There are some trails that make you stop and savour the experience.
The Grand Cliff Top Walk in the Blue Mountains is one of those. It’s the kind of track you take your time on—stopping at lookouts, taking photos, soaking in the scale of the Jamison Valley as it drops away beneath you.
It’s not built for rushing.
But now, for the first time, it’s being raced.
A familiar trail at a different pace
Set to take place in April 2026, the Grand Cliff Top Race will follow the full 17.5km stretch from Wentworth Falls to Katoomba—linking together cliff edges, bush tracks, stone steps and those long, sweeping views the Blue Mountains are known for.
If you’ve walked it before, you’ll know the terrain.
What you might not know is how different it will feel when you’re moving through it at pace.
The same sections that feel cruisy on a weekend wander might start to ask more of you when you’re running. The climbs might bite. The footing will start to matter. The stunning scenery will still be there, but just slightly harder to take in when your focus shifts to what’s underfoot.
Not just for the front of the pack
This event isn’t just for runners chasing times. There’s a six-hour cut-off so runners of all experience levels and walkers are welcome. It sits somewhere in that growing space between race, and awe-inspiring experience.
If you are a podium chaser, prizes for fastest male, female and non-binary categories (donated by Scenic World, La Sportiva and Summit Gear Katoomba) are up for grabs on the day. Plus, every participant can walk away with something special thanks to local businesses. In fact, more than 40 additional prizes have been donated by local businesses and will be awarded to random entrants across the whole field, not just the fastest.
It’s a format that’s becoming more common in trail running. Less about all-out speed, more about participation.
A point-to-point with a difference
Logistically, this one’s a little different too.
You can catch the train to the start line at Wentworth Falls and finish in Katoomba, without needing to loop back or organise a car shuffle. It’s a small detail, but one that makes the whole day feel a bit simpler and more aligned with the low-impact travel the region’s been leaning into.
It also means you can turn it into more than just a race. Stay the weekend. Explore a bit more. Let the run be part of the trip, not the whole thing.
Supporting the future of the Blue Mountains
The Grand Cliff Top Race has been designed to not only showcase one of the country’s most iconic escarpments, but to give something back to it. Proceeds from the event will support the sustainable growth of the Blue Mountains visitor economy, helping protect what makes the region special while encouraging people to experience it in a more considered way.
So in registering, you’ll be contributing to the place you’re moving across.
And that raises the question.
So… would you race it?
Because it’s one thing to stroll along an escarpment, stopping for photos and taking it all in.
It’s another thing entirely to move through it with intent.
Same trail.
Different effort.
The Low Down
Event: Grand Cliff Top Race
When: Sunday 12 April 2026
Distance: 17.5km
Start: Charles Darwin Walk (Wentworth Falls). Finish: Scenic World in Katoomba, at the official end of the walk
Course:
Cliff-top trails, bush tracks, stone steps and Jamison Valley views the whole way through.
Cut-off:
6 hours (runners + walkers welcome)
Aid:
Fully supported aid station at Gordon Falls (drinks + snacks)
Format:
Staggered wave starts to reduce congestion
Getting there:
Train access via Blue Mountains line (start at Wentworth Falls, finish in Katoomba — no car needed)
Extras:
– All finishers receive a race memento
– All finishers receive a Blue Mountains Explorer Bus pass
– Podium prizes (male, female, non-binary)
– 40+ additional prizes randomly drawn across the field
Entries:
Capped to protect the environment
For more info and to register head over to this link.
