17 Best Blue Mountains Lookouts: Stunning Views & Local Tips
Are you looking for the best Blue Mountains lookouts? Some of the most spectacular views lie high in the ranges just outside Sydney.
The Blue Mountains are a UNESCO World Heritage-listed wilderness known for dramatic landscapes, sheer sandstone cliffs rising above deep forested valleys and rolling countryside. Despite their wild beauty, they’re easy to reach from Sydney and remain one of the region’s most iconic natural destinations.
I live in Sydney and often visit the Blue Mountains to enjoy the sweeping views, peaceful bushland, and crisp mountain air. In this guide, I’m sharing my favourite lookouts along with local tips to help you plan your visit.
At the top of the list are the most well-known viewpoints, perfect if you’re visiting on a day trip from Sydney. Some can be reached by public transport or guided tour, while others are best explored with a car if you want to go beyond the main tourist routes.
Here are the best lookouts in the Blue Mountains.
This page contains affiliate links and I may make a small commission on sales from purchases made through those links. This does not cost you any extra! I appreciate your support!
For an overview of the region, see my guide to the Blue Mountains.
NOTE: Bushfires, rockfalls and track maintenance mean that Blue Mountains lookouts and walking trails are sometimes closed for safety reasons. For more information check with the Blue Mountains National Park before you go.
1. Echo Point Lookout & The Three Sisters Katoomba
Easy access by public transport or car
At the top of the list is Echo Point in Katoomba. It’s the most famous lookout in the Blue Mountains and it’s here you’ll find the iconic view of the Three Sisters. Echo Point is considered the best Blue Mountains lookout by many and it’s a must-see for first-timers.
It’s certainly the most popular Blue Mountains lookout but it’s also the most visited and often crowded. At peak times, weekends and school holidays, there are thousands of sightseers in Katoomba and you may have to share the view with busloads of tourists.
To the right of Echo Point is the start of the Prince Henry Cliff Walk to Katoomba Falls, one of the most popular walks in the Blue Mountains. At Katoomba Falls, there are spectacular views of the Three Sisters. The return walk from Katoomba Falls to Echo Point takes around an hour.
You can also hike into the Jamison Valley on the Giant Stairway from Echo Point and walk on a challenging trail to Scenic World. This hike takes 2-3 hours, and you can take the scenic railway back up the cliff or climb 800 stairs. (The scenic railway is much more fun!)
While the view of the Three Sisters is stunning, Echo Point is busy and touristy. If you’ve been there once and have a car, there are many other gorgeous, less-visited viewpoints on this list of best Blue Mountains Lookouts.
2. Cahill’s Lookout Katoomba
Easy access by public transport or car
Next on the list is Cahill’s Lookout located on the cliff tops on Cliff Drive in Katoomba. West-facing and one of the best Blue Mountains Lookouts for sunset, Cahill’s Lookout has a sensational view of the Narrow Neck that juts out into the Jamison Valley.
3. Princes Rock Lookout Wentworth Falls
Easy access by public transport or car
Inside the Blue Mountains National Park at Wentworth Falls, there’s a choice of lookout points, and Princes Rock Lookout gives the best view of Wentworth Falls from above.
It’s easiest to drive there but the waterfall is also accessible by public transport and it’s a pleasant half-hour walk from Wentworth Falls Station to the National Park.
The return walk to the Princes Rock Lookout takes around 20 minutes from the car park.
4. Jamison Lookout Wentworth Falls
Easy access by public transport or car
For more spectacular views at Wentworth Falls, take the National Pass trail to Jamison Lookout and keep walking to the top of the waterfall. The National Pass Trail in Wentworth Falls is an epic hike around the cliffs and the trail crosses the stream and descends via a very steep staircase to the base of the waterfall.
Look for the historic photos of walkers from 1912 embedded in the cliff face. This is not a walk for the unfit or the faint-hearted, but the views are nothing short of spectacular.
Wentworth Falls is at its best after rain but the walking track and the steep staircase carved into the sandstone cliff face can be muddy and slippery so take care.
**Note**The National Pass has now reopened after a fatal rockfall.
5. Lincoln’s Rock Wentworth Falls
Access by car on an unsealed road
Lincoln’s Rock near Wentworth Falls is a large flat rock that offers spectacular views of the Jamison Valley. The rock platform faces west and is a favourite place to enjoy sunset views and a picnic.
But it gets very windy here, so rug up when you go and take care near the cliff edge as there are no barriers.
Lincoln’s Rock is Instagram-famous and it’s a popular photo spot. It can get quite crowded, especially in the late afternoon. It’s unlikely you’ll enjoy this view alone on a weekend.
6. Sublime Point Leura
Easy access by car
Sublime Point in Leura is one of the best Blue Mountains Lookouts and has a truly beautiful view. With a sweeping 360° outlook from the viewpoint, you can see the other side of the Three Sisters and get a different perspective of the Jamison Valley than you do from Echo Point in Katoomba.
It’s easiest to drive here and from the car park, it’s a short walk, around 175 metres to the lookout point.
7. Olympian Rock Leura
Easy access by car
Equally as beautiful as Sublime Point, Olympian Rock has an awe-inspiring view of the Jamison Valley, over the bare cliffs and forested valleys of the Blue Mountains National Park.
This Blue Mountains lookout point is windy and cold in the late afternoon when the shadows reach across the valley so rug up when you visit. Olympian Rock is on the Grand Cliff Top Walk between Wentworth Falls and Katoomba but it’s easy to reach by road.
Park on the street at Olympian Parade or in the small car park and walk down the stairs to enjoy this stunning Blue Mountains lookout.
8. Govett’s Leap Blackheath
Easy access by car or public transport
Govett’s Leap in Blackheath is my favourite lookout in the Blue Mountains, and I’ve been coming here since I was a child. Located on the opposite side of the ridge to Katoomba, it offers sweeping views over the dramatic Grose Valley.
The scenery here is always breathtaking, with sheer cliffs plunging into the valley and waterfalls cascading at Horseshoe Falls and Bridal Veil Falls on either side. The sense of scale is immense, and the drop from the lookout is genuinely dizzying.
🎧 Put your headphones on and listen: This short audio story captures a morning at Govett’s Leap, the natural sounds of the bush, a surprise encounter with a wallaby, rosellas singing in the trees, and hikers setting off from the lookout. It’s a simple, immersive moment in one of the most atmospheric places in the Blue Mountains. Click below to listen.
Enjoyed this? Explore more Sonic Earth Journeys from Blackheath below.
Just a short walk from the main lookout, George Phillip’s Lookout offers another perspective over Horseshoe Falls and the Grose Valley. It’s especially beautiful in winter and early spring when the wattle blooms bring bursts of yellow to the escarpment.
To reach it, follow the Fairfax Heritage Track from the Blackheath Visitor Centre or take the path just left of the main picnic area. Pause at the lookout and listen for the sound of the waterfall, wind moving through the valley, and birdlife above. It’s a quieter, more reflective experience away from the main lookout.
9. Evan’s Lookout Blackheath
Easy access by car or public transport
Just a short drive from Govett’s Leap, Evans Lookout offers another spectacular perspective over the Grose Valley. The view is wide and expansive, with layered cliffs and deep forest stretching into the distance.
Unlike Govett’s Leap, which feels immersive and vertical, Evans has a more open, panoramic feel, a great place to pause if you’re continuing deeper into the national park.
From here, walking tracks lead into some of the more challenging bushwalks in the region, including the popular Grand Canyon circuit.
TIP: If you’re feeling adventurous consider abseiling into the Grand Canyon on a canyoning expedition. I enjoyed canyoning here in the summer and can recommend it. The stream water is clear and surprisingly cold, even in warm weather.
10. Perry’s Lookdown Blackheath
Access by car on an unsealed road
Perry’s Lookdown is a quieter, more secluded viewpoint above the Grose Valley. The experience here is different again, softer, more atmospheric, and often much less crowded.
What stands out here isn’t just the view, but the feeling of stillness. Birdlife moves through the trees, and the call of bellbirds floats upwards from the Blugum forest below.
11. Anvil Rock Lookout Blackheath
Access by road
Anvil Rock sits further along the ridge and offers a more rugged, exposed perspective of the surrounding escarpment. The landscape feels raw and expansive here, with fewer visitors and a stronger sense of open wilderness.
It’s a good final stop if you’re exploring the Blackheath area, especially if you want a more remote feeling viewpoint away from the main lookouts.
12. Baltzers Lookout & Hanging Rock Blackheath
Access is on foot via a fire trail
Baltzer’s Lookout, and Hanging Rock, is a spectacular Blue Mountains lookout with an impressive view over the Grose Valley. The Hanging Rock is a unique sandstone rock formation that juts out from the escarpment wall into the valley and was featured in the film “The Edge” in the main rock climbing scene.
There are no barriers here and the cliff height is dizzying. This is one of the best Blue Mountains lookouts for rock climbers and thrill seekers. The view is simply breathtaking!
Getting to Baltzer’s Lookout and the dramatic Hanging Rock involves walking or riding a push bike for several kilometres on a fire trail into the National Park.
13. Pulpit Rock Blackheath
**NOTE Pulpit Rock Lookout and walking track were damaged in the 2019 bushfires and have been closed for maintenance since then.
One of the most incredible lookouts in the Blue Mountains, Pulpit Rock overlooks the stunning Grose Valley. The views stretch for miles and on a clear day, you can see the Sydney CBD.
The Pulpit Rock Lookout includes a hair-raising climb down a ladder out onto the rock that juts out into the valley and it’s one of the best lookouts in the Blue Mountains offering 360-degree views of forested valleys and bare sandstone cliffs.
The escarpment is especially beautiful in the late afternoon before sunset when the rock face glows in the golden light.
Pulpit Rock can be seen at a distance from Govett’s Leap Lookout and getting there via the bush track is one of my favourite bushwalks in the Blue Mountains. The walking track follows the clifftops from Govett’s Leap with stunning escarpment views all the way. The return hike from Govett’s Leap takes around 3 hours.
You can also access Pulpit Rock by car from the end of Hat Hill Road, Blackheath.
14. Hargraves Lookout Shipley
Easy access by car on an unsealed road
Hargraves Lookout is one of the best lookouts in the Blue Mountains and offers sweeping 360° views over the beautiful farmlands of the Megalong Valley.
From the viewpoint, you can see the historic Hydro Majestic Hotel perched on the clifftop at Medlow Bath and the escarpment views are superb at sunset.
There’s a 2.5-kilometre dirt road into Hargraves Lookout, and tour buses don’t come here. Hargraves Lookout is off the beaten path and often quiet, but the views are as dramatic and beautiful as any in the Blue Mountains. It was drizzling, and there was a rainbow in the sky when I took the picture above.
Hargraves Lookout can be found several kilometres outside Blackheath Village on the western side of the Blackheath railway line past Shipley.
15. Mount Blackheath Lookout
Access by car on an unsealed road
Located at the top of Mount Blackheath, this lookout faces west and is the perfect place to watch the sunset over the farmlands in the valley below. Blackheath Lookout is a launching site for hang gliders and paragliders, and the area gets very windy.
Blackheath Lookout is a more remote Blue Mountains Lookout, and it’s easiest to get there by car. It takes around 20 minutes to drive here from Blackheath Village.
Turn left over the railway line at Blackheath shops and head towards Shipley. After a few kilometres, you’ll pass the turn-off to Hargrave’s Lookout. Continue on Mount Blackheath Road. The road is unsealed for several kilometres. There’s a picnic area and a toilet in the car park.
16. Mitchel’s Ridge Lookout Mount Victoria
Easy Access by car
From the Mitchell Ridge lookout in Mount Victoria, the views stretch as far as the eye can see over the lovely Megalong and Hartley Valleys. Mitchel’s Ridge Lookout is at the highest point in the mountains and has one of the best Blue Mountains views.
It’s easiest to visit Mitchel’s Ridge Lookout by car. Take a left-hand turn off the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass just after the road begins a steep and windy descent into the valley.
17. Hassan’s Walls Lithgow
Access by car on an unsealed road
Hassans Walls in Lithgow is one of the best Blue Mountains lookouts at sunset. Although Hassan’s Walls is located in Lithgow on the other side of the mountains, the views are spectacular. I’ve included it here because it’s a gorgeous spot with extensive views across the Hartley Valley to the mountains.
A walkway extends out to the lookout point over the lush farmlands of the valley. The bare sandstone cliffs of Hassan’s Walls are nearby. The lookout point offers extensive views that are especially beautiful in the golden light just before sunset.
Access is by car on an unsealed road through the bush. Hassan’s Walls Lookout is quite remote and there’s a picnic area near the lookout.
Final Thoughts on the Best Blue Mountains Lookouts
These stunning viewpoints are well worth visiting from Sydney by train, tour, or car. You can visit the Blue Mountains in a day, but staying longer allows you to experience the region more deeply, from bushwalking in the National Park to relaxing in village cafés and antique shops in the upper mountains.
For a broader introduction to the Blue Mountains, see my guide to the region. If you’re planning your visit, you can also read my detailed Blue Mountains day trip from Sydney guide.
You might also enjoy
The Perfect 4 Days in Sydney Itinerary
Is Bondi or Manly Beach Better?
15 Best Sunrise Spots in Sydney
Scenic Self-Guided Walking Tour of The Rocks Sydney
10 Sydney Day Trips That You’ll Love
17 Best Things to Do in Sydney Alone
!5 of the Best Sunset Spots in Sydney
If you enjoyed this article Pin it & save it for later…
