Katoomba Cascades is a small but very popular waterfall on the Kedumba River in Katoomba, located halfway between Echo Point and Scenic World.
A short walking trail meanders past the cascades and continues along the river to the beautiful Duke and Duchess of York Lookout, offering panoramic views of the Jamison Valley.
| Katoomba Cascades Walking Trail | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 500 m (return) |
| Duration: | 30 minutes |
| Grade: | Easy |
| Wheel-friendly: | No |
| Dogs: | Not allowed |
Getting There
Ample parking is available right next to the picnic ground at the cascades. However, this is paid parking, and quite expensive (see map location).
Alternatively, you can park your car at the Katoomba Falls Reserve further up the road, which is free (at the time of writing).
Public transport also works well, with various bus stops nearby on Cliff Drive and Katoomba Falls Road.
We recommend visiting early in the day because the Katoomba area is one of the most popular in the Blue Mountains and can get very busy.
Map
In the map below, we have marked the two parking areas, the cascades, the walking trail, and the lookout at the end of the walk.
- Katoomba Cascades
- Duke and Duchess of York Lookout
Track Notes
The short walking trail from Katoomba Cascades to the Duke and Duchess of York Lookout is very easy. However, there are many steps, so it’s not wheel-friendly.
For a great day out, we recommend doing the Katoomba Falls Round Walk after visiting the Katoomba Cascades.
Katoomba Cascades
From the large picnic area, look for the path (signposted as Prince Henry Cliff Walk) that leads down the stairs to the cascades.
Once there, you can get very close to the water spectacle. There is lots of space on the rocky surface to move around and get a good view of the waterfall.
As with most waterfalls, especially in the Blue Mountains, it’s best to visit after a period of rainfall when there’s more water flowing through the rivers and creeks.
Katoomba Cascades is a picturesque waterfall on the Kedumba River, a 20-kilometer perennial river originating at Lake Catalina further north in Katoomba.
The river is a small creek that flows through parkland west of Katoomba’s town centre, then drops into the valley via the impressive Katoomba Falls.
From there, the river continues through the Jamison and Kedumba valleys, ultimately joining Coxs River, which feeds into Lake Burragorang.
Duke and Duchess of York Lookout
To visit the lookout, follow the path along the river going downstream. This is a very easy and short walking trail, mostly on boardwalks.
As short as this walking trail may be, the forest scenery is fantastic, surrounded by beautiful trees and fern vegetation.
The Duke and Duchess of York Lookout, also referred to as the Kedumba River Lookout, is a beautiful vantage point, offering panoramic views of the Jamison Valley, Mount Solitary, and Narrow Neck.
The lookout sits at the top of Katoomba Falls, but you can’t see the waterfall from the lookout.
From the Duke and Duchess of York Lookout, you can continue the trail heading towards Katoomba Falls and Scenic World, with more lookouts to explore.
Alternatively, you can retrace your steps to the cascades and continue the trail in the other direction towards the Cliff View Lookout. That viewing point offers fantastic views of the Jamison Valley and the Scenic Skyway flying over.
From there, you can continue hiking to Echo Point and then do the Three Sisters Walk with fantastic views along the way.
