There are many “waterfall walks” in the Blue Mountains, but the Valley of the Waters Track is arguably the best of them… it offers eight waterfalls along the relatively short track, most of which are pretty spectacular. While most impressive after rain, even during dry periods the Valley of the Waters Creek has a decent flow. There’s also a couple of lookouts along the way… The track was named around 1895 by Peter Mulheran, who built and maintained many of the walking tracks around Wentworth Falls as caretaker of the Wentworth Falls Trust.
The Valley of the Waters Track starts at the Conservation Hut at Wentworth Falls, where the signposted track descends gently towards the cliffs.
Queen Victoria Lookout [0.4km]
A (very) short detour takes you to the spectacular Queen Victoria Lookout, which offers sweeping views over the Jamison Valley and out to Mount Solitary. (It’s the same view as you get from the popular Jamison Lookout, but without the crowds.)
Empress Lookout [0.5km]
The Valley of the Waters Track continues to Empress Lookout, which doesn’t offer as good a view over the Jamison Valley – but you get a glimpse of the Valley of the Waters directly below.
The track now drops below the top of the cliffs via a steel ladder, before passing under a wide sandstone overhang to meet the Nature Track.
Isobel Falls [0.7km]
The steep descent down into the valley starts here, wth the track crossing Isobel Creek just below the bottom tier of Isobel Falls.
After another stairway as the Valley of the Waters Track descends into cool rainforest, Empress Falls comes into view.
Empress Falls [0.8km]
It’s a tough call whether Empress Falls or Sylvia Falls (which is soon reached) is the most spectacular of the waterfalls along this walk… The top tier of the 37m high Empress Falls tumbles past gnarled coachwood and sassafras trees.
The track continues down alongside the waterfall.
At the bottom you get a full view of the spectacular waterfall, and access to a (very chilly!) swimming hole. On a weekend you may spot canyoners as they finish their descent of Empress Canyon.
Sylvia Falls [0.8km]
Soon after reaching the base of Empress Falls, the track starts to descend along the spectacular Sylvia Falls.
There’s a great view of the entire waterfall from the bottom, with the Valley of the Waters Creek cascading over rocks.
Just below Sylvia Fall is the small Edith Falls, which cascades down a small gully just above a set of stepping stones across the Valley of the Waters Creek.
The Valley of the Waters Track continues to descend past the partly-obscured Lodore Falls, passing the junction with the National Pass.
There are three more waterfalls before the end of the Valley of the Waters Track: Flat Rock Falls, Britannia Falls and Red Rock Falls.
Just after Red Rock Falls, the Valley of the Waters Track meets the Vera Falls Track and Wentworth Pass. Return the same way, or extend the walk (check the NPWS Alerts Web page before setting out, as landsides have closed some of these routes) via a number of other routes:
- Backtrack a short distance from the end of the Valley of the Waters Track and take the spectacular National Pass track [currently closed]
- Turn onto the Wentworth Pass track which connects with the end of the National Pass track, which is somewhat overgrown and challenging (7.5km)
- Return via Roberts Pass and Gladstone Pass, a fairly challenging loop (8.5km)
- Continue along the Vera Falls Track and Hippocrene Falls Track for a much longer and more challenging Hippocrene and Vera Falls Loop (13.3km)
Getting to Valley of the Waters Track
The signposted Valley of the Waters Track starts at the Conservation Hut which is at the end of Fletcher St in Wentworth Falls. Wentworth Falls is 95km (1:30min) from Sydney or 8km (10min) from Katoomba.
0.0km Start of Valley of Waters Track (Conservation Hut)
0.4km Queen Victoria Lookout
0.5km Empress Lookout
0.6km Junction with Nature Track
0.7km Isobel Falls
0.8km Empress Falls
0.8km Sylvia Falls
0.9km Edith Falls / Lodore Falls
1.1km Flat Rock Falls
1.2km Britannia Falls
1.3km Red Rock Falls
2.5km Conservation Hut (if returning the same way)
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