The Three Sisters are the sight most people picture when they think of the Blue Mountains: three sandstone towers standing off the cliff edge at Echo Point in Katoomba. We’ve been several times, and the view is as good as its reputation every time. If you’ve spent the morning on dirt tracks, it’s also an easy bitumen break.
About the Three Sisters and Echo PointAbout
Echo Point is the lookout at the edge of Katoomba. From the viewing platforms you see the Three Sisters to one side and the valley spreading out behind them, with a long flat-topped mountain on the far side. It’s the busiest lookout in the mountains. Many people take the train from Sydney to Katoomba to see it, so expect to share the railing with other visitors.
Quick facts
- AddressEcho Point Lookout, Echo Point Road, Katoomba, NSW 2780, AustraliaSee on the trip map →
- Phone receptionPatchy
- FacilitiesViewing PlatformLookoutsWalking TrailsParkingToiletsWheelchair Accessible ToiletDrinking WaterPicnic Tables2WD AccessibleNo BinsNo Dogs
- 9.4/10Overall rated
- Good to knowIn KatoombaArrive early on weekendsCafes in town
- FeesFree entryPaid parking
What to Do There
Three walks start from Echo Point: the Three Sisters Walk, the Giant Stairway and the Prince Henry Cliff Walk. The cliff-top walk is the thing to do once you’ve taken in the main view. It follows the edge of the escarpment and gives you the Three Sisters and the valley from different angles, without much effort. Afterwards, Katoomba has excellent cafes, which is welcome if you’ve been living on instant coffee at camp.
Facilities and Parking
Echo Point has the best facilities of any lookout we’ve reviewed in the Blue Mountains. There are accessible flush toilets, drinking water, picnic tables and plenty of stone and timber bench seats, and the Blue Mountains Visitor Information Centre is right there. There are no rubbish bins, so carry your rubbish out with you.
The car park at Echo Point is bitumen, with accessible spaces, but it’s paid council parking with time limits. On weekends and holidays the crowds are heavy, so arrive early if you want a spot close by. Dogs aren’t allowed on the walking tracks or in the national park, and phone reception around the lookout is limited.
Summary
The Three Sisters are worth seeing at least once, and they fit easily into a camping weekend because everything is on sealed roads. For spectacular views with fewer people, drive on to Govetts Leap Lookout in Blackheath, or to Hargraves Lookout, which is quieter still. All of them are in our Blue Mountains guide.
The iconic sight of the Blue Mountains, with a cliff-top walk that gives you big views for little effort.
Echo Point has flush toilets, drinking water and a visitor centre, all on sealed roads in Katoomba. It’s also the busiest lookout in the mountains, parking is paid, and dogs aren’t allowed.
- Travellers
- Families
- Hikers
Yes, once. The view is free and the facilities are the best of any lookout here, but you pay for parking and share it with a crowd. Arrive early on weekends.
Recommended Gear for the Three Sisters
Bring binoculars for a closer look at the Three Sisters and the cliffs across the valley. For the walks, carry water storage you can fill at the lookout before you set off. If you’re heading back to camp afterwards, sort out your camping lighting before dark, and keep the coffee gear handy for the next morning.
