Leura Cascades is an impressive series of cascade waterfalls majestically flowing along Leura Falls Creek. Beyond the charming cascades that are seen along the Leura Cascades Walking Track and at the Leura Cascades Picnic Area, the creek continues to flow south, forming other amazing waterfalls and natural pools. This includes Bridal Veil Falls, the Leura Cascades Infinity Pool, Leura Falls and Linda Falls.
So, when you visit the area, we recommend going beyond just the Leura Cascades Walking Track and picnic area. We recommend extending your walk to explore all of the epic natural attractions near Leura Cascades. With that said, in this article, we’ll talk about all of the best lookouts, waterfalls and natural pools in the area.
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Leura Cascades, Blue Mountains: An Overview
Leura, in the Blue Mountains, is home to an amazing network of walking tracks and waterfalls. Stretching along the 500 metre Leura Cascades Walking Track, from the Leura Cascades Picnic Area to the main Leura Cascades waterfall, you’ll find a steady stream of gorgeous cascades. Undoubtedly, this in itself is worth exploring. Yet, there are so many other waterfalls, cascades and natural pools to see nearby.
In this article, we’ll list all of these amazing natural attractions that you can find in the area. As you can see, our list contains no less than 16 attractions, which highlights the diverse beauty of the area. Of course, the highlights are Leura Cascades itself alongside Bridal Veil Falls, the Leura Cascades Infinity Pool, Leura Falls and Linda Falls. But, there are many excellent lookouts and cascades between these attractions worth exploring too.
By reading this article, you won’t miss any of the attractions in the Leura Cascades area.
Best Things to See at Leura Cascades
Without further ado, let’s look at all of the best natural attractions to seek in the Leura Cascades area.
CURRENT ACCESS: the car park at the Leura Cascades Picnic Area remains inaccessible due to a closure on Cliff Drive. This means you’ll have to park elsewhere. Read How to Get to Leura Cascades for information about where to park.
Given the restricted access to the Leura Cascades Picnic Area car park, Beck and I started the walk from the car park at the Solitary Restaurant. Because of this, we explored attractions in the area in a different order than you typically would if you started the walk from the Leura Cascades Picnic Area. This is reflected below, in that we’ve listed the 16 attractions in the order we visited them during our visit.
Not to further complicate matters, but when we visited, there were also two other major closures along tracks in the area. This meant our Leura Cascades Walk experience was much different than usual. We won’t get too bogged down in the nitty-gritty of it just yet – we’ll talk about all of the Leura Cascades Walk options later on.
For now, feast your eyes on all of the natural delights in the area that we’ll describe below. After that, learn about how to practically see each of the attractions as we review each of the walking options.
Canyoning at Empress Falls
Have you thought about canyoning at Empress Falls? Learn more about the exhilarating experience below.
Read about the best tours in the Blue Mountains
1. Fossil Rock Lookout
Located near the car park at Solitary Restaurant, you’ll find the often-overlooked Fossil Rock Lookout. Certainly, people usually skip this lookout to proceed to one of the more well-known lookouts such as Copelands Lookout. But, we highly recommend stopping at Fossil Rock Lookout. At the fenced lookout, you’ll enjoy grand views of Jamison Valley as you stand on the sandstone floor of Fossil Rock.
2. Copelands Lookout
Copelands Lookout is one of the best lookouts in the area. From the lookout, you’ll enjoy more sprawling views of the magnificent Jamison Valley. To get to the lookout, you’ll need to do a relatively short out and back walk. Believe us, it’s worth it!
3. Bridal Veil Lookout
The next attraction is another lookout, which requires doing an even shorter out and back walk to reach. Bridal Veil Lookout provides great views of Bridal Veil Falls, which is a waterfall, that we’ll cover in more detail later (it’s possible to get to the base of this waterfall). For sure, this lookout provides one of the best views of the waterfall. So, it’s worth going to.
FYI – Govetts Leap is another waterfall in the Blue Mountain that’s also known as Bridal Veil Falls – how confusing!
4. Majestic Lookout
Perhaps, the views from Majestic Lookout are some of the most awe-inspiring. Instead of a vast far-sweeping view of a valley, you’ll see sandstone cliff walls, that are much closer and that also frame Mount Solitary. Between the cliff walls and hidden by the dense eucalyptus forest, Leura Falls plummets off the edge of the cliff, near where the Leura Cascades Infinity Pool is located!
5. Leura Cascades Waterfall
Leura Cascades is a long stream of cascades, which culminates in a main waterfall at one end of the Leura Cascades Walking Track. Certainly, the main waterfall is a highlight of the series of cascades.
6. Leura Cascades Walking Track
As mentioned, along the Leura Cascades Walking Track, you’ll enjoy a steady stream of cascades. Along the walking track, there are countless cascades to explore. After each step you take up or down the track, there seems to be another cascade to see and photograph.
7. Leura Cascades Picnic Area
The Leura Cascades Picnic Area not only has a car park, but it features a lovely grassy area with picnic tables and information boards, detailing the history of the area. You’ll also find loads of other smaller cascades along the creek around the picnic area. Of course, the most prominent cascades in the picnic area are the Upper Leura Cascades.
8. Upper Leura Cascades
Make sure to visit the Upper Leura Cascades when you’re at the picnic area. Alongside the main waterfall at the bottom of the Leura Cascades Walking Track, the upper cascade is the next most impressive cascade.
9. Base of Bridal Veil Falls
As mentioned, other than seeing Bridal Veil Falls from the Bridal Veil Lookout, it’s possible to get to the base of the waterfall. Undoubtedly, getting to the bottom of Bridal Veil Falls is one of the most epic things to do in the area. You’ll often see people taking a waterfall shower as they get soaked from the cascades pouring down the fascinatingly layered rock formation. So, make sure to bring your swimmers if you want to join them!
10. Weeping Rock
Further downstream, you’ll find a lesser-known attraction called Weeping Rock. Sure, it isn’t as impressive as Bridal Veil Falls. But, it’s still worth checking out this small cascade that interestingly fans out and trickles over a rock platform.
FYI – again, confusingly, there is another cascade called Weeping Rock in the Blue Mountains near Wentworth Falls.
11. Leura Cascades Infinity Pool
Also known as the ‘secret’ Blue Mountains Infinity Pools, the Leura Cascades Infinity Pool isn’t too far from either Bridal Veil Falls or Weeping Rock. The Leura Cascades Infinity Pool did the rounds on social media a little while back. This prompted NPWS to put a sign up near the natural pool, not banning access but warning of the dangers. Indeed, the Leura Cascades Infinity Pool is located near the edge of the cliff, near the top of Leura Falls, so extreme care must be taken during your visit.
You won’t find the Leura Cascades Infinity Pool on any of the official walking tracks in the area. To access them, you’ll need to do off-trail exploring, which is reserved for experienced bushwalkers.
Essentially, near Weeping Rock, there is a faint trail that leads away from the Amphitheatre Track. The trail leads towards the cliff line. But, you don’t need to follow all the way to the edge of the cliff. Instead, along this trail, to your left, you’ll find an opening where can you climb down some rocks to cross the creek. You can then walk down the rock platforms to reach the Leura Cascades Infinity Pool.
12. Lila Falls
There are so many other waterfalls and cascades to explore in the area. As you descend Federal Pass towards Leura Forest, you’ll walk alongside Linda Creek, which forms several cascades and waterfalls. The first named waterfall is Lila Falls. Admittedly, these falls are mostly hidden behind dense forest. But, even if you can’t see them, you’ll definitely be able to hear them!
13. Linda Falls
Beyond Lila Falls, you’ll find the impressive Linda Falls. The waterfall is only slim yet it beautifully cascades down the rock platform. For sure, it’s one of the nicest waterfalls in the area.
14. Base of Leura Falls
Undoubtedly, Leura Falls is one of the most underrated waterfalls in the Blue Mountains. The spectacular 30 metre high Leura Falls amazingly plummets over a sheer cliff wall. Undoubtedly, if the waterfall was easier to access, it would see a lot more visitors. Unfortunately, it’s a little tricky to reach. Found along Lindemann Pass, accessing the base of the waterfall involves navigating some challenging terrain.
Unfortunately, when Beck and I visited, Lindemann Pass was closed. So, we couldn’t get to the base of Leura Falls. Hopefully, it’ll be open when you visit!
15. Marguerite Cascades
Between Linda Falls and Leura Forest, you’ll find the quaint Marguerite Cascades. It’s another small cascade that’s typical of the area. On its own, we’d argue that it’s not worth visiting. But, you’ll pass it to get to Leura Forest anyway.
16. Leura Forest
Leura Forest is a gorgeous natural space. Marking the intersection of the Dardanelles Pass and Federal Pass, the forest features sheltered picnic tables and information boards. Undoubtedly, the forest is one of the most serene and peaceful areas in the Blue Mountains. And, certainly, Leura Forest makes an even more special place for a picnic compared to Leura Cascades Picnic Area as Leura Forest takes much more effort to reach.
Leura Cascades Walk Options
There you have it, the 16 best attractions in the area. So, exactly how can you reach all of these awesome attractions? Admittedly, it can all get a bit confusing given the sheer amount of trails in the area. On top of that, there have been trail closures in the area for some time, which makes planning a route even more difficult.
Below, we’ll talk about the walk that we did to explore all of these attractions. Bear in mind, this was at a time when several track closures were in place. So, our experience walking in the area won’t always hold as the recommended way to see these attractions, especially when tracks re-open. With that said, we’ll cover details about the typical walking routes that you can do when there are no closures, and which attractions you’ll see along each of these walks.
Our Leura Cascades Walk Experience
As mentioned, when we visited, the car park at the Leura Cascades Picnic Area was inaccessible. Because of this, NPWS recommends parking at either Carrington Park, Merriwa Street or Solitary Restaurant. Beck and I parked at Solitary Restaurant.
From there, we joined the Prince Henry Cliff Walk. We then joined the Leura Cascades Walking Track, linked by the Amphitheatre Track. After going up and down the Leura Cascades Walking Track, we descended the Amphitheatre Track, eventually turning left onto Federal Pass to access Leura Falls and Leura Forest. As mentioned, we couldn’t join Lindemann Pass from Federal Pass (to get to the base of Leura Falls) as it was closed. So, we continued on the Federal Pass to Leura Forest.
Unfortunately, a section of the Fern Bower Circuit was closed, which meant we had to return via the Prince Henry Cliff Walk instead of completing a loop. So, to return to Solitary Restaraunt, we retraced our steps along Federal Pass, the Amphitheatre Track and the Prince Henry Cliff Walk.
Yes, a very confusing and unusual way to see all of the attractions in the area! But, by doing this walk, we saw all of the 16 attractions mentioned in this guide. Essentially, this is a modified version of the Leura Cascades to Leura Falls Walk.
Below, we’ll run through the more typical walking route options in the area (assuming there are no closures). We’ll also detail what attractions you’ll see on each walk.
Leura Cascades Walking Track
- Type: Out & Back
- Distance: 1km
- Time: 30 minutes
- Accumulated elevation gain: 50 metres
- Difficulty: Easy
- Trailhead: Leura Cascades Picnic Area
- Map: AllTrails (Leura Cascades directions)
On its own, the Leura Cascades Walking Track is an approx. 500 metre stepped track. Without any closures, the walk usually starts from the picnic area and leads down to the main Leura Cascades Waterfall. You’ll then simply retrace your steps to complete the walk.
As you can see, this walk alone misses a lot of the nearby attractions. So, we recommend extending this walk. If you have a look at the map below, you can see the Leura Cascades Walking Track highlighted, in the context of all of the other trails south of the main walking track. Indeed, by following these other tracks, you can explore more attractions in the area.
We’ll now talk about these other walking tracks and options for exploring more of the area. For navigation, we recommend using the maps we’ll link to in each section.
Leura Cascades Fern Bower Circuit
- Type: Loop
- Distance: 3km
- Time: 1.25–1.5 hours
- Accumulated elevation gain: 220 metres
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Trailhead: Leura Cascades Picnic Area
- Map: AllTrails
Also known as the Leura Cascades Round Walk, the Fern Bower Circuit not only includes the Leura Cascades Walking Track, but it also includes the Amphitheatre Track and part of the Prince Henry Cliff Walk.
This means you’ll also get to explore the base of Bridal Veil Falls, Weeping Rock, the Leura Cascades Infinity Pool (if you go off-trail as described earlier) as well as various lookouts along the Prince Henry Cliff Walk, such as the Jamison, Echo Tree, Kiah, Fossil Rock, Copelands and Bridal Veil Lookouts.
Prince Henry Cliff Walk
- Type: One-way
- Distance: 8km
- Time: 3–4 hours
- Accumulated elevation gain: 450 metres
- Difficulty: Hard
- Trailhead: Katoomba Falls Reserve Car Park or Katoomba Cascades Car Park
- Map: AllTrails
Starting in Katoomba and finishing in Leura, the Prince Henry Cliff Walk is one of the best walks in the Blue Mountains. This walk is jam-packed with attractions such as Echo Point Lookout, the Three Sisters Track, Spooners Lookout, Bridal View Lookout (another lookout for Bridal Veil Falls), Tarpeian Rock, Olympian Rock, Elysian Rock and Gordon Falls. That’s on top of all of the lookouts we mentioned previously that you’ll visit along this walk. In addition, you can also explore Leura Cascades during this walk.
Leura Cascades to Leura Falls Walk
As mentioned, the walk we did, which was shaped around several track closures, was essentially a modified version of the Leura Cascades to Leura Falls Walk. Ideally, without any closures, to complete the Leura Cascades to Leura Falls Walk, you would complete the Fern Bower Circuit and add on an out and back to both Leura Falls via the Lindenman Pass and Leura Forest via the Federal Pass.
How to Get to Leura Cascades
The easiest way to get to Leura is to drive there. As mentioned, NPWS currently recommends parking at either Carrington Park, Merriwa Street or Solitary Restaurant. That’s because the car park at the Leura Cascades Picnic Area is inaccessible. Another option is to park at the end of Malvern Road, where you can then walk directly to the picnic area.
You can also use public transport to get to Leura. From Sydney, you can catch a train to either Leura Station or Katoomba Station. From either station, it’s around a 1.4km walk to reach the picnic area. Of course, driving is quicker and more convenient.
Car Hire
If you don’t have your own car, you should hire one using Discover Cars. Personally, we use Discover Cars and highly recommend them for finding your ideal car hire at an affordable price. Booking online is super easy and the free cancellation policy is great.
To find out more about renting a car with Discover Cars, read our Discover Cars review and Discover Cars Insurance review.
Read about the best Blue Mountains accommodation
What Else to Do in Leura
Other than the stunning Leura Cascades, there are plenty of other things to do in Leura. Below, we’ll briefly cover other places to visit in the area.
Leura Town
Leura is one of the most beautiful towns in the Blue Mountains area of New South Wales. For sure, it’s worth stopping at this gorgeous little town to wander the flower-lined streets and visit one of the quaint cafes.
FYI – it’s worth mentioning that the Leuralla Toy & Railway Museum, which was one of Leura’s biggest attractions, has permanently closed.
Everglades House and Gardens
The Everglades House and Gardens is a heritage-listed former residence surrounded by stylishly designed gardens. If you’re a fan of Art Deco architecture and curated gardens, you’ll want to visit this attraction. You can even stop in for high tea on the weekend!
Location: Google Maps
Pool of Siloam
If you’re after other walks in Leura in the Blue Mountains, then you’ll have to consider the Pool of Siloam Track. It’s possible to start the walk from the Gordon Falls Picnic Area. But, we started the walk from the other end of the track at the Everglades House and Gardens. From there, the track gradually descends, first reaching Golf Links Lookout, before leading to a stunning waterfall called Pool of Siloam. For directions, feel free to use this AllTrails map.
Gear For Leura Cascades Walks
The Blue Mountains is a remarkable place for hiking. Below, you’ll find some of our favourite gear that we use when hiking in the area.
Osprey Skarab 30
The Osprey Skarab 30 is our go-to hiking backpack for day hikes. This well-designed unisex backpack is comfortable and spacious, so you’ll have plenty of space to pack everything without feeling the strain on your upper back.
Osprey Ultralight Raincover
A waterproof backpack cover is an absolute must when you’re adventuring outdoors. The Osprey Ultralight Raincover Medium is a high-quality waterproof cover that’ll keep your backpack bone dry.
GRAYL Reusable Water Bottle
The GRAYL GeoPress is the best water filter bottle that allows you to purify 710mL (12 ounces) of water. This bottle will make water safe to drink wherever you’re hiking.
BUFF Original Ecostretch
The BUFF Original Ecostretch is a great option when it comes to multifunctional headwear. We use the Ecostretch as a neck gaiter to keep the sun off our necks and it helps us keep warm in cooler climates.
Sony Cybershot RX100 VII
Capture epic photos and videos with the Sony Cybershot RX100 VII. This is hands-down the best compact camera. We love using this simple point-and-shoot camera when we’re hiking as it’s lightweight and durable.
To find out more about all of the gear that we use and recommend, read our guides about our favourite hiking gear, travel gear and camera gear. Otherwise, read our comprehensive travel packing checklist.
Leura Cascades FAQs
Below, you’ll find the most frequently asked questions about these cascades.
Where Is Leura Cascades?
As the name suggests, the Leura Cascades are located in Leura in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales. Leura is around a two hour drive from Sydney.
Is Leura Cascades Open?
Other than the picnic area being currently inaccessible, the cascades may also close for various reasons at any time. To check if Leura Cascades are closed, head to Blue Mountains Local Alerts on the NSW National Parks website.
Can You Swim at Leura Cascades?
There are no signs forbidding swimming at the cascades. But, for the most part, the cascades flow over a shallow creek, so there aren’t any excellent swimming spots. Of course, taking a dip in the Leura Cascades Infinity Pool is now all the rage.
How Did Leura Get Its Name?
It’s uncertain how the town of Leura got its name, but there are a couple of theories. One theory is that the word ‘leura’ is derived from the local Aboriginal Gundungarra language and means ‘lava’. This makes sense as there are loads of volcanic rocks in the area. Another theory is that a man, William Eyre, who subdivided the area, had a daughter called Lurline. From the daughter’s name, the town was named Leura. Needless to say, the connection between names and evidence for this theory is fairly weak.
Is There Camping at Leura Cascades?
There is no camping at the cascades.
We acknowledge and respect the First Nations people as the Traditional Custodians of the land/water that we visited and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.
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