The Grand Canyon Track - Blue Mountains National Park

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Route: Neates Glen, Grand Canyon Track, Evans Lookout, Evans Lookout Road, Neates Glen

Date: 02/05/2021
From: Neates Glen

Parking: Neates Glen
Start Point: Neates Glen
Finish Point: Evans Lookout
Region: Blue Mountains National Park

Route length: 6.6km
Time taken: 02:29
Average speed: 2.9km/h
Ascent: 308m
Descent: 297m

Points of Interest: Neates Glen, Greaves Creek, Evans Lookout

Setting out from Evans Lookout, the Grand Canyon Track is one of the most dramatic and popular circuits in the Blue Mountains. While not as grand as the Grand Canyon itself, the sheer sandstone cliffs of Greaves Creek make for a spectacular outing. Evans Lookout can be found near Blackheath, one of the small towns that line the high plateau, forming the popular tourist areas of the Blue Mountains alongside Katoomba, Leura and the Three Sisters.

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. However, an anti-clockwise circuit means the steeper section is done in descent and the finale at Evans Lookout is saved for the end and this is the direction we opted for. While short, the Grand Canyon is arguably one of the best hikes in the Blue Mountains.

We began our descent from the Neates Glen parking area, following a zig-zagging path that makes its way down into the rainforest, immediately passing towering ferns and dramatic overhanging rocks. It wasn't long before we encountered our first creek, Neates Glen (which gives its name to the parking area) that tumbles down a series of pretty cascades.

Starting our descent from Neates Glen

The Grand Canyon Track

Passing beneath one of many large overhangs

The path descends further still, passing some outstanding viewpoints as we approached the floor of the valley. A final set of wooden steps brought us down to the banks of Greaves Creek. This is the Rotunda, an open area where the cliff has been carved out to form an overhang, over the sandy banks of the stream.

Crossing Greaves Creek

Greaves Creek

The Greaves Creek canyon

The Rotunda

The Rotunda

Greaves Creek carves a winding route through the sandstone of the Blue Mountains en route to Govetts Creek before ultimately flowing to the Grose River and the mighty Nepean. It is the erosive power of the creek which forms the huge cliffs of the Grand Canyon. Now in the depths of the canyon, the path delves deeper, following the creek downstream.

Greaves Creek

Debris from the March 2021 floods

We followed the trail along the cliffs to an open area surrounded by trees, ferns and running water. After squeezing through a short, dark tunnel, the path opens into another large area surrounded by huge boulders and a cascading waterfall. The path passes behind the waterfall (if it's flowing) and continues on its way.

Entering the tunnel burrowed through the pile of boulders

Emerging from the tunnel

The path goes behind the waterfall

The Grand Canyon Track blends into its surroundings well

A look back at the waterfall

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. Eventually, the canyon opens up again and we began a steep descent down some wooden steps, still following the course of Greaves Creek which gets thrown over a series of waterfalls, hidden among the plants and trees.

In the narrowest part of the canyon

The Grand Canyon Track

Greaves Creek

The track through the canyon was constructed in 1907, during a period when hundreds of kilometres of tracks were built to access the escarpments, lookouts, and walls of the Grose and Jamison Valleys. It has recently been restored thanks to a government grant of around $5m and is all the better for it.

Much of the slot canyon section is fenced

Greaves Creek

The Grand Canyon

The path remains high as the creek delves down into the canyon

Looking down at Greaves Creek

The canyon walls

Descending back towards the creek

Having undulated along the cliff, we reached Greaves Creek once again, where it emerges from the slot canyon. Based on what we had read, we were led to believe that this was the end of our canyoning adventure, but we were wrong. The track, still following Greaves Creek, crosses the stream several times as it passes through a dramatic section of the canyon. This is arguably the most impressive section of the canyon.

Greaves Creek

Greaves Creek emerges from the slot canyon

Greaves Creek

Greaves Creek

The beautiful Grand Canyon Track

Fallen trees in the Grand Canyon

Greaves Creek

The Grand Canyon

More flood debris

Greaves Creek squeezes through some fallen boulders

The Grand Canyon Track

The exit

Eventually, we reached the junction at Rodriguez Pass - one of the popular tracks in the Blue Mountains. Sadly the track will be closed for the foreseeable future due to the damage caused by the bushfires. After the path junction, we began our climb out of the canyon towards Evans Lookout.

The track climbs a set of steps, up through a gap in the cliffs, following a series of ‘Evans Lookout’ arrows that point up the hill. It was at this moment that my camera started to flash a low battery warning and eventually gave up. 

Tree Fern

Climbing out of the Grand Canyon

The top of the climb out of the Grand Canyon

Point Pilcher - the last photo from my camera

Point Pilcher

After a heart-stirring climb, we emerged at the top of the steps at Evans Lookout, which has a spectacular view of the cliffs of the Grose Valley. With my camera having given up the ghost, it was down to my trusty phone to capture the awe-inspiring view. 

Grose Valley from Evans Lookout

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.”

A short distance from Evans Lookout is Valley View Lookout which has a slightly more direct view towards Mount Banks. I've found this particular lookout to be quiet, often overlooked by visitors to Evans Lookout.

Grose Valley

The view from the Valley View lookout

After loitering around the two lookouts for a while we turned tail and started back towards the car. It's around a mile from Evans Lookout to Neates Glen along a path that runs parallel to the road. The last time we were here was just after the 2020 bushfires and, now, it's getting harder to tell, such is the speed at which the Aussie bush grows back.

Before long we'd made it back to the car and set off to Katoomba to explore the gear shops. Despite its modest length, the Grand Canyon Track is a stunning walk and one I would happily repeat.