Govetts Leap, Cliff Top Track & the Grand Canyon 05-01-2021
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Route: Neates Glen, Braeside Road, Govetts Leap Road, Blue Mountains Heritage Centre, Fairfax Heritage Track, George Phillips Lookout, Govetts Leap Lookout, Cliff Top Track, Barrow Lookout, Hayward Gully, Evans Lookout, Grand Canyon Track, Neates Glen
Date: 05/01/2021
From: Neates Glen
Parking: Neates Glen
Start Point: Neates Glen
Finish Point: Neates Glen
Region: Blue Mountains
Route length: 9.1 miles (14.6km)
Time taken: 04:23
Average speed: 2.1mph
Ascent: 556m
Descent: 551m
Points of Interest: Govetts Leap, Barrow Lookout, Evans Lookout, Grand Canyon
It's been nearly a year now since the devastating bushfires of summer 2019-2020. Unprecedented in extent and intensity, the fire ground covered some 53,000 km2 of NSW - 7% of the entire state. To give some context, Greater London is around 1,500 km2 in size. The Gospers Mountain fire (the single largest fire from a single source) would ultimately spark the Grose Valley fire affecting the Blue Mountains canyons around Blackheath. Now, in the summer of 2021, parts of the Grose Valley are starting to open up to hikers once again.
The Cliff Track linking Govetts Leap to Evans Lookout was one of the casualties of the fire but it has now been restored to its former glory, reestablishing one of the most spectacular routes in the Blue Mountains. I had devised a circuit that would make the most of this epic area of the national park.
First things first, I need to manoeuvre myself to the beginning of the hike at the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre after leaving the car at the Neats Glen car park (at the exit of the Grand Canyon). This involved a short hike along Evans Lookout Road before cutting through the bush from the end of St Andrews Avenue. A narrow, spider-webby path crosses Govetts Leap Brook and then climbs to meet Braeside Road, one of the Blue Mountains' many fire trails. A kilometre of suburban streets then leads to the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre.
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| Evans Lookout Road |
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| Braeside Road |
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| The Blue Mountains Heritage Centre |
The visitor centre is located at the gateway to Govetts Leap - more on that in a moment. Given the excellent weather, I decided to follow the Fairfax Heritage Track first which winds its way through the freshly regenerated Eucalyptus woodland. The track is a family and wheelchair friendly tarmac trail that leads to the George Phillips lookout which offers the first view of the spectacular Grose Valley. The track continues to the large car park at Govetts Leap lookout.
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| Fairfax Heritage Track |
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| New Eucalyptus growth following the 19/20 bushfires |
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| Fairfax Heritage Track |
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| Approaching George Phillips Lookout |
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| Grose Valley from George Phillips Lookout |
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| The great amphitheatre of Horseshoe Falls |
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| Looking down Grose Valley - the domed peak is Mount Hay |
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| Fairfax Heritage Track linking to Govetts Lookout |
The last time we stopped at Govetts Leap was a brief pitstop on our way back to Sydney and, while the view is astonishing, none of the lower paths or lookouts were open. Now you can access the Breakfast Rock and Williams lookouts and they really are a feast for the eyes, and the star of the show is Govetts Leap.
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| Govetts Leap memorial at the lookout |
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| Govetts Leap |
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| Looking along the Grose Valley |
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| Govetts Leap from Breakfast Rock |
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| Govetts Leap |
Govetts Leap waterfall falls some 180m over Griffith Taylor Wall, an immense stretch of sandstone that starts from Evans Lookout and ends many kilometres away at Docker Head and Perrys Lookdown. The falls themselves are named after Willam Romaine Govett, the government surveyor who first documented the falls in 1831 (it is unlikely he was the first to 'discover' the area). The word 'Leap' translates to waterfall in old Scottish dialect, though Govett himself was from Devon.
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| Govetts Leap |
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| Govetts Leap and the Griffith Taylor Wall |
The Cliff Top Track leaves from the southern end of the car park at Govetts Leap, heading towards the waterfall itself. It descends into the valley of Govetts Leap Brook, crossing the creek almost immediately before it is thrown over the cliff edge. Once across, the track climbs briefly to the sensational Barrow Lookout.
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| Descending to Govetts Leap Brook |
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| Govetts Leap Brook, just before the top of the waterfall |
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| Govetts Leap Brook |
The lookout is located just above Govetts Leap, so it is tricky to see the waterfall itself. However, it is situated on the very precipice of the Griffith Taylor Wall and has a stunning view of the mossy hanging gardens which cling to the sandstone face. It's one of the few lookouts I've visited where you are actually below the main cliffs, rather than on top of them.
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| Barrow Lookout |
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| The great Horsehoe Falls |
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| Looking down Grose Valley |
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| Griffith Taylor Wall - you can probably make out the Govetts Leap Descent track |
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| Pulpit Rock |
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| Horseshoe Falls |
The Cliff Track climbs away from Barrow Lookout, out of the valley of Govetts Leap Brook. It hugs the top of the cliffs, set back from the very edge with the views largely shielded by the trees but offering tantalising glimpses of the vast canyon below. As the path turns south, it descends again into the lush Hayward Gully, named after Willaim Hayward, the first white man to reach the floor of Govetts Gorge in 1847, before finally reaching Evans Lookout.
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| Damaged trees along the Cliff Top Track |
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| Cliff Top Track |
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| Views from Luchetti Lookout |
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| Hayward Gully |
There are actually two viewpoints at Evans Lookout, that named Evans and another, more hidden, called Valley View. Of the two, I'm inclined to say Valley View is the more impressive as it has a view directly down Grose Valley while Evans Lookout is just around a corner. Valley View is also slightly quieter so you may be able to enjoy the spectacle on your own. The views are at their very best in the afternoon when the sun shines from behind the lookouts.
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| Valley View Lookout |
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| Lockley's Pylon - the strip of scree to the lower left is Shortridge Pass, an exceptionally steep track into the valley |
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| Grose Valley panorama from Valley View Lookout |
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| Carne Wall |
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| Mount Banks at the far end of the valley |
A short distance from Valley View is Evans Lookout, marked by a monument and stone shelter (also a substantial car park). The monument at the lookout bears this inscription:
“This memorial was erected in memory of George Evans Esq. Solicitor of Sydney & London who was a pioneer of this district. He discovered this lookout and entrance to Grose Valley in the year 1882. Erected by his daughter Mrs E.E. MacLaurin 1932.”
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| Evans Lookout shelter |
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| View of Carne Wall and Fortress Ridge from Evans Lookout |
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| Evans Lookout panorama |
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| Fortress Ridge on the opposite side of the valley |
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| A close-up view of Lockley's Pylon |
This hike just keeps on giving as the Grand Canyon Track begins/ends at Evans Lookout and is arguably one of the most enjoyable tracks in the entire Blue Mountains. It was constructed and opened to the public in 1907 and underwent a $5million, decade-long restoration in the late 2010s. There is no right or wrong way to do the Grand Canyon Track, both routes involve descending into the canyon and climbing back out again.
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| The Grand Canyon track at Evans Lookout |
The track descends a set of sandstone steps following a shimmering creek. It passes through a cleft in the cliffs and descends to the valley floor where it meets the Rodriguez Pass Track (closed at the time of my visit). It leads down to Greaves Creek, the river responsible for carving the canyon, and marks the beginning of the adventurous trek through the gorge.
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| Beginning the descent into the canyon |
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| Passing through the gap in the rocks |
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| Following the small creek into the canyon |
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| Much of the route down is via sandstone steps like these |
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| Descending into the Grand Canyon |
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| The Grand Canyon |
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| The dense rainforest in the canyon |
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| Greaves Creek |
The path follows the creek through the gorge, crossing several times via sandstone blocks or small wooden footbridges, passing by huge fallen bounders and pretty, tumbling waterfalls - all sheltered in the dappled shade of the numerous trees and ferns which grow in the canyon. This first section is perhaps the most impressive of the entire Grand Canyon and is a popular spot for photographers.
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| Greaves Creek in the Grand Canyon |
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| The Grand Canyon |
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| A wide view of the canyon |
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| The path passes by numerous waterfalls |
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| Looking back along the route |
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| Greaves Creek |
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| The Grand Canyon |
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| The path is easy to follow through the canyon |
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| Greaves Creek |
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| Greaves Creek |
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| The Grand Canyon |
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| Greaves Creek |
After reaching the point where Greaves Creek emerges from a huge cleft (popular with canyoneering), the track climbs abruptly and continues on, now suspended high above the canyon on a ledge protected by a metal railing. Though the track stays relatively level, the river disappears into the depths of the narrowest part of the canyon, many metres below. The canyon here is a true slot canyon with the path perched on a ledge above the creek where you often have to stoop to avoid the overhanging rocks.
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| The Grand Canyon |
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| The Grand Canyon track |
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| The Grand Canyon track |
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| The slot containing Greaves Creek |
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| The track as it negotiates some severe overhangs |
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| Grand Canyon track |
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| Grand Canyon track |
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| Underneath the dripping sandstone walls |
The track leads to an open area surrounded by trees, ferns. running water, huge boulders and a cascading waterfall. The path passes behind the waterfall (if it's flowing) and continues on its way towards a dark tunnel in the rocks, leading to The Rotunda, an open area where the cliff has been carved out to form a severe overhang, shading the sandy banks of Greaves Creek.
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| Greaves Creek once again |
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| Approaching a small waterfall |
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| The track passes behind the waterfall |
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| Climbing to the tunnel |
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| Light at the end of the tunnel |
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| The Rotunda |
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| The Rotunda |
Steps lead up and away from the Rotunda, climbing sharply out of the depths of the canyon and into the bright sunshine. It passing some outstanding viewpoints of the valley as it begins its final climb along Neates Glen Creek to the car park on Evans Lookout Road. It's an extremely pretty section of the Grand Canyon Track but the last section of the climb, up some dusty steps, does get a little tedious
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| Signposted steps lead away from the creek |
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| Neates Glen |
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| Crossing Neates Glen |
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| Ascending Neates Glen |
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| Neates Glen |
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| The final steps leading to the Neates Glen car park |
The sad thing about the Grand Canyon Track is that it is over far too soon. At just 6km to do the loop, the actual canyon is only around 4km long. However, it's one of the best 4km in the entire national park which bookends this epic hike. Looking back through the photos it's hard to believe this is one hike, given the diversity of the scenery but it just goes to show just how impressive hiking in the Blue Mountains really is.
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