turon National Park
  
  Marrangaroo National Park
  
  The operation will use 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate) poison for the control of wild dogs and foxes.
  The program is designed to minimise predator impacts on wildlife, especially threatened species, and to minimise impact of wild dogs on neighbouring stock.
  Signs will be placed at the entry to the baiting location. Domestic pets are not permitted in NSW National Parks managed lands. Pets and working dogs may be affected (1080 is lethal to cats and dogs). Pets and working dogs must be restrained or muzzled in the vicinity and must not enter the baiting location. In the event of accidental poisoning seek immediate veterinary assistance.
  For more information, contact the NPWS Kanangra area office at Oberon on 02 6336 6200.
  
  Closed areas: Waratah Native Gardens picnic area closed
  Waratah Native Gardens picnic area is closed until further notice. This includes Gorge walking track. No access to the area is permitted.
  Penalties apply for non-compliance. For more information, please contact the NPWS Hawkesbury-Nattai area office on 02 4720 6200.
  
  Closed areas: Six Foot track - Bowtells Bridge closure
  Bowtells swing bridge on Six Foot track is closed to protect public safety. An upgrade is being planned and the bridge is expected to reopen in Mid August 2024. Signs and barriers are in place to prevent access onto the bridge.
  Crown Lands, which manages the bridge, is advising track users not to attempt to cross Coxs River. Any attempts to cross the river are at your own risk and are discouraged due to the potential for slips or falls, rainfall and risk of flash flooding.
  For further information visit the Six Foot track website.
  
  Alert kindly provided by © NSW Nataional Parks and Wildlife Service

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