Track Grades - Blue Mountains Guides

Blue Mountains Guides is committed to providing accurate track gradings for all their walks thoughout the Blue Mountains. We are working towards the Australian Standard for determining grades of tracks in the region.

The main difficulty arises where the track encompasses several differing topographies. For example, the walk down into the Jamison Valley via the Giant Staircase, alongside the famous Three Sisters, starts as a concreted pathway for the first 700 metres from Echo Point. The steps (about 900) are mostly with handrails to assist descent, and vary from stone cutouts, to steel ladder style, to earth with timber supports.

The path in the valley itself is undulating, with some steps, and is easy. If you ascended via the Furber Steps from the Jamison Valley, then you have about an hour and a half of steps to the top, thus increasing the difficulty. However, the ascent via the Scenic Railway or Sceniscender requires little physical exertion, but costs a few dollars and takes 5 minutes.

This trail (part of Federal Pass) should be graded both W1 and T2.

We have used the format created by Parks Tasmania for their walks through the Western Arthurs region. Most of the tracks and trails throughout the Blue Mountains were created many years ago, and were designed to access areas of natural and scenic beauty, often descending steps cut into sheer cliffs. These tracks are an amazing feat of engineering and workmanship, with most work done by hand!

Please refer to the downloadable pdf available below, and refer to the table on the track descriptions page. Happy walking.

Download: Walking Track Classification >>