Hike & Walk | Cape Range, Western Australia | Australia
3 great walks in Cape Range National Park
Text | Anninka Kraus
Photography | Tobias Kraus
Australia Western Australia
Cape Range National Park is situated within the Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area and was one of our favourite spots on the North West Cape. The park is a striking red limestone landscape where rugged cliffs and gorges border on the mesmerizing turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean.
Obviously, most visitors are first drawn to the diverse marine environment of the Ningaloo Reef and sublime white sand beaches that sit like a string of pearls along the Coral Coast.
The remote outback of Ningaloo Marine Park however is just as fascinating and has some well-marked walking trails waiting to be explored. We visited in winter when the terrain was lacking in lush vegetation and looked rather barren. Yet even at this time of the year, the scenery was splendid and the park was not at all the lifeless, desolate place it seemed at first.
The rock formations, coloured in various shades of red and purple, that skirted the endless sweep of white sand and sparkling crystal-clear waters added much beauty to these arid surrounds. And we saw at least a dozen black-flanked rock wallabies clinging precariously to the sheer cliff face and nibbling on plants.
In addition to the walks, I highly recommend snorkelling and swimming with whale sharks on the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef, Australia’s largest and most accessible fringing reef.
There are several tour operators offering snorkelling and diving trips to the reef. We went with Wavelength Reef Cruises who did an excellent job introducing us to this precious ecosystem. We spotted about two dozen humpback whales that day and swam with a couple of baby whale sharks.
If you want to explore the reef and the rocky outback wilderness in Cape Range National Park, you should plan to spend at least a couple of days on the North West Cape. Try staying at one of the eleven campgrounds that are set along the gorgeous Cape Range coast. Many offer stunning ocean views and, to us, these campgrounds were among the most beautiful in Western Australia. Pre-booking is essential and if you’re planning to visit in peak season, you may have to book several months in advance.
jump ahead
Mandu Mandu Gorge Walk
Starting from Mandu Mandu Gorge car park, 15 kilometres south of Milyering Visitor Centre, this Class 4 trail meanders along the dry creek bed of Mandu Mandu Gorge. There’s no actual trail visible but trail markers point the way across the vast expanse of large rounded pebbles.
Where the vertical red limestone cliffs grow taller and start peering down sternly upon the narrowing creek bed, the markers point up the steep slope to your left. It’s a bit of a climb, but from the top, you’ll have sweeping views into the gorge and across the Ningaloo Reef.
Tracing the rim, the trail winds across the sun-blasted plateau and swings back towards the coast. The views down the sheer rock face and out across the sea are spectacular the entire way back as you complete the loop.
The walk is best done early or late in the day to avoid the extreme midday heat. That’s also when you’re most likely to spot rare rock wallabies.
track details.
Walk | Loop trail | 1 hour
Start/End: Mandu Mandu Gorge car park
Distance: 2.6km
Time: 1 hour
Elevation: 55 meters (+/-) (lowest point: 15m / highest point: 80m)
Difficulty: Class 4
map Mandu Mandu Gorge Walk
Yardie Nature Walk
The Yardie Nature Walk is a gentle amble into the Yardie Creek gorge.
The wheelchair-friendly Class 1 trail runs along the northern side of the gorge with spectacular views of the sheer red cliffs rising from the opposite side of the river.
Yardie Creek Trail
The Yardie Gorge Trail is an extension of the Yardie Nature Walk. Just before you arrive at the turnaround point on the Nature Walk, you’ll pass by a trailhead and narrow path forking off to the left.
That’s the start of the Class 4 Yardie Gorge Trail. Unlike the wide, flat walkway you’ll have followed this far, the Gorge Trail commences a steady climb into the rugged range to a high point above the gorge overlooking Yardie Creek and the Ningaloo Reef.
There’s very little shade along this trail, so it’s best to avoid the sweltering midday heat. And, your best chance of seeing some local wildlife on this walk, like the rare black-footed wallaby hiding in small caves within the rock face, is also in the early morning or late afternoon.
track details.
Walk the Yardie Creek Trail (incl. Yardie Nature Walk) | Loop trail | 1 hour
Start/End: Yardie Creek car park
Distance: 2.7km
Time: 1 hour
Elevation: 20 meters (+/-) (lowest point: 5m / highest point: 30m)
Difficulty: Class 1, wheelchair friendly (Yardie Nature Walk), Class 4 (Yardie Creek Trail)
map Yardie Creek Trail (incl. Yardie Nature Walk)
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