Escape the bustling tourist crowds of Katoomba and discover one of the Blue Mountains' best views with a trip to Walls Lookout. Clocking in at an easy 2.9 kilometres round-trip from the Bells Line of Road, this short walk offers unfenced escarpment views, unique rock pagodas, and a quiet wilderness escape overlooking the wild upper Grose Valley.
Walls Lookout
📍 BLUE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
Distance
2.9 km
Duration
01:30 hrs
Elev Gain
+142 m
Elev Lost
-140 m
| Date | 25 February 2024 |
| Starting Point | Walls Lookout Picnic Area |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Pace / Gear | 3.3 km/h — Light day pack |
| Highlights | Rigby Hill, Walls Lookout |
As lookouts go, Walls Lookout is one of the very best in the Blue Mountains, with its dramatic view of the wild upper Grose Valley. Despite the quality of the scenery, its location on the quiet northern side of the valley means it receives only a handful of daily visitors, unlike the honeypots at Govetts Leap and the Three Sisters.
There is a modest parking area for Walls Lookout located off Bells Line of Road, which also serves Pierces Pass further down the valley. The road's intriguing name reflects its history – it was originally chartered by Archibald Bell, following a traditional pathway network used by the Darug people for centuries. Emery and Cogy, two Darug men, guided Bell in 1823, paving the way for this crucial second route across the Blue Mountains.
From the parking area, it's only 2 km along an easy path to the lookout, first descending a short distance through the bush before it opens up, approaching the cliffs with views of the neighbouring hills and ridges.
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| Approaching Walls Lookout with Rigby Hill off to the right |
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| Looking over Wongara Gully towards Docker Head |
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| The interesting rock pagodas at Walls Lookout |
Unlike the lookouts around Katoomba and Blackheath, Walls Lookout is not a purpose-built platform, so there are no fences or railings. The cliff edges can feel intimidating, and a fall would be fatal, so care should be taken if exploring the area, especially if it's windy or younger hikers are present. The height of the cliffs means the views are sensational, taking in much of the Grose Valley and the entire length of the Blackheath Walls.
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| Grose Valley from Walls Lookout |
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| Wongara Hill |
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| Docker Head and the Grose Valley |
Now, I always assumed that it was called 'Walls Lookout' due to the presence of the sandstone cliffs and Blackheath Walls; however, it was in fact named after James Tomas Wall, the President of the Blue Mountains Shire Council from 1913 to 1917.
Immediately to the right of Walls Lookout is the imposing Rigby Hill, crowning an enormous cliff above the incision of Hungerfords Gully. If the conditions are right, a tall waterfall may flow from the gully's end. You'll get the best views of Rigby Hill from a more westerly point of Walls Lookout by scrambling down to a clear area on the edge of the cliff.
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| The upper Grose Valley |
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| Rigby Hill |
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| The Walls Lookout panorama |
You can return to the parking area by retracing the same path, with a slightly longer alternative via the Pierces Pass Link Track; however, this begins to incorporate a fairly big climb back to Bells Line of Road. Whichever you choose, you'll emerge back at the parking area.
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| The route back to the parking area |
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