Katoomba Falls, Blue Mountains, NSW

Waterfall Seasons - The Waterfall Guide

The viewing choice is yours: from the insanely steep Furber steps that zigzag down the escarpment wall or suspended in a cable car hundreds of metres in the air. I ended up choosing both. Above: Katoomba Falls from inside the cable car (Order this image)

Katoomba Falls drops over the escarpment wall at Katoomba onto a ledge half way down before tumbling further downstream with another long, near-vertical drop. All up it is around 200 metres from top to bottom. Starting with the cheapest (but arguably the most rewarding) way to view the falls, commence from the walking tracks at the top of the falls that begin from either the Katoomba Falls Reserve Prince Henry Picnic Area (at the old Katoomba Kiosk) or beside the Scenic World skyway car park, both of which are on Cliff Drive. From there head down the walking tracks, taking in around half a dozen different viewing points for the falls, each with amazing views in their own right. By far the most exhilerating section is the Furber Steps, which cling to the side of the escarpment, with only a hand rail and a waist-high wire fence between you and a deep vertical drop to the valley floor. The Furber Steps are one of my favourite high thrill, low risk adventures in the Blue Mountains. The viewing area at the end of the Underfalls Walk offers a close up view of the falls at the middle ledge, with spectacular views into the Blue Mountains out over the waterfall edge. Above: The cable car that overlooks the falls, with views of the Three Sisters (Order this image)

Heading down the hundreds of steps to the base of the falls is fine for most people, but getting back up again takes a fair bit of effort. For less strenuous options, buy yourself a pass from Scenic World, where you catch the train back up to the top of the escarpment. Alternatively, instead of going down the Furber Steps, you can take the skyway cable car that runs across the valley and pauses mid-way to take in the view of the falls and the Blue Mountains. The cable car has open air windows (with safety bars to stop you falling out) for an unfettered view. For those taking a longer walk, you can also access the falls from the Federal Pass that runs along the base of the escarpment and connects to the Furber Steps.

If you are not going into Scenic World (which has its own car park), parking can be a bit of a nightmare around Katoomba. For any car parks in the vicinity of tourist attractions, you need a credit card to pay for on-street parking, with cash not being accepted.

Here is a quick video of the falls, including sections of the Furber Steps. This video was taken in winter on a clear day when the falls were flowing well, but not in flood.

Best Time of Year to Visit:	Best Time of Day to Visit:
You can see water flowing over the falls most of the time, with November to February typically the wettest months in Katoomba	Any time of the day, noting that Scenic World typically only operates 9am to 5pm, and that the falls are floodlight after dark until 10.30pm

Before you head out, make sure to read the waterfall safety information and check with the managing authority for any current change of conditions. The marker indicates the approximate location of the falls. If the map is not zoomed in locally, as can sometimes occur when loading, simply click or tap on "View Larger Map" below.
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