Victoria Falls and Grose Valley to Blackheath Station
Download & Print Map and Notes3 Days
1580 m
Experienced only
Free Beacon Hire
(0km) Victoria Falls Rd car park → Victoria Falls Lookout
100 m
2 mins
0m
-15m
Moderate track
Victoria Falls Lookout
(0.1km) Victoria Falls Lookout → Victoria Creek Cascades
1.4 km
42 mins
38m
-358m
Hard track
Veer right: From the intersection, this walk follows the sign to ‘Cascades’, heading towards the noise of the falling water. It follows the hillside through the rainforest vegetation to the creek bank. The track then continues over the slippery rocks to the bottom of the falls.
Victoria Cascades
(1.47km) Victoria Creek Cascades → Top of Falls
130 m
4 mins
1m
-17m
Hard track
Veer right: From the intersection, this walk follows the sign to ‘Burra Korain Flat’, heading down the stairs for a short distance to another signposted intersection.
Turn sharp right: From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Top of Falls’ sign, down the hill to Victoria Creek. The track then turns left, descending steeply on some rocks. This walk continues downstream along a rockshelf to the top of Victoria Falls.
(1.6km) Top of Falls → Int. Bottom of Falls and Victoria Creek Tracks
120 m
3 mins
1m
-20m
Hard track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the sign to ‘Burra Korain Flats’ heading up the hill and then down to a railing, overlooking the Victoria Falls. The track then winds down the slippery hillside, descending to an intersection in front of a large, mossy rock.
(1.72km) Int. Bottom of Falls and Victoria Creek Tracks → Victoria Falls
50 m
2 mins
13m
0m
Hard track
Victoria Falls
(1.72km) Int. Bottom of Falls and Victoria Creek Tracks → Burra Korain Flat Camping Area
1.3 km
29 mins
22m
-126m
Hard track
Burra Korain Flat Camping Area
End of day 1
(3.07km) Burra Korain Flat Camping Area → Int. Pierces Pass and Grose River Tracks
3.9 km
1 hr 50 mins
312m
-415m
Experienced only
Continue straight: From the camping area, this walk follows the ‘Acacia Flats’ sign down to the creek. The track crosses the creek and continues along the right-hand bank, heading downstream. The track then undulates and winds on the right side of the creek for approximately 3km in a south-easterly direction. The track crosses a number of creeks, and continues undulating along the south side of the Grose River to an intersection, with a sign pointing back to Burra Korain.
(6.96km) Int. Pierces Pass and Grose River Tracks → Blue Gum Forest intersection
4.9 km
1 hr 34 mins
110m
-184m
Experienced only
Blue Gum Forest
(11.86km) Blue Gum Forest intersection → Acacia Flats Camping Ground
610 m
10 mins
4m
-4m
Moderate track
Acacia Flats Camping Ground
End of day 2
(12.46km) Acacia Flats Camping Ground → Junction Rock
3 km
1 hr 2 mins
130m
-80m
Moderate track
Junction Rock
(15.44km) Junction Rock → Bottom of Govetts Leap falls
2.4 km
1 hr 15 mins
390m
-22m
Moderate track
Govetts Leap (falls)
(17.8km) Bottom of Govetts Leap falls → Govetts Leap Lookout
610 m
42 mins
305m
-61m
Hard track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the sign to ‘Govetts Leap carpark’ up the stairs. The walk zigzags up the hill before tending left to the signposted intersection.
Turn left: From the intersection, this walk heads across the grassed area towards a platform structure. The walk climbs some stairs onto Govetts Leap Lookout, with its great views and sandstone monuments.
Govetts Leap Lookout
(18.4km) Govetts Leap Lookout → Horseshoe Falls Lookout
340 m
11 mins
23m
-62m
Hard track
Turn left: From the intersection, this walk heads down some stairs, keeping the valley to the right. The walk turns right over a bridge, continuing around the hillside to drop down onto a viewing area and intersection.
Veer left: From the intersection, this walk heads down steep stairs, keeping the valley to the right. The track then winds along the cliff top until coming to an intersection, near Horseshoe Falls Lookout.
Horseshoe Falls Lookout
Horseshoe Falls
(18.74km) Horseshoe Falls Lookout → Boyd Beach
480 m
12 mins
31m
-44m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the sign to ‘Popes Glen’ keeping the creek below on the right. The track continues for approximately 100m, rising to the left of a prominent rock feature. The walk passes another track on the right (with access to the creek), then continues to rise past the rock feature (on the right – The rock feature has a trail to its top.) This walk continues from the rock feature, heading down the hill to a signposted intersection.
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk heads down the hill following the ‘Boyds Beach’ sign (under the bush). The walk winds down the rocky steps for approximately 40m to Boyd Beach.
Boyd Beach
(19.22km) Boyd Beach → Int. Popes Glen Trk and Dell St
2.2 km
50 mins
148m
-48m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk heads up the hill, following the arrow on the sign pointing to ‘Blackheath’. The track continues above the creek (on the right) for some time, then crosses a bridge so that the creek is now on the left. The walk crosses a second bridge, then continues for some time up a rocky hill to an intersection below power lines, with a bridge below on the right.
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk heads up the hill, keeping the creek below on the right. The walk soon crosses the creek at a bridge, continuing along the other side to a small waterfall (on the left). The track then continues up the hill for for a short time, passing an intersection (with access tracks to Clarence Rd). The track continues to head up the hill for approximately 300m to the intersection with Dell St.
(21.37km) Int. Pope’s Glen Trk and Dell St → Blackheath Station
1.2 km
26 mins
65m
-27m
Moderate track
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk heads along Gipps Lane, passing a large wooden house to the right of the road. The road tends left onto Robertson Lane which then becomes Wills St. The walk follows Wills Street for sometime to turn left onto Inconstant St and then right onto Gardiner Cres. Gardiner Cres is followed to the Great Western Highway, where there is a petrol station on the left. From here, this walk turns left to follow the Great Western Highway, keeping the petrol station on the left, as the walk heads towards the Gardners Inn pub. This walk continues to the pedestrian crossing, opposite Blackheath Station steps.
Turn right: From the pedestrian crossing, this walk crosses the Great Western Highway to turn right up the covered station steps. The walk follows the railway bridge to the top of the station staircase.
Maps for the Victoria Falls and Grose Valley to Blackheath Station walk
You can download the PDF for this walk to print a map.These maps below cover the walk and the wider area around the walk, they are worth carrying for safety reasons.
Katoomba | 1:25 000 Map Series | 89301S KATOOMBA | NSW-89301S |
Mount Wilson | 1:25 000 Map Series | 89301N MOUNT WILSON | NSW-89301N |
Katoomba | 1:100 000 Map Series | 8930 KATOOMBA | 8930 |
Cross sectional view of the Victoria Falls and Grose Valley to Blackheath Station bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Victoria Falls and Grose Valley to Blackheath Station
Daily actual walking time estimates
Day | Walking Time | Length |
---|---|---|
1 | 1 hr 22 mins | 3.1 km |
2 | 3 hrs 34 mins | 9.4 km |
3 | 4 hrs 38 mins | 10.1 km |
Overview of this walks grade – based on the AS 2156.1 – 2001
Under this standard, a walk is graded based on the most difficult section of the walk.
Length | 22.5 km | ||
Time | 3 Days | ||
. | |||
Grade 5/6 Experienced only |
AS 2156.1 | Gradient | Very steep (4/6) |
Quality of track | Rough unclear track (5/6) | ||
Signs | Minimal directional signs (4/6) | ||
Experience Required | Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6) | ||
Weather | Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6) | ||
Infrastructure | Limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged) (4/6) |
Some more details of this walks Grading
Here is a bit more details explaining grading looking at sections of the walk
Gradient
11km of this walk is very steep and another 10km has short steep hills. Whilst another 970m has gentle hills with occasional steps and the remaining 830m is flat with no steps.
Quality of track
9km of this walk follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles and another 9km follows a rough unclear track. Whilst another 3km follows a rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely and a 1.2km section follows a smooth and hardened path. The remaining 75m follows a clear and well formed track or trail.
Signs
11km of this walk has directional signs at most intersection and another 7km is clearly signposted. The remaining (5km) has minimal directional signs.
Experience Required
Around 13km of this walk requires no previous bushwalking experience, whilst the remaining 10km requires some bushwalking experience.
weather
This whole walk, 23km is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation).
Infrastructure
12km of this walk has limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged) and another 9km has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced). The remaining (1.5km) is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats).
Similar walks
Other Nearby walks
Plan your trip to and from the walk here
The Victoria Falls and Grose Valley to Blackheath Station walk starts at the Victoria Falls Rd car park (gps: -33.573667, 150.29213)Your main transport option to Victoria Falls Rd car park is by;
Car. There is free parking available.
(get details)
The Victoria Falls and Grose Valley to Blackheath Station ends at the Blackheath Station (gps: -33.633876, 150.2844)
Your transport options to Blackheath Station are by;
Train. (get details)
Bus. (get details)
Car. There is free parking available.
(get details)
Fire Danger
Each park may have its own fire ban, this rating is only valid for today and is based on information from the RFS Please check the RFS Website for more information.Weather Forest
This walk starts in the Central Tablelands weather district always check the formal BOM forecast or pdf before starting your walk.Forecast snapshot
Park Information & Alerts
Short URL = http://wild.tl/vfagvtbs
Gallery images
There are other downloads I am still working on.
You will probably need to login to access these — still all free.
* KML (google earth file)
* GPX (GPS file)
Special Maps/ brochures
* A3 topo maps
* PDF with Lands Topo map base
* PDF with arial image (and map overlay)
I wanted to get the main site live first, this extra stuff will come in time.
Happy walking
Matt 🙂
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