Only 1.5 hours away from Sydney, Wentworth Falls is often the first stop for visitors driving to the Blue Mountains. Unless you manage to get there early or visit during the low season, you’re likely to struggle to park and then share the place with many people. As soon as we arrived, the crowd made me wonder: are the popular Wentworth Falls walks worth it?

By starting your visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon (the sun sets after 8 pm in summer!), you will surely avoid the peak time even during the high season. All tours and day trip visitors from Sydney will be gone. But there are other things to consider to maximise your visit to Wentworth Falls.

Responsible travel tip: With the number of travellers increasing worldwide, overtourism has become a harsh reality for some popular destinations, and a challenge to monitor for all the others. There are ways to minimise your negative impacts when you visit a famous spot. If you can, plan your visit during the low season. You should also stick to the tracks and pick up any rubbish left by others.

Have you been to Wentworth Falls? Share your experience in the comments at the end of the article!

Check the water levels of Wentworth Falls first

When you see a jaw-dropping photo of a pouring waterfall on a brochure, you have high expectations. But the amount of rain affects many waterfalls.

Climate change is making drought more serious than ever in Australia. So lower your expectations if you choose to visit Wentworth Falls during a dry month. They may not be spectacular. Before you make a decision, you can have a look at the latest photos published on Instagram. It will help to avoid disappointment, especially if you only have a limited time in the Blue Mountains.

It had rained a lot the week before our Australia East Coast road trip, so it sounded like a perfect time to chase waterfalls. And I found Wentworth Falls beautiful. Although we had to share it with many people, it didn’t feel as bad as I expected. We only queued a couple of times on the stairs.

I wouldn’t like hiking if it was always in these conditions, but the crowd didn’t bother me too much as it’s once in a while. We’re lucky to enjoy lush nature by ourselves most of the time in Australia, and we gladly get used to it. The next day, we were back to our old habits of hiking a much less frequented spot in Blackheath – with the best views of the Blue Mountains!

Consider other hikes near Wentworth Falls

Most visitors stop at the Jamieson Lookout and then take the Wentworth Falls Track from the carpark to the Fletchers Lookout before going down to the top of the falls and back to the carpark. That’s a 1.4-kilometre return walk that shouldn’t take you longer than one hour.

But make sure you push a bit further towards the Rocket Point Lookout at least for a few hundred metres to get a different angle.

I found the Wentworth Falls Track fairly easy as we mostly walked in the shade. The only difficulty is the number of stairs which could be challenging for those not used to hiking. I did it wearing a walking boot.

So if you aren’t too tired, I highly recommend exploring the other Wentworth Falls walks – where the crowds don’t go. After we left the Wentworth Falls Track, we only met a few people.

Back at Fletcher Lookout, we continued on the Undercliff Track to reach the Princes Rock lookout and admire the best view of the Wentworth Falls. From the Wentworth Falls picnic area, the Princes Rock walking track is only a 1.8-kilometre return walk. You can go back to the carpark from the lookout, but I highly recommend continuing the Undercliff Track.

The rest of the walk isn’t about the waterfall anymore but it provides lovely views of the Jamieson Valley. The wilderness feelings were enough to make your efforts worthwhile. I particularly loved walking under the overhang of the eroded cliffs.

Then, you have a choice to make. You can go to the Conservation Hut via the Overcliff Track and have a break at the popular cafe. Alternatively, you can take the Shortcut Track to the carpark – the option we chose.

If you want to stick to the waterfall, you can descend to the bottom pool via the tallest outdoor staircase in Australia. Just keep in mind that you will have to climb it back up! Up for the challenge? Then this tour run by volunteers to support literacy among Australia’s Aboriginal youth may catch your attention. Check if the famous National Pass is open before planning your trip. It was closed when we visited.

And if you’re up for more adventures and a bit of adrenaline, you can combine your visit to Wentworth Falls with exploring the Valley of the Waters and canyoning the nearby Empress Canyon. I haven’t tried this particular one, but canyoning was my prefered way to explore the Blue Mountains as it’s really the best way to get a sense of the wilderness. Check out this tour for beginners if you’re interested!*

How to get to these Wentworth Falls Walks?

If you have your own car, you can easily follow the signs to the Wentworth Falls picnic area carpark, at the end of Sir Burrell Drive.

If you don’t want to drive, the easiest way is to join a tour from Sydney like this one*.

Wentworth Falls Walks can also be reached via public transport. You get off the train at Wentworth Falls village. Then, it’s a 1.5-kilometre nice walk via Charles Darwin Trail along Jamieson Creek to the Weeping Rock. Shortly after, you can continue on the Wentworth Falls Track.

Alternatively, you can use the Hop-on Hop-off Explorer Bus*. There’s one bus in the morning that will drop you at Fairmont Resort*. From there, you won’t be far from the Overcliff/Undercliff track and the Conservation Hut. You can then hike to Wentworth Falls. There are only two buses per day going to Fairmont Resort*. Once you’re done, you’d probably better walk to Wentworth Falls station via Charles Darwin Trail and catch the train to Katoomba.

Where are these Wentworth Falls Walks?

Wentworth Falls is approximately 115 kilometres from Sydney, in the Blue Mountains National Park, one of the most popular national parks in New South Wales.

You can easily reach all Wentworth Falls Walks from the Wentworth Falls picnic area. The Charles Darwin Trail links the train station to the walks that start at the picnic area.

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Eloise

Eloise is the creator and writer of MyFavouriteEscapes.com. She writes about her experiences exploring exotic destinations and finding hidden gems closer to home. Her goal is to share tips and stories to inspire and encourage others to go on their own adventures. She loves outdoor and nature-based activities like scuba diving, hiking, kayaking, and sailing. She grew up in France and has lived in England and Turkey before calling Australia home for the past decade. So let's get ready for another adventure!

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