Federal Falls is an impressive waterfall in Mount Canobolas State Conservation Area, near the city of Orange in the Central Tablelands region.
A moderately challenging circuit walk, starting at the Federal Falls Campground, takes you to the base of the waterfall, with scenic bushland to enjoy along the way.
Planning a long weekend in Orange? Have a look at our guide to the most popular attractions and activities in Orange for inspiration.
| Federal Falls Walking Track | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 4.5 km (circuit) |
| Duration: | 2 hours |
| Grade: | Moderate (steep sections) |
| Dogs: | Not allowed |
| Trailhead: | Google Maps |
Getting There
The walk to Federal Falls begins at the camping and picnic area, which has a reasonably sized car park.
There are a few ways to drive there from Orange, but the easiest and quickest is via Cargo Road, then a left turn into Lake Canobolas Road, which passes by Lake Canobolas.
From there, turn right into Mount Canobolas Road, followed by another right into Towac Way, which leads to the Federal Falls camping area and car park.
Track Notes
The Federal Falls walk is a loop, starting and finishing at the picnic area. The loop is about 4 km long, with an additional 700-metre side trail leading to the waterfall. This side trail is the most challenging part of the walk as it is very steep.
You don’t need to complete the full loop to see the waterfall. The northern side of the walk can be done as a return trip, which is slightly shorter and easier than the southern side. However, we recommend doing the entire loop, as the scenery along the southern track is particularly nice.
In the track notes below, we describe the walk in three sections:
- Southern Track
- Federal Falls
- Northern Track
Below is a map of the walk.
1. Southern Track
If you plan to do the full loop, it’s generally best to walk it in a clockwise direction, starting with the southern section.
You’ll find the start of this section at the large informational signpost at the southern end of the picnic ground.
The first 500 metres are reasonably flat, before the track begins a gradual descent through the forest.
As you get closer to the waterfall, the scenery becomes more picturesque, with the path crossing the creek several times.
A small footbridge over the creek is a good landmark to focus on, as the waterfall is not much further from that point.
2. Federal Falls
At the end of the Southern Track, after about 2 km, you’ll reach a signposted junction with the Northern Track.
From here, continue straight ahead to visit the waterfall. This is where the steep descent begins, most of it on wooden steps, with handrails in some sections to help you stay balanced and on track.
Before long, the waterfall will appear in front of you, which is a rewarding sight after the walk down.
Federal Falls is set in the steep volcanic basalt landscape of Mount Canobolas. More often than not, there isn’t a large volume of water flowing over the cliff, so it’s best to visit after decent rainfall.
That said, the walk itself is still very enjoyable, so it’s a worthwhile trip at any time.
You can walk right to the base of the waterfall, but be cautious as the large rocks at the bottom can be very slippery.
3. Northern Track
Once you’ve finished exploring Federal Falls, it’s time to head back up to the car park via the Northern Track.
This section is slightly easier and shorter than the Southern Track, but it’s still uphill and requires a bit of effort.
The path is easy to follow and well maintained, with pleasant bushland scenery, though there is less variety compared to the southern side of the loop.
