The Nature Track & Wentworth Falls - Blue Mountains National Park

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Route: Falls Road, Armstrong Street, Nature Trail Access, Nature Track, Edinburgh Castle Rock, Asmodeus Pool, Flora's Bath, Valley of the Waters, Empress Lookout, Overcliff Track, Breakfast Point Lookout, Undercliff Track, Fletchers Lookout, National Pass, Rocket Point Circuit, Weeping Rock Circuit, Darwins Walk, Wilson Park

Date: 04/05/2024
From: Wilson Park

Parking: Falls Road
Start Point: Nature Trail Access / Valley Road
Finish Point: Wilson Park
Region: Blue Mountains National Park

Route length: 10.3km
Time taken: 02:43
Average speed: 4.7km/h
Ascent: 306m
Descent: 311m

Points of Interest: Asmodeus Pool, Flora's Bath, Valley of the Waters, Wentworth Falls

There's something to be said about wet, misty days in the Blue Mountains. Get it wrong and you can find yourself trudging through an endless sea of grey with no views to speak of but, get it right and you can find yourself richly rewarded with ever-shifting views of cloudy cliffs and valleys. Luckily, this wet day hike around the Wentworth Falls area was the latter of the two.

Being a circuit, we opted to park on Falls Road, close to Wilson Park and the beginning of the Grand Clifftop Walk where we'd finish later in the day. We'd be heading the opposite way, heading west along Armstrong Street until it reaches the Nature Trail Access, a path that continues westwards through the bush to the top of the Nature Track.

The Nature Track is a little hidden gem that winds a downhill course to the top of Empress Canyon. The beautiful path descends down a series of wooden steps to a gully, which crosses via a metal footbridge. After a short climb out of the gully, the track arrives at a three-way intersection where you can visit Edinburgh Castle Rock, marked by a sign. The unfenced viewpoint comprises an interesting rock formation that has a view up the valley towards the houses on the ridge.

Edinburgh Castle Rock

Misty views from Edinburgh Castle Rock

Edinburgh Castle Rock

The Nature Track heads down alongside the rock and then out to a ledge above Valley of the Waters Creek, with views of Lillian's Glen. The path quickly descends further to the creek itself, crossing close to Asmodeus Pool. The pool is well hidden, and if you were not looking for it you would probably miss it. There is a small wooden sign with a rough short track behind it where you'll need to scramble up and along, then squeeze into the canyon. The beautiful pool is more than worth the effort.

An interesting section of the Nature Track follows this rock ledge

Asmodeus Pool is behind the large rock, you can find a way around to the left

Asmodeus Pool

Asmodeus Pool

The creek below Asmodeus Pool

A short distance from Asmodeus Pool is Flora's Bath, another small waterfall hidden behind a tall sandstone outcrop, however, it is far easier to reach than Asmodeus Pool. Close to Floras Bat is a set of stepping stones allowing you to cross the creek just before it disappears into the depths of Empress Canyon, a popular canyoning route that emerges at the top of Empress Falls further down the valley.

Floras Bath

Continuing on, the path follows the edge of the canyon until it meets the Grand Cliff Top Walk at a wooden bridge which allows you to peer into the depths of the canyon. Another short section of track leads to Isobel Falls and the top of the Valley of the Waters.

We had a short excursion down the upper section of the Valley of the Waters to inspect Empress Falls and Sylvia Falls - they are some of the best smaller waterfalls in the National Park and the valley is quite spectacular. You cannot continue much further as the Wentworth Pass track is closed.

Empress Falls

Valley of the Waters

Sylvia Falls

Valley of the Waters

After checking out the waterfalls, we climbed back up to Empress Lookout and then the Overcliff Track, one of the best sections of tracks in the Blue Mountains in my opinion. The Overcliff Track weaves a beautiful route along the top of the cliffs above the Jamison Valley and has some wonderful views along the way. The track passes Lyrebird Lookout and then follows a large rock wall to Breakfast Point, with its low stone wall and generally great views across the Jamison Valley when the weather is clear.

The Overcliff Track

Misty cliff walls

Inspiration Point

Nothing to see from from Breakfast Point

Shortly after Breakfast Point is Den Fenella where Den Fenella Creek breaches the cliffs. An out-and-back track will take you through the rainforest gully to a lookout, however, the gully itself is the real highlight. It is worth following the path down the set of steps to the bridge before retracing your route.

At Den Fenella, the Overcliff Track becomes the Undercliff Track, named as it now forges a route beneath the overhanging cliffs of the Kedumba Walls. There are two lookouts around the halfway mark; Eagles Nest and Princes Rock. Both have excellent views of Wentworth Falls, however, Eagles Nest is currently closed due to a landslip.

The Undercliff Track

The Undercliff Track

Following the lookouts is an interesting section of the Undercliff Track that passes beneath some low overhangs before it emerges at Fletchers Lookout. Fletchers Lookout has a good view of the top of Wentworth Falls but the majority of the height of the waterfall is hidden.

Undercliff Track

Fletchers Lookout just as some more mist rolled in

A visit to Wentworth Falls wouldn't be complete without visiting one of the area's most photographed features - the top of the Grand Stairway. This is easily reached from Fletchers Lookout by continuing downhill to the Queen's Cascades where Jamison Creek falls over a small cascade before reaching Wentworth Falls. Stone blocks let you cross the creek above Wentworth Falls.

Queens Cascades

After crossing the falls you will find the dramatic beginning of the National Pass and the Grand Stairway. The stairway is a memorable section of the pass and is reported to be 'the tallest outdoor staircase in Australia'. It was built in the early 1900s by hand (and dynamite) by a team nicknamed 'the Irish Brigade' for the cost of £430. Today, the Grand Stairway is well-maintained and provides walkers access to the valley below Wentworth Falls. The fenced ledge above Wentworth Falls is truly spectacular.

National Pass

The top of the Grand Stairway

Wentworth Falls

Inspiration Point and Sublime Point

Some classic Blue Mountains cliff action

Mists swirl over National Pass

At the beginning of the stairway is the short Rocket Point Circuit - this is a worthwhile diversion. The lookout has a prime view of Wentworth Falls and doesn't see many visitors. 

Wentworth Falls from Rocket Point

After we explored the top of Wentworth Falls, it was time to return towards Leura, following the Charles Darwin Walk which travels alongside Jamison Creek. Thanks to the Grand Clifftop Walk, many sections of the path have been refurbished with new bridges and pathwork but there is still a section that is heavily flood-damaged and will likely be closed until 2025. Detours are in place until the upgrade works are completed.

The top of Wentworth Falls

Weeping Rock

Jamison Creek

Jamison Creek

The entry point to the Grand Clifftop Walk

The track emerges in Wilson Park at the newly built entrance for the Grand Cliff Top Walk, the Blue Mountains newest marked trail. While the truth is that Cliff Top Walk is just an amalgamation of several existing tracks (including the Overcliff-Undercliff), the advertisement of a 'new' hike in the Blue Mountains has certainly grabbed people's attention.