If you’re looking for the perfect easy walk in Kanangra-Boyd National Park, this is it. It might be easy, but it’s certainly not lacking in wow factor. You’ll encounter some of the best views in the Blue Mountains, as well as a fantastic cave with a fun history, and one of the most photogenic spots in NSW.
In short: it’s a must do, and worth the journey from Sydney alone. But if you do want to extend the trail a little, you can also add on the brief detour to Kalang Falls, which is breathtaking and very much worth the extra effort.
Here’s everything you need to know about exploring Kanangra Walls and beyond.
The walk to Kanangra Walls and Kanangra Plateau
The stats
Distance: 4.4km return
Elevation: 130m
Difficulty: Easy
This walk takes in the famous Kanangra Walls Lookout, as well as part of the Plateau Walk. It’s an easy, well maintained trail which is predominantly flat. There are a few staircases to climb, but nothing overly steep.
The track is in excellent condition, but parts along the plateau can become waterlogged after heavy rain. They are always passable, but can be a little squelchy.
Starting the trail: to Kanangra Walls Lookout
The first part of the walk takes you along a flat dirt trail to the Kanangra Walls Lookout. It’s very easy and fully accessible until the very last bit when there are a few stairs down to the viewpoint itself.
It seems far too easy a walk for such an exquisite view, looking out over layer after layer of steep jagged mountains.
It’s a truly phenomenal sight and easily one of the most beautiful lookouts in the Blue Mountains.
It’s a mesmerising vista and the more time you spend looking at it, the more mountains you’ll see. There are plenty of rocky areas to sit and relax on, and it would make for a fab picnic spot.
I’d recommend allowing more time than you think you’ll need because it really is a hard spot to leave!
Continuing to Dance Floor Cave
From the walls lookout you head slightly back on yourself and come to a junction with the Plateau Track a couple of hundred metres later.
You head left along the Plateau Track and the path quickly begins descending. This is the steepest part of the walk, but it’s a very short section and all on well maintained staircases.
You’ll get some incredible views out to the mountains through gaps between the trees and there’s a large cliff wall on the other side of the path which makes it feel even more impressive.
After a few hundred metres the track flattens and heads briefly through the bush before arriving at a junction with Dance Floor Cave (1.1km into the walk).
You’re now just 50m from the cave.
The historic Dance Floor Cave
I love exploring the old shelter caves of the Blue Mountains and none sounded more intriguing to me than Dance Floor Cave.
Well maybe Dr Darks Cave, but it’s a tough call!
Rather wonderfully - true to its name - people actually installed a dance floor in this cave to use as a social space when travelling along the old stock routes.
If only there were images from those times! Unfortunately, as it was installed back in 1891 and made of timber, the dance floor has rotted away, but it’s a fun place to explore nonetheless.
The cave is huge and you are still allowed to camp in it today as demonstrated by the remains of several campfires! Just remember to take all rubbish with you as there are no facilities here whatsoever.
If you’re just visiting for the day, you can walk through the cave and up onto the ledge, which is narrow and has a steep drop to one side.
We didn’t venture far as I preferred to spend some time sitting and soaking up the atmosphere of the cave itself.
Onto the plateau: to the waterfall viewpoint
From Dance Floor Cave head back onto the main track and head towards the plateau. There are a few rocky steps to climb before the path flattens out and heads along the plateau.
The views are nothing short of sensational. There are many side trails leading down to the cliff edges where you’ll find an extremely sheer drop, not one for vertigo sufferers!
Otherwise you can continue along the plateau which is entirely flat and has views on both sides. The path is either dirt track or rock shelves and though there is no signposting, you can’t really go wrong.
Sections of the trail can become waterlogged and muddy after heavy rain, but nothing that can’t be manoeuvred around.
The iconic photography spot is approximately 450m beyond the junction with Dance Floor Cave and we’ll come back to that in the next section.
For now, if you don’t mind walking a little further we’d highly recommend heading 600m beyond the photo spot (1.05km beyond the junction with the cave) to get a wonderful view of several waterfalls plunging into the gorge.
As it’s not an official viewpoint we marked the co-ordinates: -33.9852278, 150.1215508.
It’s a seriously amazing view with so many cascades and such steep mountains that it reminded me more of South America than it did the Greater Blue Mountains!
There’s a large rock which makes the perfect place to sit and admire it from. Our original intention had been to follow the plateau further along to Crafts Wall Cave, but we were so taken with this view that we stopped here. For two hours.
It’s quite unlike us to cut a walk short, but it was one of those times it felt too peaceful and special to move on.
Heading back to that photo spot
Once you’ve seen the waterfall view you can head 600m back to the photo spot. We usually visit at sunset which adds the extra element of beautiful light to the photos. Sunrise would be even better but we’ve never managed that yet!
You can’t really miss the spot whichever direction you’re coming from. You’ll see the rock jutting out from the plateau and see two dirt paths leading towards it. Either will take you there and it takes just a minute.
The rock is not as narrow as it might look in photos, but it is still an unfenced cliff edge with one of the most sheer drop offs I’ve ever seen. You don’t have to stand anywhere near the edge for a good photo, but nonetheless it might give you jelly legs if you suffer from even the slightest hint of vertigo.
It’s also not a spot to be when it’s windy because you’ll feel the full brunt of it.
In order to get a good shot the photographer needs to stand a couple of minutes walk away, on the rocky plateau. A telephoto lens is ideal for getting some shots where the subject isn’t tiny.
Once you’re ready to walk back, you are just 1.1km from the car park. You do have those few staircases to climb near the end, but it’s otherwise flat.
Walking back in the twilight is a delight. Just make sure if you’re not camping that you watch for wallabies and deer along the road out. We see countless wallabies every time and they can be quite skittish.
Getting to the Kanangra Walls
The parking area for Kanangra Walls lies down a long unsealed road (27km). The road is flat and generally speaking suitable for all vehicles. The condition of the road varies with weather conditions and when it was last graded but we’ve taken a normal (non 4WD) car down here many times. Just go slowly as we have popped a tyre here before!
If you’re worried about the road, give the parks service a call ahead of time and see if they can give you an update on the current state of the road.
The journey from Sydney to the car park takes around four hours, Google maps sometimes says less but that would mean going pretty fast along that unsealed stretch of road. There are two routes to reach this area, the quickest is via Jenolan Caves but that road is notorious for closures so check in advance.
Facilities at Kanangra Walls
The whole Kanangra Walls area has very limited facilities. There is a long drop toilet at the car park for the walls, but no rubbish bins. Please remember to take all litter out with you. There is also a campground near by if you want to extend your stay or catch a sunrise in the park.
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