Blue Mountains ‘Grand Cliff Top Walk’ Our Critique – SEGMENT 6: Echo Point Lookout to Katoomba Falls

(A) Brief Background:

On Thursday 31 July 2025, Nature Trail managed to reconnoitre the 2024 ‘Grand Cliff Top Walk’ trail version which we have decided to label as ‘SEGMENT 6: Echo Point Lookout to Katoomba Falls.  We have hiked this track many times over the years, being so close to home.

However, this recent trail infrastructure upgrade project deserved our reconnoitre so we could update ourselves on what to expect.  We timed it mid-morning; the ambient winter weather being a cold 8^o Celsius, low cloud, but not raining, so quite suitable for this short 2 km+ trail segment.

Nature Trail’s bespoke approach to touring recommends our tour guests select doing half-day segments of this 20+km mega trail.

The benefit of this critique article and our related articles on the other 6 segments of this ‘Grand Cliff Top Walk‘ trail is that readers can pre-familiarise themselves with each segment in advance.

Us, having now fully reconnoitred this entire 20+km trail, we recognise that some segments offer superior experiences and enjoyment moreso than other segments of this trail.

We do point out that Nature Trail is not about abusing such hiking tracks for ultra-marathon running, nor for fitness jogging, nor bushwalking club head-down chatty marching.   (NOTE: One did ‘route marches’ through the night during Army basic training in the 1980s – been there!).    

Rather, Nature Trail is about respecting and sharing the values of the Blue Mountains’ beautiful natural environment – so relaxed hiking, interpretative guiding (Nature, history, relevant stories), savouring quality lookout vistas, decent pausing, exertion/water breaks, bench seats, and outdoors experience sharing, all unrushed!

Many of our tour guests are from overseas and seek a quality in-depth savouring experience to their preferences and physical abilities.  This is what Nature Trail focuses on.

All photos in this article, unless otherwise stated, were taken by the author, Nature Trail’s Tour Director Steven Ridd whilst reconnoitring this segment of the 2024 Grand Cliff Top Walk trail on mid Thursday afternoon 31st July 2025.

(B)  Introduction to this Trail’s ‘Segment 6’:

 

We must say that the upgraded hiking track between Echo Point and Reid’s Plateau has recently become a quality easy experience which for the first kilometre section is likely a level Grade ‘0’ (as in ‘wheelchair friendly’) before any staircases emerge further westward, taking it to a still easy staircase Grade ‘2’ mostly.

The now side track from Reid’s Plateau lookout down to being close and personal in Katoomba Falls spray is our variation recommendation from the ‘Grand Cliff Top Walk‘ trail, and we deliver this guided.

Thereafter, the hiking track is likely Grade ‘1’ or ‘2’ – so undulating up and down stone staircases and easy.   We consider this very popular and visited segment of the 2024 version of the ‘Grand Cliff Top Walk‘ trail to be 5 star in quality, particularly for non-hikers.

Echo Point is an iconic vista and famous globally, so it gets busy and crowded particularly from around midday.  So, to better experience this vista we recommend early morning before the multiple coach-load hoards.  Hence stay over night locally the prior day.

(C)  Photo Gallery:

We publish here our photos (in time, videos as well) of our reconnoitred hiking trip of this trail segment.  The images are in sequence order of the officially recommended hiking direction for the ‘Grand Cliff Top Walk‘ trail, being from east to west.

At this juncture, on this half-day ‘Segment 6’ here we commence from Echo Point lookout (Katoomba) and head towards Katoomba Falls, however, due to track closures thus far we have reached most of the way to Reid’s Plateau lookout (Katoomba).

We point out that we are also experimenting with software applicable to best enable this photo/video gallery to be of top quality.  Once we have better mastered this particular software we shall continue to publish further photos (and eventually videos) to this trail segment end at Katoomba Falls, and of the other segments of this trail.  So please bear with us while this task remains a work-in-progress for us.

(D) Trail Segment 6 Map:

 

We offer the following trail map which we have edited to indicate our ‘Segment 6’ half day portion.   The map is in PDF format and freely downloadable and printable.  The trail after all travels entirely through public lands.

(E)  This ‘Trail Segment 6’ – Guidance/Specifications:

Our Tour Director’s Timing Guidance:

We recommend that this trail ‘Segment 6’ be undertaken in the morning (say commencing hiking from around 8am) but NOT after lunchtime.

This is because this popular trail segment is part of the busiest hiking trail in the Blue Mountains, especially at iconic Echo Point Lookout and mass tourism ride complex Scenic World.  Both attract hundreds of tourists daily mainly from Sydney who may arrive independently by car, else by commercial coach excursions – typically such peak visitation is between noon and 3pm.

So, from our experience we highly recommend a morning hike, subject to weather of course, for the following sensible reasons:

1. Fewer hikers (we have the track almost to ourselves, so a quality experience)
2. More native birdlife likely
3. Little if any wind (given this hiking track section is exposed along a clifftop)
4. Cooler temperature conditions, so avoiding the strong afternoon sun and ultraviolet radiation (being dangerous at this thin altitude of 1000m AMSL)
5. Then finishing with an 11am timed lunch beats the crowds – so quicker service and in peace.

This Nature Trail Tour Title:	‘Grand Cliff Top Walk’ Trail
NT Tour Code:	MT-GCT/6
NT Tour Code Description:	Multi-Day Trek
Tour Category	Tailored
Trail Official Opening Date:	Monday 25th March 2024
Tour Current Status:	Scouted> Recce > Practised > Commercial Fully Open (currently at the time of writing)
Nature Trail Version:	Grand Cliff Top Walk – Original Bicentennial Version
Trail Segment Title:	Echo Point to Katoomba Falls
Trail Segment ID:	Segment 6  (Each of 7 segments is offered separately as a guided half-day duration)
Trail Hike Length:	2 to 3 km  (depending on side track lookout choice diversions)
Trail Hike Duration:	3 to 4 hours, at a slow interpretative pace, plus lunch 1.5 hours
Tour Starting Location:	Echo Point
Tour Finishing Location	Katoomba Falls
Lunch Options:	2 to 3 km  (depending on side track lookout choice diversions)
Tour Style:	Easily paced, interpretative Q&A, photo/rest pauses, physical grades 0 to 2.  However, there is one steel step ladder at Lady Darley’s Lookout (Grade 3).  (Refer below to (G) Trail ‘Segment 6′ Critique – Hazards & Cautions’ – includes photo).
Transport Transfers:	Nature Trail includes local transport transfers to/from the start and end of each trail segment (within the Blue Mountains  between Wentworth Falls and Mount Victoria) – eg: stays, railway stations, retail high streets.  Since we only have one vehicle, tour guests are required to provide a car shuffle at each tour start/end location.  One or two of our tour guests will need to pre-arrange with us their second vehicle for shuffle (start <> finish).
Transfer Distances:	From Tour Starting Location: (Katoomba Railway Station) to Hike Start:  2km From Hike Ending Location shuttle back to Hike Starting Location:  2 km
Tour Price:	No charge (Free).  Nature Trail has for the time being decided to operate its tours non-commercially as a benevolent Nature tour venture.  Drinking Water Food not included.
Exclusions:	Drinking water, food, guest hiking kit NOT included.
Our count of Nature Trail’s business logo plagiarised by government as wayfinding symbol on this trail segment:	x 10

(F)  ‘Trail Segment 6’ Vistas:

A ‘vista’ is a pleasing view.  This trail ‘Segment 6’ between Echo Point and Katoomba Falls offers a wonderful aesthetic hiking experience along this mostly easy grade hiking track.  The track itself wends through a varied mix of native escarpment heath, woodland and rainforest gullies and makes for a pleasurable and quality outdoors experience.

The following lookouts along this trail segment travelling east to west in order offer impressively majestic vistas.  This is what to expect as to vistas:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Duke & Duchess of York Lookout

(G)  Trail ‘Segment 6’ Critique:

 

Critique #1:   Guest Kit Guidance

This hiking trail segment resembles a street footpath mostly plus a series of standard staircases in stone along with one steel step ladder having side rails for support.  This means that no special hiking gear is required beside dressing appropriately for the  weather on the day so best to check the forecast the day prior.

Nature Trail still recommends that the usual hiking clothing be worn and to carry a small day pack always on any hike.  Usual hiking clothing is closed comfortable shoes like hiking boots or sneakers, shorts or light weight long trousers, a light collared shirt

Critique #2:   Car Parking

(content TBA)

Critique #3:   Transport Transfers

(content TBA)

 

Critique #4:   Trail Wayfinding Signage

(content TBA)

Critique #5:   Trail ‘Segment 6’ Interpretative Signage

 

(content TBA)

Critique #6:   Trail Design 

 

Track Grades

Track surfaces

Staircases

Side Tracks

Exits

Route Direction

 

(content TBA)

Critique #7:   Trail Facilities

 

Drinking Water

Public Toilets

Shelters

Catering

Rest Stops – seating

 

(content TBA)

Critique #8:   Trail Hazards & Cautions 

(content TBA)

 

We wish to point out that while most of the trail segment is very easy, the following key section that requires descending this steel ladder at Lady Darley’s Lookout could present a physical challenge/risk to some less able tour guests.  So we feel it is appropriate that we reveal this particular section of this track segment in advance.

Critique #9:   Tourist Toileting of Trackside

(content TBA)

Critique #10:  Tourist Track Litter

(content TBA)

Critique #11:   Tourist Vandalism of Vegetation 

(content TBA)

Critique #12:   Government Plagiarism of Nature Trail’s Business Logo

(content TBA)

Critique #13:   This trail officially feeds into Scenic World’s mass tourism complex 

We choose not to extend this segment to ‘Scenic World’ as per the official trail flyer.

This is because that corporate mass tourism multi-million dollar corporate mega complex can readily afford its own marketing.

and visitation.   Tourists may choose to pay to visit such busy commercial ride destinations whilst on expensive overseas holidays, but this is not what Nature Trail offers.

 

Critique #12:   Maps

 

(content TBA)

Critique #13:   Prince Henry Cliff Walk’s History

 

(content TBA)

---

 

(G)  Conclusions to Date:

 

 

 

(H)  Nature Trail Variations:

 

We offer the following variation options to the official 2024 Grand Cliff Top Walk trail’s recommended route, direction, duration and absence of transport.

 

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(Content TBA)

 

---

References and Further Reading:

[1]

[2]

 

 

 

 

 

---

This webpage updated 31-July-2025.