Blue Mountains NP campsites near Katoomba

[LTM]

Hi All,
I am wanting to do some of the overnight multi day circuits in Blue Mountains NP out of Katoomba .
I will be flying into Sydney and getting the train to Katoomba.
What's the best place to camp? I can see a couple of camping grounds in Katoomba. Are there any in the park close to the entrance to the park at Katoomba within walking or taxi distance?
Thanks in advance.

[Mark F]

Not a camp ground but there is a yha in Katoomba which would be a good base.

[ribuck]

As Mark says, the YHA would make an excellent base if your budget allows. The campground near Katoomba Falls would also work well.

But when you ask for a campground "in the park", are you looking for a less commercial or more remote spot? I can think of a few that are within walking distance (isn't everywhere within walking distance to a hiker?).

1. There is a small campsite with water tank and toilet in an attractive setting near the base of Ruined Castle. Four hours walk from Katoomba Station. A good base for visiting Mt Solitary.
2. There is a basic campsite at Perrys Lookdown. Probably a toilet there, but I'm not certain. Get the train to Blackheath, then two hours walk, or get a taxi since this campsite is at the end of the Hat Hill Road. Not all taxis will drive on the gravel road though. Magnificent views nearby, and access to Blue Gum Forest.
3. There's a nice little camping spot just across the creek junction below Vera Falls (at the junction with the creek from Hippocrene Falls). Train to Wentworth Falls, then three hours walk. Water in the creeks.
4. You can camp at Upper Psyn Cave, a little way along the Narrowneck Road. No facilities. You may need to share the cave with rock climbers, who sometimes base themselves there for a week of climbing. There's often a good trickle of water nearby. No other facilities. An hour and a half walk from Katoomba Station, then off-track for a hundred metres.
5. There's another climbers' cave about 200m west of Mt Piddington, very easy to get to and less than an hour's walk from Mt Victoria Station. No facilities, but I think there is a toilet 200m away at Mt Piddington.
6. I have known people to camp at the grassy clearing where the old sewage plant used to be, in the valley below Leura Cascades Reserve and not far from the Three Sisters. Less than two hours walk from Katoomba or Leura Stations. No facilities, but there's likely to be water just upstream in Leura Falls Creek.

If any of these are of interest, I can give you more details.

Another possibility is to get yourself to Dunphy's campground at the end of the Megalong Road (south of Blackheath). It would be an expensive taxi ride, as it's a half hour drive, partly on gravel roads. But it's a lovely spot. Water, toilets, grass, views, and a good starting point for some great overnight walks. If you could get there with a couple of weeks food, you could do trips visiting Coxs River, Breakfast Creek, Splendour Rock, Kanangra Creek, Kowming River, Mt Cloudmaker, the end of Narrowneck, etc.

[Neo]

Here is the official list,
https://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/camping

Depends on your style, it's usually possible to do LNT dispersed camping in Australian NPs. The YHA is a good starting point for your first couple of nights.

Probably OK to hitch about too, civilisation is up on the high ground, camps and walks tend to be downhill

If Perrys is open now, it has a windy loo but low mobile reception, a nice spot with access to the Grosse Valley etc. Blackheath Glen is rainforesty on the way down, no reception but quite popular.

[johnw]

I would check the status of suggested on-park locations as many are still closed following last summer's bushfire damage.
e.g. Perrys Lookdown campsite and the valley descent both remain closed, although you can walk to the top of Perrys.
You can enter the Grose Valley via Victoria Falls and camp at Burra Korain, but can only walk downstream as far as Pierces Pass.
All campsites, including remote walk-in only locations, now need to be booked online due to Covid-19.
https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/blue-mountains-national-park/local-alerts

[LTM]

Thanks all, that's really useful information.