Where To Find The Best Queensland Hiking Spots

There is nothing quite like hiking, especially in beautiful Queensland. The smell of gum trees and fresh grass wafting through the morning air, the sound of the gentle rustling of leaves in the wind, the sight of the sun rise from the distant horizon - hiking has it all. And when it comes to hiking in Queensland, hikers are spoilt for choice.

Whether it is walking along the spectacular hinterland of the Sunshine Coast or trekking through the lush rainforests in the Mackay Highlands, Queensland has an enormous amount of hiking trails hiding around every corner. To save you the trouble of finding them for yourself, our expert team at Anaconda has created a top list of the best Queensland hiking destinations. All you have to do is grab your hiking shoes, strap on your hiking pack and get ready to explore these fantastic Queensland walks!

Quick Links:

• Cooloola Great Walk
• Sunshine Coast Hinterland
• Mackay Highlands
• Ngaro Sea Trail
• Bartle Frere
• Thorsborne Trail

Cooloola Great Walk

The destination on our list is around two hours north of Brisbane on the Sunshine Coast. It is here where you will find the Cooloola Great Walk - and 'great' is no joke as this walking track stretches out for over 102km, trailing its way through magnificent sandy beaches and the green hinterland of north Noosa. The Cooloola Great Walk is fantastic during any time of the year and some of the main highlights include watching the whales as they migrate past Double Island Point Lighthouse, exploring the sand dunes along the upper Noosa River and trekking through the Carlo Sand Blow, famous for its moonscape appearance. The Cooloola Great Walk ends at Rainbow Beach, which is a great place to grab a bite to eat and is right next to Fraiser Island.

Why you'll love Cooloola Great Walk:

• One of the longest hiking trails in Queensland
• A vast range of incredible sights to see and explore
• The best ways to explore the Noosa hinterland

Sunshine Coast Hinterland

Stretching out across 58km is the Sunshine Coast Hinterland trail. If you like to hike amongst cascading waterfalls, bubbling creeks, enormous eucalypt forests that engulf the sky and endless mountain ranges that stretch along the horizon, then you are in luck. It will take the average hiker about four days to fully explore all the highs and lows of the magnificent Sunshine Coast Hinterland, which is absolutely beautiful whether it is summer, autumn, spring or winter. There are also some bush camps throughout the trail if you fancy a bit of camping and turning it into a longer trip. A local tip is to make sure you visit the incredible waterfall walks found in Mapleton and Montville!

Why you'll love Sunshine Coast Hinterland:

• The best way to explore the Sunshine Coast Hinterland
• Can be hiked over the weekend or turned into a longer trip
• Waterfalls, valleys, mountains, creeks and more to explore

Mackay Highlands

Nestled along 56km of some of the most scenic landscapes you will ever come across, the Mackay Highlands is a hiker's playground that is filled with national parks, palm groves, rainforests and so much more to explore to your heart's content. Beginning in Mackay and finishing up in Eungella National Park, this Queensland hiking trail will take you through sugarcane plantations to steep cliffs and all the way to the far oceans. The best time of year to go is between May to November when the weather is the best, and a local favourite is exploring the Great Dividing Range as it's a great hiking trail for beginners - plus it's got plenty of wildlife such as platypuses to discover around every corner.

Why you'll love Mackay Highlands:

• A Queensland hiking trail rich in early pioneer history
• An ever-changing landscape to explore
• A great walking trail for beginner hikers

Ngaro Sea Trail

Beginning in Shute Island and finishing at the Ngaro Cultural Site, the Ngaro Sea Trail is another great Queensland hiking experience for the adventurous hiker. As this hike will involve exploring the Whitsunday Islands, bringing along a kayak will help you see everything there is to see. Due to the weather around here, May through to November is the best time to go, and will take you on an epic journey through open forests, oceanfront pathways, rugged peaks and some of the best fishing spots in Queensland! And even if you don't feel like walking at all, this hike can be done completely via a kayak tour!

Why you'll love Ngaro Sea Trail:

• An awesome way to explore the Whitsunday Islands
• The only Queensland hiking trail that can be done by kayak
• A Queensland walk that offers great fishing spots

Bartle Frere

Starting at Innisfail and finishing up in Gordonvale, the Bartle Frere trail is perfect for hikers who want to explore the top end of Queensland. Even though the best times to explore this Queensland hiking trail is between the months of April to September, the Bartle Frere trail is not for the faint-hearted. Elevated over 1,622 metres above sea level, there will be a lot of climbing involved in order to reach the summit. Offering a spectacular view of Cairns from the top, Bartle Frere (also known as the roof of Queensland) sits above a wonderland of tropical rainforests, cosy campsites and huge boulders below. Even though it may require battling through muddy slopes and tough terrain, it provides the ultimate reward for the experienced hiker.

Why you'll love Bartle Frere:

• An incredible view from the 'roof of Queensland'
• A perfect hiking trail for the inner rock climber
• Campsites available at the base
• Perfect for experienced hikers looking for a challenge

Thorsborne Trail

Before we get into the Thorsborne Trail, we have to mention that this is an incredibly popular Queensland hiking trail. So popular, in fact, that you will have to purchase a permit ahead of time as this trail is commonly booked out a few months in advance. But for those who plan ahead, a plethora of rewards await. The landscape is straight out of Jurrasic Park, complete with jagged rocks protruding from the beach, palm trees and dinosaurs (not really). With the best times to head down being between November and May, this hiking trail will take you past deep rock pools, steep waterfalls, sandy shorelines and incredible views of the ocean, all under drifting white clouds.

Why you'll love Thorsborne Trail:

• A hiking trail that is straight out of Jurassic Park
• Plenty of bush campsites
• The perfect Queensland hiking track for beach-lovers

Visit The Best Queensland Walks Today

These are just some of the many incredible Queensland hiking spots you can explore, so we highly encourage you to get out there and explore the great outdoors of Queensland! Make sure you check out our Adventure Centre for more exciting destinations that you can visit with your friends, family and loved ones.

If you liked where to find the best spots for hiking in Queensland, then you might also like some of our other articles for fun destinations in QLD such as:

• Ultimate Guide To The Best Brisbane Beaches
• Best Bike Paths In & Around Brisbane
• Our Top Day Trips From Brisbane
• Best Spots For Camping On The Sunshine Coast
• Our Top 10 QLD Camping Spots

Find your local Anaconda store and check out our extensive range of camping for your next outdoor adventure.