Minnehaha Falls is one of the prettiest waterfalls in the Blue Mountains and the pool at the base is a wonderful spot to cool off on a hot day. It’s a short walk to get there, which takes you through some attractive bushland and under the huge sandstone cliffs.
There are a couple of steep staircases, but otherwise the trail is easy and it’s a lovely family friendly walk.
Here’s exactly what to expect on the walk to Minnehaha Falls.
Minnehaha Falls
The stats
Distance: 2.5km return
Elevation: 94m
Difficulty: Easy, but with a couple of steep staircases
Summary: The walk to Minnehaha Falls is one of the easier walks in the Blue Mountains. The whole walk (there and back) took us 45 minutes, but we recommend giving plenty of time to enjoy the pool at the bottom of the falls!
The descent towards the falls starts gently and then gets steeper towards the end when you come to the steep metal staircases (which all have handrails).
The walk to Minnehaha Falls
The walk to the falls is now really well signposted, so you’re never at risk of taking the wrong path. You’ll begin on a sandy track which is lined with really pretty bushland on both sides.
Very early on you’ll cross over a small creek, usually you would barely notice it, but if there has been a lot of recent rain it may be running slightly higher.
Even then, we’ve never seen it high enough to cover your boots and it’s easy to cross. On that note Minnehaha is definitely best visited after rain - as with all waterfalls in the Blue Mountains. It never runs completely dry, but it can reduce to a dribble during long dry spells.
The path descends gently at first, to the point that it almost feels flat, with just the odd step here and there. You’ll soon see a sign to your left where you can wander down to the creek, which is a couple of minutes detour.
We actually chose to cut down to the creek a few hundred metres further along, where there were a couple of small cascades.
As you continue along the sandy trail you’ll soon come to a gap in the trees where you get a great view of the top of the falls.
Just a minute further along you’ll see another gap and the view takes in the whole falls, which is a great spot to get some photos before you descend to the base.
Around this section you start to get a few rocks and a slightly more uneven path. After you’ve been walking for 1.1km (total) you’ll reach the first of the steep metal staircases.
Some people refer to these as ladders, but in reality they are stairs and nothing to be worried about.
You don’t need to walk backwards like you would on a normal ladder. The first two take you most of the way to the bottom of the falls, though you have several shorter staircases to go before you reach the actual base.
There is a short section of track which takes a couple of minutes to cross which is prone to rockfall, so you should walk straight through without stopping, but it’s clearly marked.
Once you get to the bottom of the last set of stairs you need to climb over a couple of rocks until you get to the base of the emerald green pool.
Swimming at Minnehaha Falls
The pool is an absolutely beautiful sight and though the water remains fairly chilly year round it’s an amazing place to cool off.
The falls tumble over the fern covered sandstone cliffs and it’s especially atmospheric to see from inside the water.
It’s not a massive swimming hole, but it’s still one of the most beautiful in the Blue Mountains. If you’re really keen to be alone, coming midweek or early in the morning should pretty much guarantee it.
Accessing the water is easy as there are no slippery rocks to contend with, you can step in and swim off almost immediately.
There is also a large rocky area beside the pool which makes for a lovely spot to relax in the sunshine.
To capture the full falls in a photograph you’ll need to climb over a couple more rocks, but it’s fairly easy. They can get a little slippery when wet though!
Once you’ve had your fill of this gorgeous spot you return back the same way you came. It’s obviously a little harder on the way back as there is a short steep uphill section and then a gradual climb, but it doesn’t take too long to reach the car park.
Exploring downstream of Minnehaha
If you enjoy a bit of an off track adventure, you can explore a little downstream of Minnehaha. We haven’t explored too far and all the pools we've found so far are shallow, but the creek and views are absolutely stunning.
If you just fancy a dip and not an actual swim, or Minnehaha Falls is too busy, you won't be disappointed.
The same emerald water you'll find at the base of Minnehaha runs along the creek, with huge boulders and towering sandstone cliffs adding a spectacular backdrop.
It's incredibly serene and well worth the little bit of extra effort assuming you're ok with the lack of deeper pools.
To get there via the route we took you need to look for the path veering off to the right at the 1.05km mark (from the car park), it's just after the long metal staircases when coming from the car park.
You're just 125m from the creek at this point. The narrow path will bring you to a junction 50m later.
The path to the left ends abruptly at the cliff edge, but continue right and you will almost immediately see another trail leading downhill on the left.
It's narrow, but the track is in good condition (when dry). Within a minute (30m) you'll come to a short scramble.
There is a small bit of cliff wall to get down and though the rock is tiered nicely on the left side, it's also slanted, so it's more awkward to get down (and up) than it looks.
I still think it's easier than the right side because although the rock is lower to the ground on the right and you could just slide off the rock quite easily, the ground where you land is slanted, so I was worried I might keep on sliding!
Although Joe did it this way and was fine, I took the more cautious route on the left side. When you climb back up it requires a bit of a heave as the handholds aren't as good as the footholds, but I am pretty inept at scrambling and I got up without help, so I usually think that's a good indicator that most people will be just fine : )
Once you've climbed down the cliff there's less than 50m to go to reach the creek. The beginning of the descent is steep and has loose soil, but it also has some bushes and trees to grab for stability if needed. After a few metres the gradient slackens and it's far less slippery. The track then flattens just before you reach the beach.
There's a small shallow swimming hole here and it's just gorgeous, so even if you went no further it's still worth the short detour. From the beach there is no path. We walked for a few hundred metres downstream in search of deeper pools.
Sometimes you could walk at the side of the creek, but it's often easier to walk in the water. There were a few rocks to be mindful of as they can be slippery, but much of it was easy going.
Watch out for some random pockets of deeper water though, I made the mistake of misjudging the depth around the giant boulders and found myself waist deep, fully clothed, when seconds earlier it had only been ankle deep!
There are a few cascades and more rocks as you progress, so the going gets a bit slower. The water reached knee height, but was never deep enough to swim.
As mentioned, we didn't go too far though, so there may well be some great pools further ahead. I'd say that once you get in the water it's very similar to exploring the wet canyons around the mountains, so that's the kind of terrain and experience you should expect. Hopefully we'll be back to explore further one day soon!
Essential information about Minnehaha Falls
Getting to the falls
The key thing to remember about Minnehaha Falls is that you need to find the “Minnihaha Reserve Car Park” on Google Maps. Otherwise you’ll be directed to a random residential street that isn’t where the trail starts from!
The car park for the trail is at the northern side of Katoomba (the otherside of the Great Western Highway) and is a five minute drive from the centre of Katoomba.
Respecting the falls
Minnehaha Falls used to be a locals secret but in recent years word has got out and it has become a little more popular. Unfortunately that has led to some rubbish being left in the area which is upsetting for locals, and anyone else who loves this special little spot.
Please pack out your rubbish with you as there are no rubbish bins or toilets along the trail.
Where to stay in the Blue Mountains
Luxury - Parklands Country Garden & Lodges
After a big hike, there’s nothing better than resting up in the beautiful accommodation and grounds of Parklands. We don't do it often as it's a bit of a splurge, but it's one of our favourite places to stay in the mountains.
The rooms are large and overlook the gardens with big comfy beds and a great shower with nice toiletries.
It's very quiet and peaceful and the breakfast is good. It doesn't have a restaurant for dinner though so you have to drive to somewhere in town, but that doesn't really bother us too much.
Of all the higher end properties in this guide, it's probably the best option for price vs experience.
Check the latest prices for Parklands on:
Midrange - Fairmont Hotel (M Gallery)
The Fairmont Hotel is a great option for families with lots for the kids to do from the pool, to the giant slide and ice rink. For this reason if you're travelling without kids on a weekend or in the school holidays ask for a quiet room when booking!
The hotel has a tremendous view from the lobby but that charm doesn't really extend to the rooms. They're fine but nothing special, though the beds are comfy and they are very spacious. Bathrooms tend to be a bath over shower but the pressure is good. We stay often but not at peak times when the prices can be high.
There are quite a few walking trails which begin from the hotel itself which is a big drawcard for us.
Opt for a room with a stunning mountain view if you can.
Check prices for Fairmont (M Gallery) on:
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A little effort goes a long way when it comes to Victoria Falls. The steep but well maintained track will take you to both the base of Victoria Falls and some very pretty cascades, both of which are fantastic wild swimming spots. Here’s everything you need to know, including difficulty and what the pools are like.