Best trails in Main Range National Park

4.3(5,841 reviews)

Australia
:
#31 of 637 national parks

Main Range National Park is located in the Southern Downs Region of Queensland. It is covered in Gondwana rainforests and is as such part of the World Heritage Site Gondwana Rainforests of Australia. It has a rich diversity of vegetation types found throughout the park including open Eucalypt forests on the dryer more open areas, with heathland found on the craggy rock outcrops and cliffs as well as subtropical rainforests found in the more sheltered and moist locations.

Top trails

#1 - Bare Rock Track and Morgans Walk

4.8(1180)

•Hard

•11.6 mi

This fantastic trail in Queensland’s beautiful Scenic Rim takes you through luscious rainforest to the summit of Mount Cordeaux and Bare Rock. The track can become very slippery after rain. Proper hiking shoes are a must for this trail and hiking poles will save your knees on the downhills. Beginning up Mount Cordeaux Track you walk gradually uphill through dense and shaded rainforest and bushland where you’re sure to see and hear a variety of birdlife. After about 3km of steady incline,...

#2 - Mount Cordeaux Track

Venture into the luxuriant depths of subtropical rainforest and montane heath as you make your way towards a stunning lookout nestled just below the towering peak of Mount Cordeaux, soaring to an impressive altitude of 1135 meters. This hike in Queensland’s beautiful Scenic Rim takes you to the lookout at Mount Cordeaux. Heading up Mount Cordeaux track, you walk gradually uphill through dense and shaded rainforest, where you’re sure to see and hear a variety of birdlife. After about 3km of...

#3 - Mount Mitchell Trail

Get back to nature on this challenging hike through woods, rainforest, and alpine heath, which offers unmatched views from Mount Mitchell's peak. This is a great hike taking you from Cunninghams Gap through Main Range National Park which is home to sections of the ancient Gondwana Rainforests of Australia. The trail features some challenging sections close to cliff faces. Always keep an eye on youngsters, stay on the path, and keep a safe distance from cliff edges. This walk to the peak of...

#4 - Mount Cordeaux Track

#5 - Mount Mitchell Track

#6 - Queen Mary Falls Circuit

This is a great, family-friendly route that makes its way along a winding track to Queen Mary Falls. See Queen Mary Falls from above, then make your way down to stream level to enjoy its cold spray and the rainbows the mist makes. On rocks, look for eastern water dragons enjoying the sun. The causeway might be slick, so exercise caution. You can retrace your steps from the falls' base to the top to avoid ascending any stairs or circle the trail in the opposite direction. Queen Mary Falls...

#7 - Mount Mathieson Trail and Spicers Gap Loop

4.5(319)

•Moderate

•5.4 mi

The walk features a variety of vegetation, woodland, rainforest, grass trees and meadow. The track from Mount Mathieson back to Spicer's Gap Road features a memorable razor ridge, that requires a cautious approach as well as a bit of a scramble. There are several natural lookouts along the route that leads your through towering eucalyptus trees and lush rainforest. The view from Governor's Chair towards Ipswich and Brisbane is worth the visit. Keep a look out for the timber jinker...

This is a challenging and rewarding trail in Main Range National Park in southeast Queensland. Along the way visitors can expect steep climbs, some bush bashing and rocky ascents. This route begins and ends near the intersection of Old Mill Road and Steamer Creek Road. From the trailhead, it's a steady incline up onto the ridge line, which you'll follow along to the Stern camping area and back again. The track is not always well marked so it's best to have an offline copy of the map with...

#9 - Box Forest Track

This is a nice day hike in the Main Range National Park southwest of Brisbane, Queensland. The track can be overgrown in sections, especially towards the turn-around point. Watch out for Gympie Gympie stingers and wear long clothing to protect yourself. Admire the majestic towering brush box trees, which may live for more than a century and have one of the biggest trunk diameters of any rainforest tree. Those visiting in summer will note the trees' smooth, salmon-coloured trunks, which have...

#10 - Lizard Point via Mount Superbus

4.3(113)

•Hard

•7.6 mi

This is a great trail in Main Range National Park located in southeast Queensland. From the magnificent rock shelf known as Lizard Point visitors can experience views of the surrounding landscape, from the mountains to the ocean. The route begins and ends from The Head Road near the Tevlot Falls Lookout. The trail itself features some challenging steep sections and can be slippery when wet but the views from the top make it all worthwhile. Lizard Point campground is gorgeous. Tucked away...

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Trail reviews for Main Range National Park

6,005 trailgoers Busiest in June

Jay Jay

May 2, 2025•Hiking

Easy to parkNot crowdedBathrooms availableGreat views

Mt Mitchell was the first mountain I climbed in the Main Range National Park, and I keep coming back for the sheer enjoyment it brings! While there’s less ancient Gondwana rainforest and more eucalyptus bushland compared to Mt Cordeaux and Bare Rock, you’re rewarded with more expansive views along the way. And wow oh wow - the views from the top are absolutely marvellous! There’s fun creek crossings at the start on the Box Forest track, with plenty of tropical palm trees and massive eucalyptus towering above. As you ascend, you’re treated to fantastic views of the valley, Mt Cordeaux, Lake Moogerah, and Spicers Peak. Giant, glorious trees line the way - truly a joy to hike through. Wildlife was abundant, with wallabies, pademelons, and a lovely chorus of birdsong filling the air. I even spotted monarch butterflies dancing along the track! Due to the Crest Carpark closure, you’ll need to park at the West Gap Creek Picnic Area a little further down the road. There’s picnic tables around and toilets available at the top car park, and the Crest toilets are still open. To access the Mt Mitchell trail, cross the road at the Crest Carpark. About 3/4 of the trail is in great condition. Some sections had tall grass and head-height plants, but the path was still visible. A number of trees had fallen after the recent cyclone - some had been cleared, while others were easy to duck under or step around. In a few spots, parts of the trail had washed away slightly, but it was still very manageable. This time, the hike took me much longer than expected. I took my time, stopping often to remove tripping hazards along the way. The extra 5 km (about 1 hour) from the detour at the start also added to the overall time. Highly recommend using a hiking stick for stability. No ticks, leeches, snakes, or drop bears this time - stay safe, and happy hiking!

Mount Mitchell Trail

Jay Jay

Apr 30, 2025•Hiking

Easy to parkNot crowdedBathrooms availableGreat conditionsGreat views

Absolutely ahhhmazing!! A must-do. Highly recommend. Like most trails throughout Main Range National Park, this one features gorgeous ancient Gondwana rainforest and spectacular views. There are a few creek crossings, and plenty of wildlife - wallabies, pademelons, yellow-tailed black cockatoos, and more. Everything is so green and luscious, with massive trees, ferns, and magical moss. It’s such a special place. Due to the Crest Carpark being closed, you’ll need to park down the road at the West Gap Creek Picnic Area. There are picnic tables around and toilets at the top carpark, and the toilets at Crest are still open as well. This detour adds another 5km, or about an hour, to the hike. It usually takes me around 4.5hrs from Crest, but this time it took about 5.5hrs to cover 20km. If 5.5hrs sounds too long, you could skip Morgans Walk to bring it down to about 5hrs, or just do Mt Cordeaux for a 2.5hr return. Alternatively, head across the road to Mt Mitchell, which takes around 4hrs. A few suggestions: I highly recommend using a hiking stick for stability. Also, once you’ve passed Crest and are heading toward Mt Cordeaux, don’t turn right to go up the stairs just yet. Instead, continue straight to visit the massive fig tree with the balcony around it - a short, worthwhile detour. This part of the trail loops back and reconnects with the main path. It’s best to do it early in the hike when you still have energy and enthusiasm. Most of the trail is well maintained. In a few small spots, knee-high grass comes right up to the trail, but the path is still visible. After the recent cyclone, a couple of trees remain down, but they’re easy to go under or around. The ground was quite moist due to recent rain, and there were some muddy patches. However, the trail is well-trodden and the earth compacted, so it didn’t cause any issues. Barry, the resident carpet python at Bare Rock, welcomed me once again - that’s three times now! He just likes to sleep in the sun. Give him space and he’ll be fine. All the paper daisies and gymea lilies are just about to flower. In a week it’ll be blooming beautiful up there! No leeches, ticks, or drop bears - though I did hear some big animal noises in the distance… possible bush pigs? It’s a solid cardio challenge for the first couple of hours as you head uphill, but once you reach the top of Mt Cordeaux and continue on, the terrain becomes undulating, with many flatter and easier sections. The descent is easy too - and that’s where the hiking stick really comes in handy. It’s pretty cool to start off, but once you get moving you warm up, the air stays refreshing. Most of the trail is shaded by canopy, and the way the sunlight filters through is just magnificent. It often feels like you’re walking through an enchanted forest. Enjoy hiking in paradise!

Bare Rock Track and Morgans Walk

Tiger Kiekebosch-fitt

Feb 16, 2025

Good views

Scenic Rim Trail (48km) 2 Day See my video that I’ve put together for the of the SRT on YouTube - @tigers_stripes “hiking- Scenic Rim Trail- Main range National park” SRT SUMMARY- Hikes potential- 4/5 stars (currently very very over grown and probably wouldn’t recommend unless your experienced, and have got decent gators/ long pants and gps) Date completed- 5/2/25 - 6/2/25 Days taken: 2 days 1 night Transport/getting there - Parked my car at West Cunninghams Gap rest area and arranged a lift from Encompass Wellbeing ( 0478041512 ) for 6am the morning of my hike. It cost $270 but was a 1.5 hour trip. Note: do not take the short cut on Red Gap Road ( it’s a fire trail, washed out and requires 4wd) I arrived at around 8am and set off. The start of the hike is severely overgrown and without a gps would be very difficult to follow if not impossible. Constantly pushing through hip/shoulder high scrub with no visual on your foot placement. The actual accent wasn’t too bad. Would highly recommend walking poles to help clear the track, clear spiders webs, and also would highly recommend for some of the decent on slippery rocks. I made it to the first camp by 11am and continued to the second camp (equivalent of day 2) for 4:30pm. I had some light rain , went through a few section of very bad leeches, saw a python and a few feral pigs. Second camp had a nice drop toilet and water in the tank. Day 2 I kicked off around 7am again a few sections of severely overgrown trail, lots of trees down across parts of it, lots of prickly wild strawberry bushes across the trail and what I believe to be gympie gympie trees along side the trail. Again would highly recommend gators/ long pants as my legs got destroyed and covered in cuts by bush bashing through on the trail. Hiking poles also very handy pushing the prickly strawberry bushes aside. Creek crossing were tiny ( 2m wide ankle deep). I made it to the 3rd camp ( equivalent of day 3) by 11:30am. Water in the tanks here and nice tent platforms. Had lunch up on bare rock lookout with great views, but an approaching storm front. By the time I left here it was pouring with rain and vis dropped down to 20m with cloud coming across. Saw about 6 pythons, 3 other unidentified snakes all basking in the sun next to the trail. I finished up at around 5:30pm back at west Cunningham’s gap carpark. Note there is approximately 2.5km additional to the all trails route to get back to this carpark. Has got the potential to be a great hike and was surprised at how parks present this hike online and the fact they have put a lot of effort into the trail, huts, camps and signage/ info boards. But appears it’s been completed left with little Maintence in some parts and no care to upkeep this awesome trail. Let me know if you’ve got any Questions!

Scenic Rim Trail

Rizzzlar Mason

Oct 4, 2025•Hiking

Easy to parkNot crowdedGreat conditionsGreat views

Great trail, went aniclockwise up and over the ridge and returned back through the cascades. There was so many birds and swimming holes for days, The river system through the cascades was unreal. Head in early guys and you're in for a treat. It's such a stunning part of the Main Range.

Parking: Free, Medium lot

Cascade Circuit and Ridge Trail

Jay Jay

Sep 17, 2025•Hiking

Easy to parkNot crowdedGreat conditionsGreat views

Sylvester’s Lookout is another gem of the Main Range, offering a short and easy walk through lush subtropical rainforest. The trail is well maintained, though medium to narrow in places with some roots showing underfoot. Giant trees line the path, and moss grows thickly across rocks and trunks, adding to the magical rainforest feel. The lookout itself rewards with wonderful views stretching out to Lake Moogerah and the surrounding ranges, a perfect spot to pause and take it all in. Facilities are minimal here with no toilets or picnic areas, and only a small carpark at the trailhead. A peaceful, refreshing walk that blends rainforest beauty with a stunning outlook, making it a great companion to the nearby Mt Castle Lookout and Araucaria Falls.

Difficulty: Easy

Sylvester’s Lookout

Jay Jay

Jan 7, 2025•Hiking

Easy to parkNot crowdedBathrooms availableGreat conditionsGreat views

This hike has a wide range of different trail types which keeps it interesting. For the first hour it’s mostly uphill, then meander through luscious ancient Gondwana rainforest. Followed by eucalyptus bushland, spectacular views from Governors Chair Lookout then a welcomed wide road descent. May as well stop at Moss’s Well on the way back. Only a 60m detour. The trail is mostly well maintained with small parts of long grass. However, you can still see the path clearly. A handful of trees covering the trail but they are easy to climb over. It took me about 3hrs to do 9kms. The views of Mt Michell, Mt Cordeaux, the entirety of the Main Range and Spicers Peak make this trail well worth doing. Spectacular, spectacular. It was a lot safer and less challenging then I was expecting, apart from the uphill slog at the beginning. The razor ridge was mostly enclosed by trees and the scrambles were bare minimal if any at all. It’s recommended to use a hiking stick for extra stability. In regards to previous reviewers’ comments and my experience on the hike - some cicada noise, louder in parts but no longer deafening, about a dozen or so of light spider webs. 2 ticks - 1 on my sock and 1 on my shoe. Best kept an eye out for them suckers before they climb up and attach to your skin. No wild pigs or snakes. Due to it raining the previous night, the trail was quite moist and muddy in parts, and the day was cloudy so I most definitely will do it again when it’s sunny. Nature glimmers and glistens differently in the sunshine. Twirly whirly vines. An abundance of grass trees. I love grass trees. Iconically Australian. Timber jinker from the olden days. Impressively large trees. Definitely no size queen when it comes to trees, however I do appreciate a magnificent beauty. Educational plaques about the history of the area. Lovely serene water features. Plenty of birds and wildlife. There’s toilets and plenty of parking at the camping grounds. Please note - the last 4 kms of the access road on arrival to the camping grounds for parking is a gravel road. With some gouges across the road from the rain. If you have an option of taking an SUV or 4WD that would be better. My compact car did alright though taking it slowly. Keep on trekking.

Mount Mathieson Trail and Spicers Gap Loop

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Frequently asked questions

Where is the best place to hike in Main Range National Park?

According to users from AllTrails.com, the best place to hike in Main Range National Park is Bare Rock Track and Morgans Walk, which has a 4.8 star rating from 1,180 reviews. This trail is 11.6 mi long with an elevation gain of 2,673 ft.

What is the longest trail in Main Range National Park?

According to AllTrails.com, the longest trail in Main Range National Park is Scenic Rim Trail. This trail is estimated to be 27.6 mi long.

How many trails are in Main Range National Park?

There are 55 trails in Main Range National Park. These trails have an average 4.3-star rating from 5,841 AllTrails community reviews.

Which trail has the most elevation gain in Main Range National Park?

If you're looking for elevation gain, Main Range National Park has you covered. Scenic Rim Trail boasts the most elevation gain with 6,801 ft of total ascent. The park's runner-up is Stern Lookout via Mount Superbus, Lizard Point and Steamers Trails, which will get you 4,944 ft of elevation gain.

Are there camping trails available in Main Range National Park?

According to AllTrails.com, there are 20 camping trails in Main Range National Park and the most popular is Mount Mathieson Trail and Spicers Gap Loop with an average 4.5 star rating from 319 community reviews.

Are there running trails available in Main Range National Park?

According to AllTrails.com, there are 6 running trails in Main Range National Park and the most popular is Cascades Circuit with an average 4.5 star rating from 95 community reviews.

Are there biking trails available in Main Range National Park?

According to AllTrails.com, there is 1 biking trail in Main Range National Park which is Flaggy Creek Ridge via Blackfellow Creek Trail with an average 4.0 star rating from 9 community reviews.