Summer can be a little too hot in the city but who needs air conditioning when you can indulge in a bit of wild swimming and cool off in the forest’s shade? Here in NSW, you can even disappear behind a white curtain of water. Crystal Shower Falls in Dorrigo National Park is easily one of the best in NSW and well worth the drive from Sydney. The picturesque spot comes with a lush rainforest setting, almost no crowds, vocal rainforest birds and stupidly pretty views. It’s located just an hour’s drive from Coffs Harbour and around a 6-hour drive from Sydney, and if you’re looking for a long weekend escape, we couldn’t recommend this sublime spot enough.
Crystal Shower Falls Walk
The walk itself is short and non-strenuous and the sweet spot comes in the form of a special waterfall that you can walk behind. There are several different spots to enjoy the falls including a suspension bridge that takes you across the valley in front of the falls. From here, enjoy soothing views of the waterfall dropping into the pool below, or find the rocky cavern where you can enjoy stunning views of the falls from behind. Please note, that you are not allowed to swim at Crystal Shower Falls as the pool is quite small and shallow.
The entire walk would take around 1.5-2 hours but if you want to explore the area further, make your way to the equally lovely Tristania Falls, the second waterfall on this walk. Both falls are flaunted by subtropical rainforests and 600-year-old trees, which are part of the longer Wonga Walk circuit trail.
As lovely as the falls are, the area presents another enticing proposition to nature lovers — the promise of glowworms after dark. You can spot a handful of these bioluminescent creatures in the cavern behind the falls and although not quite as spectacular as the glow worm tunnel in Lithgow or this Blue Mountains waterfall, it’s still a pretty magical sight.
How to get to Crystal Shower Falls
Visit NSW recommends taking the first part of the Satinbird stroll which is an easy trail through Dorrigo’s World Heritage rainforest and then joining the Wonga walk to get to the falls.
The falls can be visited anytime but are best enjoyed early in the day or late at night. Find more information about how to get there here.