Box Creek Falls is incredible: a huge waterfall that tumbles down a dramatic granite gorge creating a number of different pools and cascades. You don’t even have to descend to the bottom of the falls for a swim as there is an infinity pool that sits right on top of the upper falls. It’s a truly beautiful place with a wild untouched vibe.
The path to the falls is not signposted and is overgrown in parts. Navigation can be a little tricky in places, so we’ve put as many details as we can in the notes below to help you find your way.
Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Kanangra’s Box Creek Falls.
The walk to Box Creek Falls
The stats
Distance: 3.8km return to the infinity pool (then you can continue to more swimming holes)
Elevation gain: 160m
Difficulty: Moderate
Summary: Though there is a path to Box Creek Falls, it is overgrown and hard to navigate in a couple of spots. The key thing to know is that the trail heads in a northerly direction for almost the entire time, only slightly deviating from that direction along the way. If you find yourself following a path that seems to head directly west or east, you have likely strayed off course.
There’s very little in the way of elevation gain and no tricky terrain (minus a few scratchy sections) to reach the top of the falls.
From the top (infinity pool) we chose to descend on the bush track to the right of the falls. The bush track is in fairly good condition and generally easy enough, but for a couple of short eroded sections.
Though there are many tiers to the waterfall we only personally visited the first four, which is what we’ll be detailing in the track notes below.
The track can be hard to navigate at times and there are many social trails, we have done our best to describe the route using coordinates and things to look out for on the trail, but I would also recommend having an offline map with you.
Unlike places like Kalang Falls and the Kanangra Plateau, the part of the national park that Box Creek Falls sits in is less visited. There is no phone signal so you might want to carry a PLB and let people know where you are going - it’s an easy enough walk, but it is remote.
We carry a GME and you can check this one out and many more on Amazon.
Accessing the Box Creek Falls trailhead
I don’t normally start an article with logistics, but given the trail head for Box Creek Falls is not along the well maintained Kanangra Walls Road, I thought it’s best to talk about access early on.
The trail to Box Creek Falls is off the Kowmung Fire Trail (which is a turning off the Kanangra Walls Road, full details below).
I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a 4WD track (in good weather), but it does require a bit of clearance. There are some stones and branches, as well as a bit of sand and ruts in places.
The road is flat and easy to drive, but I personally wouldn’t take a small car down it. An SUV should be fine in dry conditions.
Starting the trail
Trailhead co-ordinates:-33.9579867, 149.9944107
From the layby the walk heads around the two fallen trees you can see in the photo below.
The trail is very obvious at first and simply takes you straight on through the bush. After 270m turn right, following the narrow trail slightly uphill.
It gets slightly overgrown, but then opens up again. Keep following the worn trail and at the 450m mark it will begin heading gently downhill.
Roughly 50m later you’ll see a termite mound and will know you’re still on the right track.
It’s after the termite mound that it’s currently quite easy to lose the trail. After 30m the path will continue between two trees which are close together (which makes it harder to spot the trail).
Shortly after there’s another turning you need to make, the worn trail looks like it continues west, heading down to a valley, which is the wrong direction. In fact you’ll need to look for a very faint trail that continues heading north, but it’s overgrown and not immediately obvious.
You’ll know you’ve taken the correct turn as it’s not long until the path opens up again.
As it’s quite hard to describe, for ease we took the coordinates for this turn: -33.9538012, 149.9956627.
Keep heading north and after 250m you’ll come to some debris over the trail which will be another sign you’re still on track.
Continuing through the bush to the infinity pool
Shortly after the debris across the trail you’ll see another termite mound, this time it’s sort of attached to the tree itself. The path is now very obvious for a time and will begin heading downhill after 250m.
Unfortunately a further 100m later (350m) from the termite tree it gets confusing again.
You need to take a slight left then a slight right, look hard and you will see the path. It may be that as more people walk this track it gets more obvious too.
You will then begin walking through some long grass and the trail will take you downhill to a clearing, this is 500m from the termite tree.
The trail bears left down the rocky plateau, it will then curve right towards the bush. From the clearing to the infinity pool (the top of Box Creek Falls) is just 300m.
You’ll go briefly back into the bush and the path is easy to follow. You will come out at a big view 200m from the clearing and the path continues to the right for a further 100m to the top of the falls - this track is easy to spot.
The Box Creek infinity pool
Co-ordinates: -33.9450936, 149.9970956
You will come off the path and onto a rock shelf where you’ll see several small pools and cascades. The one on the edge creates a little infinity pool, though the one slightly further back is bigger and deeper for a swim.
The view is incredible from here with nothing but mountains and rolling hills for as far as the eye can see. Though the walk to reach this spot is actually not that far, it feels wild and remote.
When it’s dry, the rocks around the pools are grippy, but any wet bits are a different story. Take care moving around the pools and try and visit on a dry day so that it’s nice and easy.
The pools are all easy to get into, with gravel bottoms and clear water. The infinity pool is quite shallow, but nice for a quick dip. The one directly behind it is deeper and you can swim a few strokes.
Both are easy to get into, but the second one requires a bit of care when getting out as all the rocks under the water are quite slippery.
Even if you don’t plan on taking a dip, it’s the kind of place you could sit for hours and simply take in the view. It doesn’t have a lot of shade and it’s also fully exposed to the wind, so a calm dry day is what to aim for if you’re after ultimate perfection.
Descending Box Creek Falls
Though the top of Box Creek Falls is a worthy destination in its own right, it’s worth descending at least one more level for a fabulous swimming hole at the bottom of the first part of the waterfall.
The path to get down isn’t so obvious, but if you know what to look for you will find it. For the majority of the way there is a narrow gravel path to follow (sometimes it disappears, but you can pick it up again).
The trail starts at the other side of the creek (the northern bank) from where you approached the infinity pool. From here you’ll want to head downstream, with the creek and waterfalls on your left as you descend.
After just a few steps you’ll see the remnants of a little campsite as you head away from the infinity pool. From here, follow the path that heads away from the camp towards the boulders, at this point it’s quite easy to see as its a gravel path leading down the valley.
Keep following the gravel path downhill, it becomes a little steeper and stony as you continue along, but it’s still quite easy. If you are bush-bashing in any way you have strayed from the path (easy to do as there are social trails too).
The turning for the bottom of the waterfall is just 170m from the campsite. There are steeper shorter routes, but it’s easiest to stay on the ‘main’ trail for 170m.
You will see a path heading downhill to the left and see and hear the waterfall too. It’s a decent track and takes you to the bottom of the falls in just a few minutes (there are a couple of rocky bits, but nothing challenging). You will arrive at a large rocky plateau in front of the falls.
The Box Creek Falls swimming hole
The swimming hole at the base of the falls is perfect for a proper swim. It’s long and deep and unless the flow of the falls is really strong, there is almost no current. The rocks in the water as you step off into the pool are slippery, but once you’re inside it’s smooth sailing.
The water is pretty cold, but it does get a lot of sun, so it’s not too bad (by my standards!). You can also have a proper swim to warm up.
Though there wasn’t much flow in the falls when we visited it was still majestic and a glorious place for a dip. I can only imagine what it looks like in full flow!
On that note, the waterfalls in Kanangra can be a bit on the drier side, so you do need to visit after some decent rainfall, or at least not during a prolonged dry spell.
For reference, we visited after a long dry spell that had been broken with 40mm of rain two days before.
There is plenty of space around the falls to laze around in the sunshine and take in the stunning views. We did go down a further two tiers, but if you only visit these first two spots it will have been more than worth the trip.
Descending another level of the falls
To reach the next level you head back to the track you came in on, but follow it straight, away from the falls (continuing downhill, not heading back up). It is quite narrow and a touch eroded in parts, but relatively easy to follow and flat.
Along this narrow track you’ll see a couple of giant boulders below and you can look for the trail heading left to the next tier.
It’s obvious if you know to look for it. It leads to a smaller cascade with a small and shallow pool. It’s very pretty, but not really a swimming spot as such, especially after you’ve just come from the big one.
You can then either continue down the steep cliff wall to the next level, or head back onto the main track and continue along it until you see another left turn.
At this point you are 60m away from the level with the giant boulders you saw from above. The path has a few rocks to climb over, but it’s straightforward.
This level gives you an amazing view of four sets of cascades, which makes for the most dramatic vista of the trail.
You can hear (but not see) another waterfall below, but we personally didn’t go any further. I am sure it is phenomenal though.
Once you’re ready to leave, retrace your steps and take care to look out for the trail you used before.
I wasn’t paying attention and went a much steeper more slippery route on the way back! It’s also easy to lose the trail at points when leaving the infinity pool and heading back to your car, so keep a close eye out as sometimes those social trails will try and trip you up.
Where to park and getting to Box Creek Falls
There is no car park for Box Creek Falls, but there is room to pull fully off the road in several places - please take care not to block the fire trail.
We parked at these coordinates: -33.9582423, 149.9941368 which is a 30 second walk from the trailhead. As mentioned earlier it’s located on a dirt road.
Google maps went a bit haywire on our visit and wanted to take us on a very strange route. You need to drive from Edith Road/Jenolan Caves Road down Kanangra Walls Road and look for the sign for Kowmung Fire Trail on the right. Follow this road and you will come to a junction with the Morong Creek Fire Trail (which leads to the truly fabulous Morong Creek Falls) where you turn right.
You can then follow this road to our coordinates. it’s worth noting that there is a road called the Box Creek Fire Trail, but this is not the correct road to take, so don’t be confused by the name.
There is nothing to indicate you have arrived at the trailhead, so you do need coordinates or a map.
There are no facilities whatsoever at Box Creek, the nearest toilets are at the Boyd River Campground, which is just over a five minute drive from the junction with the Kowmung Fire Trail (on Kanangra Walls Road).
The trail is located approximately 47km (50 minutes) from Oberon, 93km (1.5 hours) from Bathurst and 115km (2 hours) from Katoomba.
Keep them wild
Please remember to take all rubbish with you and keep these places wild and pristine - as with anywhere in the outdoors. It’s important to leave them exactly as you found them so they will remain beautiful for generations to come.
Litter tends to breed litter, so if you do spot any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the national park, it will go a long way to keeping the area clean.
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