If you’re spending some time in Sydney Australia and you’re looking to get some good hiking in, there are a lot of great options. The region has some great public transportation that allowing you to get around the city as well as reaching some points well outside of Sydney for very little cost (see the Opal Card link below).
Sydney itself is a great city for walking, featuring gardens, parks, beaches and harbors well worth exploring. For a really great hiking beach there’s Bondi Beach with its Coastal Walk an easy hiking trail along the cliffs above the beach for a several of miles down the coast. Bondi Beach is within the Sydney metropolitan area and can be reached by public transportation in about 40 minutes from central Sydney.
Another opportunity with great hiking trails is a day trip (or two) to the Blue Mountains. The trains to Blue Mountain are part of the Opal Card system so they are easy to use and are reasonably priced. A trip from the Central Station to the main Blue Mountain station of Katoomba takes a little over an hour. To make the most of the day, right across the street from the station is a hop-on, hop-off trolly service that can get you to most of the sites and trails in the area.
Three of the most worthwhile easy walking trails in the Blue Mountains are:
KATOOMBA FALLS ROUND WALK
A circuit track to Katoomba Falls brings you to one of the most impressive waterfalls in the Blue Mountains. It’s a short and relatively easy walking trail for all ages and fitness levels, but it’s rated easy to moderate because there are some steeper sections to climb.
The trail starts at Scenic World and guides hikers dense rainforest to Katoomba Falls, with its panoramic views of the valley below. The waterfall drops descends about 450 feet into the Jamison Valley.
The start of the Katoomba Falls Round Walk is the parking lot at Scenic World, on Violet Street off Cliff Drive.
Distance: 2.5 Miles (circuit)
Time: 2 hours
Grade: Easy / moderate
ROUND WALKING TRACK
Distance: 0.75 Miles
Duration: 0.5-1 hour
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
If you are limited by time one hike to do is the Round Walking Track of the Katoomba escarpment. The trail is reasonably short and provides great views of the Three Sisters rock formation and Katoomba Falls. It travels through a lush rainforest and includes numerous lookouts offering panoramic views of the area.
LEURA CASCADES FERN BOWER CIRCUIT
Distance: 2.75 Miles
Time: 2-3 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
The Leura Cascades Fern Bower Circuit travels along the imposing cliff line that rings the Jamison Valley. The trail travels through a stone arch and crosses several streams on footbridges before reaching the clifftop with a beautiful lookout stop above the Bridal Veil Falls. From here the track descends steeply into the rainforest, then climbs back up the slopes of the valley via steep steps.
When taking the train from Sydney, one stop beyond Katoomba Station is Lawson Station and a short walk to Echo Bluff trail.
ECHO BLUFF, DANTES GLEN AND ST. MICHAELS FALLS TRAIL
A 3.1 mile loop trail located near Katoomba Blue Mountains, that feature a waterfall and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, and nature trips and is accessible year-round.
Blue Mountains Transit is a local bus service near Katoomba Railway Station. The bus stop is across from the train station at Katoomba Street before Bathurst Road and the trip to Lawson Station takes about a half hour for about US$2.25. Buses run every 2 hours.
The Intentional Travelers 