Dardanelles Pass loop walking track

Dardanelles Pass is a 5.3 km (3.29 mi) loop from Echo Point into the valley below the Three Sisters, through Leura Forest and Marguerite Cascades, then back above the cliffs on Prince Henry Cliff Walk. Allow 2.5 to 3.5 hours. This is a Grade 4, hard walk with a very steep descent, more than 900 stairs and a sustained climb out. Choose it for a half day on foot, not as a quick add-on to the lookout. The scenery changes markedly below the cliffs, where the route enters rainforest before climbing back to the rim.

From Echo Point, follow Three Sisters Walk for about 450 m, then descend the Giant Stairway. The stairway has over 900 steps and is very steep. Take the descent steadily and keep some energy for the climb later in the loop. The path is formed but has obstacles, and bushwalking experience is recommended. If steep stairs are not a good fit for your group, choose a shorter walk around the lookout instead of committing to the full circuit.

At the foot of the cliffs, the route reaches Leura Forest beneath a dense canopy of coachwood, sassafras and lilly pilly. Picnic tables and shelters make this a natural place to pause before continuing through the valley. It is an on-route rest stop, not the Echo Point trailhead, so the circuit still has its creekside section and the climb back out ahead.

From Leura Forest, follow the creek through Dardanelles Pass toward Marguerite Cascades. This middle section trades the stairway for a walk through the shaded valley, with water and rainforest close to the track. The path eases in places, but it remains a bush track with obstacles. Rain can leave Dardanelles Pass boggy, and leeches may be more noticeable in wet weather; leg coverings can help if that bothers you. Marguerite Cascades is a highlight on the way around, not the end of the loop.

From the cascades, the route climbs out via Fern Bower, then follows Prince Henry Cliff Walk back to Echo Point. The climb is a second major effort after the stairs. Above the valley, the return changes to a cliff-top walk with views across the forested valley and toward the Three Sisters. This is the payoff for carrying on past the bottom of the Giant Stairway: the full circuit links the valley and the lookout rather than retracing the descent.

Begin at Echo Point lookout. Paid parking is available there and can be limited on busy weekends; free parking is also available at Leura Cascades picnic area. Toilets and picnic facilities are available at Echo Point and Leura Cascades, while Leura Forest has picnic tables and shelters on the route. Pets are not allowed on this walk, except certified assistance animals. Check current park alerts before setting out, especially after heavy rain, when the pass can be boggy.