Red Cedar Falls is the highest waterfall in Dorrigo National Park, and easily the most majestic swimming spot. You have to work a little to reach them, but it’s worth every last step. The steep climb up from the falls also keeps most of the crowds away and we were lucky enough to get this spot to ourselves, even in the middle of the day.
Here’s everything you need to know about reaching Red Cedar Falls and what to expect when you get there.
Red Cedar Falls
The walk to get there
There are a couple of ways you can reach the falls, the quickest being by starting at the Never Never picnic area (a 25 minute drive from Dorrigo) and walking from there directly to the falls, which is roughly 6.8km return. This is the easiest option, but it’s not the prettiest.
If you are up for a bit of a longer walk we’d recommending accessing them from the Rosewood Creek Circuit. If you walk the full circuit and head down to the falls the total distance will be 8.9km.
Although it’s a slightly longer and harder walk, you’ll also get the chance to experience more of the beautiful rainforest plus visit another waterfall, and several extra glorious wild swimming holes, which are full of turquoise water!
One of the waterholes on the Rosewood Creek Circuit
Whichever route you take, the hardest part of the walk will be the climb up from the base of the falls to the trail junction, which is around 1.5km and 210m in elevation gain.
The track condition
I’d heard that the track down to the falls was in poor condition and very slippery, it made me wonder if I’d make it down there at all. Luckily we decided to go for it anyway and it’s really not bad at all! It’s fairly narrow, but it’s a well made path.
There are a couple of points at which you have to walk on some rocks through a short wet patch, but it’s literally a couple of steps and no harder than any other trail in the area, where you use rocks as stepping stones to cross creeks. The only difficult thing about this track is climbing back up to the junction again!
To reach the falls viewpoint you need to climb across a few rocks, but again it’s not challenging. The final rocks to access the swimming hole at the base of the falls are slippery though, so definitely take care on those. My preferred method is to sit and scooch across so that I can’t slip.
The rocks by the best view of the falls are nice and dry and a really great picnic spot. They also appeared to be free of leeches even when we visited after heavy rain. Other spots in the park that looked inviting, like logs by picturesque swimming holes left us carrying a few hitchhikers!
Swimming at the falls
There is an amazing swimming hole at the base of the falls that you can’t see from the viewing area. You have to climb over the large rocks in front of the falls to get in.
Unfortunately for us, we visited after so much rain that the spray was so intense I couldn’t get in the pool! Even sitting on the rocks was enough to get a full on shower!
Normally we say to visit waterfalls after as much rain as possible, but if you have your heart set on swimming in the pool you don’t want too much rain before you go.
You can take a paddle in the water before the falls if the flow is too heavy when you visit, but it’s not deep enough for a swim - it’s still lovely and refreshing though!
Essential information about Red Cedar Falls
Getting there
Red Cedar Falls are located in Dorrigo National Park, 14km and roughly a 20 minute drive from the small village of Dorrigo. They are 45 minutes from Bellingen and 6 hours from Sydney. There is no public transport to the falls area.
Where to park
The best place to park is the car park at the Never Never picnic area. It’s not a big car park but if it’s full, there are two smaller car parks a few minutes walk away.
The access road
The last 7km of the journey is on an unsealed road. You don’t need a 4WD (at time of writing) but it does have a few potholes.
Other amazing falls in the area
You can visit Coachwood Falls on the Rosewood Creek Circuit, which is the longer route to Red Cedar Falls.
The most famous waterfall in the whole region is also near Red Cedar Falls on the other side of the national park, Crystal Shower Falls. This is an absolutely beautiful waterfall you can walk behind. If you do the longest walk to get there, the Wonga Track, you’ll also get to visit Tristania Falls.
Dangar Falls is another fabulous waterfall you can swim in, and is located just 2km from Dorrigo village.
Packing suggestions for the walk
Having the right gear can make a huge difference. Here’s what we pack and have relied upon for years:
Sunscreen: Cancer Council Active. With a high SPF, but not the greasy feel of other sunscreens. Makes a big difference when you’re working up a sweat on a sunny day! Check it out on Amazon
Good Rain Jacket: North Face This is an essential item we always pack in our bag! This jacket from North Face is designed to keep you dry but also comfortably warm (many rain jackets will make you feel like you’re in a sauna). Check it out on Amazon
Bushman Spray: Good for keeping off the mozzies and the leeches that can appear after a lot of rain. Check it out on Amazon.
Day Pack: Osprey Talon 22 (we’ve owned this for years). Check on Amazon or direct with Osprey
Hiking Boots: Merrell Moab (for men and women). We’ve both used these for over three years and they just keep going. Check them out on Amazon
Trekking poles: We’ve used Black Diamond for years as they are light, solid and durable. Check them out on Amazon.
Reusable water bottle: To avoid single-use plastic. Check them out on Amazon
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