The best waterfall hikes and walks in Six Foot Track Reserve

Furber Steps drops steeply down the escarpment towards the Jamison Valley, with sections of stone steps, metal stairs and track cut close against the sandstone cliffs. You’ll pass beneath large overhangs and get changing views across to Katoomba Falls as you descend. The way down is straightforward enough, but remember you’ll need to regain all that height if you’re returning the same way.

Vera’s Grotto is an easy detour to miss on the way down Furber Steps, but it’s worth taking the short side track. Water runs over the sandstone into a small, enclosed grotto surrounded by ferns and damp rock, giving you a very different view from the bigger falls and lookouts higher up. The turn-off is only around 30 metres from the main track, so it adds very little distance.

Katoomba Falls lookout gives you a clear view down onto the waterfall as it drops over the sandstone cliffs into the Jamison Valley. You can also see across the valley towards Mount Solitary, making this a worthwhile stop before tackling the steeper Furber Steps. The lookout is fenced and reached by a short set of stairs from the track, so it only adds a few minutes to the route.

Bonnie Doon Falls is a thin waterfall cascading over the sandstone cliffs of Nellies Glen. Reached by a short detour from the Six Foot Track, the falls plunge into a beautiful fern-lined amphitheatre where you can even walk behind the curtain of water when conditions allow. It’s a peaceful, hidden gem that’s especially impressive after rain.

Devils Hole is a narrow gap in the cliffs with an enormous boulder wedged high between the towering walls. The rocky, moderately steep section of the track passes under the boulder through a cool, fern-filled passage that, even though not far from Cliff Drive, feels like stepping back in time. This section is not technical and relatively easy to manage, especially when conditions are dry. It’s one of the most memorable sections of the walk, and a fantastic area to explore and admire this unique natural feature that makes this part of the park so special.

The Scenic Cableway brings bushwalkers over Blue Mountains National Park. The Scenic Cableway Top Station is an exciting, busy area, where the train and Skyway also depart. There are toilets, Skyway Souvenirs and the Terrace Cafe & Bar, all indoors, ideal in case of rain. Here visitors descend the steep cliff into the valley below, and by steep, it's steep, the cableway is at 36° incline. The Scenic Cableway is open Friday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and every other day of the week from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Cars depart around every 10 minutes from the top and bottom stations, and ticket prices start at $39 per adult and $21 per child but provides unlimited rides for the day. If you would like to avoid taking the cableway, the climb in and out can be done from the Giant Stairway track.

The Scenic Cableway brings bushwalkers over Blue Mountains National Park and is part of the park's network of cableways, a historic incline railway, and elevated forest boardwalks and scenic skyway. This is the bottom of the cableway. If you get on at the bottom, you will be effortlessly taken up a steep part of the park. By steep, it's quite a steep ride, the cableway travels at a 36° incline and moves at a speed of 3.8 metres per second. The cableway is open Friday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and every other day of the week from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Cars depart around every 10 minutes from the top and bottom stations, and ticket prices start at $39 per adult and $21 per child but gives unlimited rides for the day. If you would like to avoid taking the cableway, the climb in and out can be done from the Giant Stairway track.

Katoomba Cascades is a picturesque series of small cascades on the Kedumba River, where the water tumbles over wide sandstone shelves before continuing downstream to Katoomba Falls. There are boardwalks, bridges, benches and viewing platforms that surround the cascades for a close-up view of the flowing water within the lush gully of ferns and rainforest vegetation. It’s one of the few places where you can experience the river up close before it drops into the Jamison Valley.