Plunge into the prehistoric, moss-draped depths of the Grand Canyon Track in Blackheath, arguably the most spectacular historic canyon walk in the Blue Mountains. This World Heritage-listed loop drops sharply from the sandstone plateau, trading expansive cliff-line views for an immersive, subterranean world of towering tree ferns, trickling creek crossings, and soaring sandstone walls that block out the midday sun. Challenging but immensely rewarding, the trail tests hikers with a steep descent into the rainforest gullies followed by the notorious stone-step climb out to Evans Lookout.
The Grand Canyon Track
📍 BLUE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
Distance5.7 km
Duration01:10 hrs
Elev Gain+254 m
Elev Lost-251 m
Date
11 January 2025
Starting Point
Grand Canyon Car Park
Difficulty
Easy
Pace / Gear
5.8 km/h — Light day pack
Highlights
Neates Glen, Greaves Creek, Evans Lookout
🗺️ Interactive Route MapPinch or use wheel to zoom
⚠️ Wet Weather Advisory: Creek Flooding
The stepping-stone creek crossings deep inside the Grand Canyon can become quickly flooded and impassable during or immediately after periods of heavy rain. Flash flooding in narrow sandstone canyons poses a severe risk. Always check the live NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) alerts for the Blackheath area before heading down, and never attempt to cross rapidly rising or turbulent water.
Beginning at Evans Lookout, the Grand Canyon Track in Blackheath is one of the most dramatic and popular loop walks in the Blue Mountains National Park network. While not as vast as its American namesake, the sheer sandstone cliffs framing Greaves Creek make for an incredibly spectacular under-the-canopy day hike. You can find the trailhead just outside Blackheath, one of the historic towns lining the Upper Mountains' high plateau that forms the region's premier tourist corridor alongside Katoomba, Leura, and the iconic Three Sisters.
There is no right or wrong way to tackle the Grand Canyon Track, as both routes involve descending deep into the slot canyon and earning your way back out again. However, opting for an anti-clockwise circuit means you conquer the steepest, most knee-jarring section on the descent, leaving the sweeping panoramic finale at Evans Lookout for the very end of your journey. While relatively short, this loop easily cements its reputation as one of the absolute best day hikes in the Blue Mountains.
We began our descent from the Neates Glen parking area, following a zigzagging 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.
Descending the steps into Neates Glen
The path winds its way down alongside Neates Glen Creek
Neates Glen Creek
The path follows the creek down into the canyon
Moist ferns line much of the route
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 face has been deeply carved out to form a massive sandstone overhang looming right over the sandy banks of the stream.
The Grand Canyon
Following Greaves Creek
Greaves Creek at 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 creates the huge cliffs of the Grand Canyon. Now in the depths of the canyon, the path delves deeper, following the creek downstream.
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.
The Grand Canyon Track
It was a stunning day down in the canyon, made all the more atmospheric by the mist
You'll come across this small waterfall
The path makes its way behind the falls
Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon waterfall
Greaves Creek
Greaves Creek
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, with the track making 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.
After the waterfall, the track follows a shelf alongside the Greaves Creek slot canyon
Greaves Creek
Grand Canyon Track
Greaves Creek and the Grand Canyon Track
The Grand Canyon Track
The Grand Canyon Track
Looking down to Greaves Creek
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.
Having undulated along the cliff, we again reached Greaves Creek, 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 hike.
Greaves Creek
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon
Greaves Creek
Greaves Creek
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon
Greaves Creek
The track crosses the creek several times
Greaves Creek
Greaves Creek
Greaves Creek
Beginning the climb out of the canyon
Eventually, we reached the junction at Rodriguez Pass – one of the popular tracks in the Blue Mountains. Sadly, the track, and many others in the Grose Wilderness, will be closed for the foreseeable future due to the damage caused by recent bushfires and flooding. After the path junction, we began our climb out of the canyon towards Evans Lookout.
Hiking up towards Evans Lookout
The track climbs a long set of steps, up through a gap in the cliffs, following a series of ‘Evans Lookout’ arrows that point up the hill.
There are many, many steps to tackle
Reaching the top of the climb
After a heart-stirring climb, the trail tops out at the main plateau just below Evans Lookout. A final, short ascent is required to reach the viewing platform itself, but the rewards are well worth the effort, unveiling a spectacular, panoramic view across the sweeping cliffs of Govetts Gorge.
A hot hazy view along Govetts Gorge
From the lookout, a well-defined path tracks back through the native bushland to complete the loop. It runs parallel to the main road but keeps you safely tucked away from the passing traffic. Before long, the trail tops out right back where you started at the main parking area. Despite its relatively modest length, the Grand Canyon Track delivers an incredibly stunning, immersive canyon experience that is well worth repeating.
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