A hiker’s paradise, Blue Mountains National Park is located just an hour and a half outside Sydney. The park covers almost 250,000 hectares, and has a large variety of trails ranging from easy to difficult, with some even wheelchair accessible. Of particular note is the Grand Canyon Track, a medium difficulty hike that takes you right into the canyon, offering spectacular views. The Blue Pool Track takes visitors on an easy stroll to a beautiful swimming hole, and the Red Hands Cave Track explores an ancient cave with Aboriginal hand paintings. Guided tours are also available, including night time spotlight tours.
Although not permitted on the walking trails, bicycles are also a good way to explore the park. Additionally, four wheel drive and trail bike tours are available, and the park is home to horse trails as well. Canoeing and rock climbing are also favorite activities. The adventurous might want to check out the Katoomba Scenic Skyway, where visitors ride a cable car suspended three hundred and five meters above the valley floor. Tours can be taken to the Jenolan Caves, and visitors can also explore the ghost town of Hartley with its historic buildings. Katoomba has a six storey movie cinema that shows film footage of the Blue Mountains area.
How long to stay in the Blue Mountains depends upon how much you intend on doing there. A leisurely car trip can be undertaken, round trip from Sydney, in a day, and includes the tour through the park. However, if you plan on enjoying recreational opportunities, you’ll probably want to find local accommodations. There are several campgrounds and trailer sites in the park, or you can stay at one of the many private hotels located throughout the park.
