Lower Cascades

Starting from The Cascades car park off Litchfield Park Road, this return journey takes you to the Lower Cascades via a singular track. You'll be met by the mesmerizing falls and inviting swimming pools below. Exercise caution as you navigate the rocky terrain and slippery sections. Traverse through open savannah woodlands, where there is little shade, making sturdy footwear and hydration essential. During the Wet Season, access to the Lower Cascades may be restricted due to flooding and heightened crocodile activity, prompting visitors to opt for the Upper Cascades return track instead. As of August 2023, this area is closed due to damage. The status can be checked via the link provided under the articles tab. Let us begin by acknowledging the Kungarakary people, Traditional Custodians of the land on which we travel today, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.

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Safer Bushwalks Tips on staying safe on track
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.

Getting There Transport options and directions

Start	At the intersection of Upper Cascades Circuit Walk & Cascades Falls exit (-13.1274777,130.6618591)
Mode	Car
Directions	From Stuart Highway Turn on to Batchelor Road then drive for 12.5 km At roundabout, take exit 2 and drive for another 6.6 km Turn left onto Litchfield Park Road and drive for another 64.5 km Turn right onto Cascades Falls exit and drive for another 510 m

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Getting started
From the car park off Litchfield Park Road (cascades falls exit), pass through the bollard and head along the singular dirt track marked by the "Lower Cascades - Upper Cascades" sign (also a sheltered signpost on the other side of the track). Continue straight for about 500 metres, then keep left at the 3-way intersection to continue along the Lower Cascades Track.....

Turn map	Directions & comments
	At the intersection of Upper Cascades Circuit Walk & Cascades Falls exit Start heading along Upper Cascades Circuit Walk (a footpath). Find the car park at the start. After another 45 m (from the Upper Cascades Circuit Walk) continue straight, to head along Upper Cascades Circuit Walk. Then come to the viewpoint (30 m on your right). After another 40 m (from the Upper Cascades Circuit Walk) continue straight, to head along Upper Cascades Circuit Walk. After another 10 m come to the viewpoint (25 m on your right). After another 8 m pass the toilet (30 m on your left). After another 55 m come to the viewpoint (25 m on your right). From the Upper Cascades Circuit Walk continue straight, to head along Upper Cascades Circuit Walk (a walking track).
	After another 400 m (at the intersection of Lower Cascades Circuit Walk & Upper Cascades Circuit Walk) turn left, to head along Lower Cascades Circuit Walk. After another 190 m cross the bridge (about 9 m long) After another 230 m cross the bridge (about 5 m long) After another 70 m cross the bridge (about 3 m long)
	After another 100 m come to a ford. Turn around here and retrace the main route for 1.1 km to get back to the start.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Lower Cascades

Grading

	Class 4/6 Hard track
Length	2.3 km
Time	40 min to 1 h

Quality of track	Rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely (4/6)
Gradient	Gentle hills with occasional steps (2/6)
Signage	Directional signs along the way (3/6)
Infrastructure	Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)
Experience Required	Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6)
Weather	Foretasted & unexpected storms and severe weather may impact on navigation and safety (4/6)

Some facilities on route

Toilet: There is one 105 m from the start.

Order of key facilities on route

Item	From Start	Name & link to notes
Toilet	105 m	[toilet]

Articles Discover more details to thrive on track
Get more information
| Cascades - nt.gov.au | Lower Cascades Walk - The Life of Py | The Cascades - Waterfall Seasons | Lower Cascades Walk - The Nomadic Explorers | Litchfield NP Short Walks | Litchfield NP - nt.gov.au | Litchfield NP - northernterritory.com
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Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- Port Douglas Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
  
  Sunday 3 November
  
  Shower or two.
  
  Mostly clear. Slight chance of a shower near the coast, near zero chance elsewhere. Winds east to southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h.
  
  Monday 4 November
  
  23°C → 32°C
  Shower or two.
  50% chance of rain
  0 → 2mm
  
  Mostly sunny. Slight chance of a shower near the coast, near zero chance elsewhere. Winds easterly 20 to 30 km/h. Overnight temperatures falling to between 16 and 22 with daytime temperatures reaching 28 to 34.
  
  Fire Danger Rating: Moderate
  
  UV Alert: Sun protection 8:00am to 3:50pm, UV Index predicted to reach 12 [Extreme]
  
  Tuesday 5 November
  
  22°C → 32°C
  Shower or two.
  50% chance of rain
  0 → 3mm
  
  Mostly sunny. Slight chance of a shower near the coast, near zero chance elsewhere. Winds easterly 20 to 30 km/h. Overnight temperatures falling to between 15 and 22 with daytime temperatures reaching 28 to 35.
  
  Wednesday 6 November
  
  22°C → 32°C
  Partly cloudy.
  30% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Mostly sunny. Slight chance of a shower near the coast, near zero chance elsewhere. Winds easterly 20 to 30 km/h. Overnight temperatures falling to between 15 and 21 with daytime temperatures reaching 29 to 35.
  
  Thursday 7 November
  
  23°C → 32°C
  Mostly sunny.
  30% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Mostly sunny. Slight chance of a shower near the coast, near zero chance elsewhere. Winds easterly 15 to 25 km/h. Overnight temperatures falling to between 16 and 22 with daytime temperatures reaching 29 to 35.
  
  Friday 8 November
  
  23°C → 32°C
  Partly cloudy.
  30% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Partly cloudy.
  
  Saturday 9 November
  
  23°C → 32°C
  Shower or two.
  50% chance of rain
  0 → 2mm
  
  Shower or two.
  
  Sunday 10 November
  
  23°C → 32°C
  Shower or two.
  50% chance of rain
  0 → 4mm
  
  Shower or two.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Alerts
- NT Parks alerts
  When planning and before starting your trip please check the NT parks alerts pages for anything that may impact on your plans.
  Regions
  Darwin
  Katherine
  Tennant Creek and Barkly
  Alice Springs

Weather Forecast

Alerts