This dog-friendly waterfall loop in the Blue Mountains will have you taking in the sparkling lushness of Burgess, Horseshoe and Oakland Falls (without the mountain crowds)!

Highlights

  • Get up close and personal to waterfalls
  • Explore a cool, lush, ferny forest
  • Avoid the tourist crowds
  • Doggos!

 

Getting to the Trailhead

Tucked in behind quiet residential streets, this easy loop walk is accessed from a series of grassy vacant lots that lead in between local houses to form a compact network of pretty trails.

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Hazelbrook is conveniently situated half an hour’s drive west of the top-notch Kickaboom cafe at Glenbrook, so grab your large double shot soy latte on the way up from Sydney (and treat yourself to a vegan Butterbing cookie – you won’t regret it). 

If you’re coming from the other side of the mountains, stop at Anonymous Cafe in Blackheath for your coffee fix. 

With caffeine and cookies in your system, set your Google Maps for either end of this walk – you can access the track from entry points at Winbourne Road, Oaklands Road or Alexander Avenue.

 

Read more: 14 Fantastic Dog Friendly Walks Near Sydney

 

Burgess and Oakland Falls

The walk itself is a beautiful, cool and relatively easy waterfall loop that’s dog friendly (hooray!). We took our pooch and parked in Winbourne Road, which meant Burgess Falls was the first waterfall we encountered. This, along with neighbouring Oakland Falls, didn’t disappoint – with small sandy ‘beaches’ they’re a top spot to take a break along the way.

We saw two giant black labs frolicking in the water, and later a couple of muddy staffies, so if your doggo is accompanying you, make sure you pack an old towel in case they get soaked!

Horseshoe Falls

The track itself meanders up and down through the damp lush forest, crossing Hazelbrook Creek and bringing you to the top of Horseshoe Falls, where you can carefully peer down over the rock platform to where the falls pool below. Horseshoe Falls features a shallow cave behind it which is begging to be explored. The moss-covered rocks are quite slippery, so take care. 

Dog-Friendly Falls!

All the falls on this track are easy to access, so you can get in, under, around and behind them. Burgess Falls is the only one that’s a little tricky to access due to a large smooth rock shelf that you need to scale down. Little kids might need a leg up but full-grown folks and athletic pups should be fine. Bulldogs will definitely need assistance from their human. 

The walk is well signposted and enjoyable for kids, pups and adults alike. Once you’ve completed the loop back to your car, take a 5-minute drive to Lawson’s exquisite Black Cockatoo Bakery for a cinnamon scroll, because heck, you need to replace the energy you burnt with more pastries.

Essential Gear

  • Water and snacks
  • Spray your shoes with Bushmans or Aeroguard – it’s prime leech territory
  • Towel for drying your dog!

How To Get There

Hazelbrook is in the Blue Mountains, 1.5 hours from Sydney. Park on the side of the Oaklands Road and look for the Burgess Falls Walking Track sign. Alternatively, look for a similar sign on nearby Winbourne Road.

Activities

  • Dog walking
  • Photography (an awesome spot for fungi!)
  • Cooling off in hot weather

Skill Level

Beginner – some stairs and a few fallen trees to climb over 

Distance / Time Taken

3.5km / roughly 2 hours with options to explore more side trails