Monday, 7 April 2025

Govetts Leap & the Pulpit Rock Track

Experience the dramatic cliffs of Blackheath on the spectacular Govetts Leap and Pulpit Rock Track loop in the Blue Mountains. Starting from the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre, this rewarding day hike takes you along the cliff edges of the Grose Valley, offering incredible views of Bridal Veil Falls, Cripps Lookout, and the iconic sandstone pinnacle of Pulpit Rock. Perfect for capturing cascading waterfalls and rugged escarpments, this bushwalk circuit returns via the fully accessible Fairfax Heritage Track for an unforgettable mountain adventure.

Govetts Leap & The Pulpit Rock Track

📍 BLUE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

Distance 8.3 km
Duration 02:02 hrs
Elev Gain +330 m
Elev Lost -318 m
Date 07 April 2025
Starting Point Blue Mountains Heritage Centre
Difficulty Moderate
Pace / Gear 3.4 km/h — Light day pack
Highlights Govetts Leap Lookout, Cripps Lookout
🗺️ Interactive Route Map Pinch or use wheel to zoom
After a recent attempt at this hike was thwarted by rain, I was back on a more pleasant day to give it another go. My day began at the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre, an excellent starting point to dive into the rich history and natural wonders of this World Heritage-listed region. The centre offers interactive exhibits and immersive experiences perfect for curious visitors eager to learn about the geology, flora, fauna, and Indigenous heritage of the area.
The visitor centre, close to Blackheath
Govetts Leap Road
Located right at the gateway to Govetts Leap, the Heritage Centre sits just off Govetts Leap Road, which leads to the main lookout. This lookout recently underwent a $3.4 million upgrade in 2023, including a fully accessible pathway, new viewing platforms, picnic areas, and a redesigned car park.
The memorial pillar at Govetts Leap Lookout
The highlight here is, of course, the lookout itself, offering a spectacular grandstand view over Govetts Gorge and the iconic Govetts Leap waterfall, also known as Bridal Veil Falls. This magnificent waterfall plunges approximately 180 m down the sheer face of Griffith Taylor Wall, a vast sandstone cliff that stretches from Evans Lookout all the way to Docker Head and Perry’s Lookdown many kilometres away.
Govetts Leap
The Grose Gorge
Lockley Pylon and a distant Mount Hay
The falls are named after William Romaine Govett, a government surveyor who first documented them in 1831 — though it’s likely local Indigenous peoples knew of the site long before. Interestingly, the term “Leap” derives from an old Scottish word for waterfall, despite Govett himself hailing from Devon.

From the main lookout, adventurous visitors can continue to Breakfast Rock and Williams Lookouts, both of which offer unobstructed views of the waterfall and the surrounding cliffs. These vantage points do require descending a series of fairly steep steps, but the spectacular vistas are well worth the effort.
Govetts Leap
Govetts Leap
The track towards Cripps Lookout and beyond starts to the left of the main Govetts Leap lookout. It follows the cliff edge towards Popes Glen. It passes a number of minor lookouts that offer a shifting panorama of the Grose Valley and the distant mountain ranges.
Grose Gorge
Lockley Pylon
Rodriguez Lookout
The Griffith Taylor Wall
The path crosses the creek below Taylor Fall and climbs to Bradleys Lookout located along the Pulpit Rock Track above Horseshoe Falls, another tall waterfall along the Griffith Taylor Wall. A bit of extra climbing, following the Pulpit Rock Track, leads to Cripps Lookout.
Popes Glen Creek
Popes Glen Creek
Pulpit Rock Track
Cripps Lookout, perched along the Pulpit Rock Track between Govetts Leap and Pulpit Rock, is a true highlight for visitors seeking breathtaking scenery. From this remarkable vantage point, you can take in sweeping views across Govetts Gorge and the Grose Valley, with both Horseshoe Falls and the dramatic cascade of Govetts Leap (Bridal Veil Falls) on full display. Be sure to visit after some rain when the waterfalls are at their most impressive.
Govetts Leap from Cripps Lookout
Govetts Leap
Govetts Leap
Griffith Taylor Wall
The Pulpit Rock Track continues along the cliff top with an evolving view of the valley and Pulpit Rock itself. The isolated pinnacle is an impressive feature of the cliff wall. Fires in 2020 severely damaged the infrastructure of the lookout at Pulpit Rock and, at the time of writing, it has yet to reopen.
Pulpit Rock Track
Pulpit Rock
Grose Gorge
Govetts Leap
Grose Gorge
Pulpit Rock
Pulpit Rock and Mount Hay
Pulpit Rock Track
At the moment, Pulpit Rock is closed with no access, so I followed my nose up the hillside above the track, following a series of obvious switchbacks leading to Hat Hill Road. I intended to visit Twins Falls Lookout, which is situated at the end of Roslyn Street. This viewpoint is rarely visited and is situated off the beaten path.
Twin Falls Road
Roslyn Street
Approaching Twin Falls Lookout
Getting up above Cripps Lookout
An aerial view of Cripps Lookout (bottom) and Twin Falls Lookout (top)
I backtracked from the lookout to Hat Hill Road, following it west a short distance before heading back into the bush where a path (seemingly unnamed) descends to Popes Glen Creek at Boyds Beach. The name is rather grand, given Boyds Beach is little more than a sandy bank along the creek, adjacent to a swimming hole.
Boyds Beach
Boyds Beach
Fairfax Heritage Track
After crossing the creek, there is a choice of tracks. You can follow the Popes Glen Track back towards Govetts Leap Lookout or follow a link track up the hillside to meet the Fairfax Heritage Track — my choice on this particular day. The walking track forms part of a larger loop, but is 100% wheelchair accessible. It climbs a gentle slope, skirting the edge of a unique hanging swamp. The path leads directly back to the Heritage Centre, where I'd left my car earlier in the day.

Whether you are chasing majestic waterfall views or exploring the quiet, off-the-beaten-path corners of Blackheath, this Govetts Leap circuit delivers world-class Blue Mountains scenery with every step. From the newly upgraded main viewing platforms to the peaceful sandy banks of Boyds Beach, it is a diverse trek that showcases the very best of the region's World Heritage-listed wilderness. Pack your camera, check the latest local track openings, and head out to experience this breathtaking cliff-edge adventure for yourself.

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