Rodriguez Pass walking track in Blue Mountains National Park

Blue Mountains National Park, NSW

Rodriguez Pass walking track

A full-day loop linking waterfalls, a canyon floor and cliff-top views

Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Length
12km
Time
5.5hr
Elev. change
601m
Difficulty
Challenging
  • Loop
  • No dogs
  • High point 982 m

Hear the audio tour

Govetts Leap and Bridal Veil Falls

Overview

About Rodriguez Pass walking track

Why go

  • One serious circuit links two major waterfalls, the Grand Canyon and the escarpment.

Heads up

  • Long, steep and minimally signed, with route-finding demanding as well as the climb.

Map & elevation

The route

Loading the Blue Mountains map
Full map
Elevation381–982 m
TrailheadGovetts Leap Lookout-33.62801, 150.31151
Keep this map with you offline in the Parkwolf app

Plan your hike

Before you go

Parking

Start at Govetts Leap Lookout, at the end of Govetts Leap Road near Blackheath. Both Govetts Leap and Evans Lookout have car and bus parking, toilets and picnic facilities; a car shuffle between them skips the 3 km Cliff Top return.

Safety

Grade 5 terrain includes exposed cliff edges, steep stairs, boulder scrambling and slippery creek crossings; creeks may flood after heavy rain. There is no drinking water in the park.

3 active Blue Mountains alerts

  • ClosureRoads and tracks closed across Blue Mountains National ParkMany roads, fire trails and walking tracks across Blue Mountains National Park are closed; do not enter closed areas.Official details
  • CautionPark-wide solid-fuel fire banA park fire ban is active across Blue Mountains National Park: campfires and solid-fuel barbecues and stoves are prohibited. - Gas and electric cookers are permitted, subject to safety rules.Official details
See all 3 alerts
A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone
Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Blue Mountains Tour Guide

Your drive to Rodriguez Pass walking track, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Blue Mountains National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

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Recorded for this trailhead

Govetts Leap and Bridal Veil Falls
0:00 / 0:31
“Govetts Leap lookout is coming up, with sandstone walls enclosing the Grose Valley and Bridal Veil Falls dropping about a hundred and eighty metres down the cliff.”

Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Blue Mountains Tour Guide.

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  • 188 audio storiesacross Blue Mountains’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
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  • Works offlinemaps, 110 trails, 84 places, and audio download before you lose signal
  • CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
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Trail guide

Hiking Rodriguez Pass walking track

The full circuitRodriguez Pass is a roughly 12 km (7.

Rodriguez Pass is a roughly 12 km (7.5 mi) loop from Govetts Leap Lookout: descend to Bridal Veil Falls, follow Govetts Leap Brook to Junction Rock, continue through Beauchamp Falls and the Grand Canyon to Evans Lookout, then return along Cliff Top Track. Allow 4–7 hours. This Grade 5 walk suits fit, experienced hikers who are comfortable navigating a steep, rough route; it is a demanding day out rather than a casual waterfall stroll.

Down to Govetts Leap BrookThe first descent drops past hanging swamps to the base of Bridal Veil Falls.

The first descent drops past hanging swamps to the base of Bridal Veil Falls. From there the track follows Govetts Leap Brook for about 2 km to Junction Rock. The creekside stretch gives you a pause before the harder valley walking; Junction Rock is a natural place to stop, and crayfish may be seen in the water.

Beauchamp Falls and the canyon climbAfter Junction Rock, the route turns toward Beauchamp Falls and the Grand Canyon, then climbs…

After Junction Rock, the route turns toward Beauchamp Falls and the Grand Canyon, then climbs to Evans Lookout. Expect steep sandstone stairs, creek crossings and boulder scrambling, with historic stone steps on the climb out. Signage is limited, so confident navigation matters as much as fitness on this section.

The escarpment returnFrom Evans Lookout, the 3 km Cliff Top Track closes the loop back to Govetts Leap.

From Evans Lookout, the 3 km Cliff Top Track closes the loop back to Govetts Leap. The walk changes character here: you leave the creek and canyon for an exposed escarpment route with broad views into the Grose Valley. A car shuffle between the two lookouts is an alternative if you do not want to walk this return leg.

Falls, forest and wildlifeBridal Veil Falls is a 180 m single-drop waterfall, described as the tallest single drop in the…

Bridal Veil Falls is a 180 m single-drop waterfall, described as the tallest single drop in the Blue Mountains. The route lets you see it from above and descend to its base before following the brook. Look for yellow robins, scrub wrens and thornbills along the creek; crayfish are another possible sight near Junction Rock. From Govetts Leap Lookout, the waterfall against the forested valley makes the scale of the drop easy to see.

PracticalitiesThere are exposed cliff edges, steep stairs, scrambling and slippery creek crossings; creeks…

There are exposed cliff edges, steep stairs, scrambling and slippery creek crossings; creeks can flood after heavy rain. There is no drinking water in the park, so bring what you need for the full circuit. The route is not wheelchair accessible, and ordinary pets are prohibited except certified assistance animals. Govetts Leap Lookout is the main start; Evans Lookout is the other access for a car shuffle. Both have car and bus parking, toilets and picnic facilities.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Blue Mountains

All Blue Mountains wildlife maps

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Blue Mountains. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.

Keep exploring

Near Rodriguez Pass walking track

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Parkwolf’s Blue Mountains ranking

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