12 long(er) day hikes on the Sunshine Coast [2024]

I acknowledge the Kabi Kabi and the Jinibara peoples as the Traditional Custodians whose lands and waters we all now share on the Sunshine Coast. I pay my respects to their Elders past and present.

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It may not be immediately obvious but the Sunshine Coast has quite a number of short walking trails, perfect for an hour or two in the great outdoors.

But unlike the Gold Coast Hinterland, which seems to offer an unending supply of hiking trails of all sizes, the Sunshine Coast is slightly more limited in the ‘long hike department’.

That said, there are options for some slightly longer day walks, including an overnight hike.

You just have to know where to go!

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FORESTS, FARMLAND AND A BIT OF COAST: LONG(ER) DAY HIKES ON THE SUNSHINE COAST

Most of the longer bush walks are in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland but there’s also Noosa National Park and a few other trails around Noosa if you want a coastal experience (and not so much forest hiking).

Most of the longer hikes on the Sunshine Coast are shortish half-day hikes so they will take you around 1.5-3 hours to complete. But there a couple of full-day options as well, or if you combine your hike with a picnic, it makes for a nice day out, I reckon. 🙂

So here are some of my favourite long(er) day hikes, i.e. more than 5km, going from north to south.

1. KIN KIN COUNTRYSIDE LOOP | KIN KIN

BASIC TRAIL INFO

DISTANCE: 14km loop
GRADE: Easy-Moderate
TRAILHEAD: Car park in the centre of Kin Kin (off Main Street)

The Kin Kin Countryside Loop is part of the Noosa Trail Network and starts, not surprisingly, in Kin Kin.

The elevation profile looks very flat but there are a couple of small hills to tackle along the way. That said, it’s a great walk to do if you’ve got knee problems or just feel like more of a relaxing day hike.

You start and finish in the town of Kin Kin, looping around farmland, local parks, dry forest and a few rural roads.

The hike is generally well-marked (follow track marker #1) but can be overgrown in some sections. Views over the countryside can be had early in the hike and towards the end as you near Kin Kin again.

2. NOOSA COASTAL TRACK | NOOSA NATIONAL PARK

BASIC TRAIL INFO

DISTANCE: 10.8km return or loop (via Tanglewood Track or Noosa Hill Track)
GRADE: Grade 4 (easy-moderate)
TRAILHEAD: Car park at day-use area (Park Road, Noosa); alternative: Sunshine Beach

The Noosa Coastal Track is one of the most popular trails on the Sunshine Coast. On a sunny day, so pretty much every day, you will meet tons of people on this trail, and for good reason.

Noosa National Park is a gorgeous spot with a coastal track that winds around coves, takes you up on cliffs and across beaches.

If you want to walk the whole length, I suggest starting from Sunshine Beach for a good cardio workout up the stairs, and for slightly less trouble finding a parking spot.

You can either walk along the coast and return the same way, or turn the hike into a loop by taking Tanglewood Track or Noosa Hill Track and then some connector walking track back to the start at Sunshine Beach (or vice versa).

More details are in the post below.

3. BORONIA-LITTORALIS LOOP | MOOLOOLAH RIVER NATIONAL PARK

BASIC TRAIL INFO

DISTANCE: 7km loop
GRADE: Grade 3 (easy)
TRAILHEAD: Car park at the end of Claymore Road, Sippy Downs; alternative: along Kawana Way (where you see the signs for 'Mooloolah River NP')

The Boronia-Littoralis Loop at Mooloolah River National Park (no, it’s not actually along the river) is not a hugely popular walk but I keep coming back because I love the gorgeous coastal heath, shrubland and scribbly gums here.

You can start at either trailhead and then loop off the Boronia trail onto the Littoralis trail (which turns into Aemula trail) or vice versa.

Unfortunately, you can hear traffic noise from the motorway nearby at times but I really enjoy this walk for some fresh air and exercise.

The track is very exposed so avoid the heat of summer or go early or late in the day. It can also get very muddy on the track during the wet season and after heavy rain.

4. KUREELPA FALLS CIRCUIT | MAPLETON NATIONAL PARK

BASIC TRAIL INFO

DISTANCE: 8.5km loop
GRADE: Grade 4 (moderate)
TRAILHEAD: Mapleton day-use area, Mapleton Forest Road, Mapleton

The Kureelpa Falls Circuit is one of the shared trails in Mapleton National Park, meaning you’re sharing the trail with mountain bikers and horse riders.

It’s not the most scenic trail as you hike through dry sclerophyll forest but it’s worth it for the fabulous Kureelpa Falls half way along the loop.

The falls are splendid after a bit of rain but even when they’re drier, the rock scrambling and exploring you can do around the creek area makes for a nice break from the trail.

Just be careful around the cliffs as the drop into the gorge is rather steep.

The hiking track itself is on the rougher side and for the most part feels like a fire management track or maintenance road. It’s not steep but there is some drop in elevation down to the falls.

Side note: If you just want to see Kureelpa Falls, you can short-circuit it by taking Kureelpa Falls Road, parking right at the end and taking the goat track across the creek.

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ALONG THE SUNSHINE COAST HINTERLAND GREAT WALK: OPTIONS FOR DAY HIKES

The entire Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk is 59km, spread over 3-4 days.

But with several access points available, you can quite easily do parts of it, whether as an overnight hike or half/full-day hikes.

The full hike traverses the Blackall Ranges and goes from Lake Baroon, Kondalilla National Park, to Mapleton National Park with a loop section through the Gheerulla Valley.

You can slice and dice the great walk in so many different ways, it’s really up to you where you want to start and how far you want to walk.

Here are a few suggestions to get you started.

5. GHEERULLA FALLS | MAPLETON NATIONAL PARK

BASIC TRAIL INFO

DISTANCE: 11km return
GRADE: Grade 4 (moderate)
TRAILHEAD: Leafy Lane car park, Mapleton Forest Road, Mapleton

Gheerulla Falls is accessible from quite a few different starting points, and you can do this walk as a quick hike or turn it into a longer loop.

For a longer hike, start at the Leafy Lane trailhead and follow the signs to the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk. Once you join the Great Walk, just follow the signs all the way to Gheerulla Falls.

A nice stop for a break / lunch is Ubajee Viewpoint just past the Ubajee walkers camp.

Return the same way.

Alternatively, you could take part of the Piccabeen Circuit once you’re past Ubajee walker’s camp to get back to Leafy Lane.

The track is great for a somewhat sunny day as you’re walking mostly through forest. It involves a bit of a descent on the way to Gheerulla Falls as you climb down the escarpment and into the Gheerulla Valley. And obviously that means a nice uphill stretch as you make your way back.

For an easier option, start at the gated entrance along Delicia Road. There isn’t really a parking area, just park off the road. From here, it’s around 3km return and relatively flat.

Please note that the gated entrance is not at the Delicia Road trailhead (M4). Go past until you see a (small) sign to Gheerulla Falls / Great Walk on your right.

6. GHEERULLA VALLEY VIEWPOINT | MAPLETON NATIONAL PARK

BASIC TRAIL INFO

DISTANCE: ~10km return
GRADE: Grade 4 (moderate)
TRAILHEAD: Gated entrance to Gheerulla Falls, Delicia Road (not M4), Mapleton

The hike to Gheerulla Valley Viewpoint takes you to a rocky lookout point over the Gheerulla Valley.

Start at the gated entrance (to Mapleton National Park) along Delicia Road. There isn’t really a parking area so just look out for the gate and some national park signs. Be aware that this is not the trailhead along Delicia Road (M4) but further along after the road has turned to gravel.

From the gate, head towards Thilba Thalba walkers camp, not past the gated entrance to Gheerulla Falls or you’ll be doing almost the entire circuit and take a long time to get the lookout!

The track is undulating if somewhat uphill to the lookout.

Gheerulla Valley Viewpoint is a nice spot for lunch as you can get some pretty views into the valley while you enjoy your picnic. Just take care around the cliffs, the area is unfenced.

7. MAPLETON FALLS TO UBAJEE VIEWPOINT | MAPLETON FALLS / MAPLETON NATIONAL PARK

BASIC TRAIL INFO

DISTANCE: 14.2km return
GRADE: Grade 4 (moderate)
TRAILHEAD: Car park at Mapleton Falls day-use area, Mapleton Falls Road, Mapleton

Another great option for a day hike is to start at Mapleton Falls (M3 trailhead), and hike to Ubajee Viewpoint and back.

It’s a mostly flat walk and very easy to find.

Just park at the day-use area at Mapleton Falls, take Wompoo Circuit and follow the Great Walk signs to Ubajee walkers camp.

The lookout is some hundred meters past the camping area and has a nice bench for a lunch break.

Return the same way.

8. SUNSHINE COAST HINTERLAND GREAT WALK: CIRCUIT SECTION | MAPLETON NATIONAL PARK

BASIC TRAIL INFO

DISTANCE: 34.7km loop
GRADE: Grade 4 (moderate)
TRAILHEAD: Several options but an easy one is Leafy Lane car park, Mapleton Forest Road, Mapleton

If you want to do an overnight hike, a really nice option is to do the circuit part of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk, starting from the Leafy Lane car park (or the Mapleton day-use area if you want to add another kilometre).

Walk past Ubajee walkers camp and then drop down into the Gheerulla Valley. Follow Gheerulla Creek for some time and then climb up onto the ridge again where the Thilba Thalba camping area is located.

You could do the loop in a day if 35km means nothing to you. But if 35km sounds like quite the distance, you can do it as a fairly leisurely overnight hike by camping at the Thilba Thalba walkers camp.

The lookout at the camping area feels like a pretty nice reward after the hard work of climbing onto the ridge!

Continue your hike the next day by hiking towards Delicia Road, Gheerulla Falls and back up to Ubajee and onto Leafy Lane.

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VOLCANIC OUTCROPS, DAMS AND HISTORIC TRAILS: DAY HIKES IN THE SOUTHERN HINTERLAND

The southern Sunshine Coast hinterland also offers a few day hikes, some of which are very much local trails and hardly ever visited by ‘tourists’.

9. EWEN MADDOCK DAM MAIN TRACK | MOOLOOLAH

BASIC TRAIL INFO

DISTANCE: 15.4km return
GRADE: Easy
TRAILHEAD: Car park at Maddock Park, Mooloolah Connection Road, Mooloolah

The Main Track at Ewen Maddock Dam starts at Maddock Park, mostly follows the lakeshore and then eventually ends at Gympie Street North.

The track is a shared trail and there’s a fair bit of horse-riding and mountain biking so keep on the lookout for other trail users.

Since it’s a one-way track, you’ll either need to organise a car shuttle at the other end (7.7km) or walk back the same way (15.4km).

Of course, you could also do less than the 7.7km and turn around sooner.

There are also a few side loops (max. 1km each) that you can add on if you want a longer hike. A great option is actually to walk to one of the loop tracks and use that as your turn around point.

10. ROSES CIRCUIT | DULARCHA NATIONAL PARK

BASIC TRAIL INFO

DISTANCE: 8km loop
GRADE: Grade 4 (moderate)
TRAILHEAD: Car park at the end of Paget Street, Mooloolah (northern end); alternatively: park at Beech Road, Landsborough (southern end)

The Roses Circuit is a great training hike for uphill (or downhill) fitness.

The tunnel section is straightforward and flat but as soon as you start the Roses Circuit track it’s uphill until you reach the Old Maleny Road exit. You’ve then got a bit of a flatter section only to descend all the way to the old railway tunnel again.

The hike is through dry sclerophyll forest and not particularly scenic but in terms of exercise and getting your heart rate up, it’s hard to beat.

Keep in mind that all the trails in Dularcha are shared trails and there’s a fair bit of mountain biking happening here so be on the lookout (even though they should be giving way to you).

11. TRACHYTE CIRCUIT | GLASS HOUSE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

BASIC TRAIL INFO

DISTANCE: 5.7km loop (add-on: ~9km with Tibrogargan Circuit)
GRADE: Grade 3 (easy)
TRAILHEAD: Tibrogargan day-use area, Barrs/Marshs Road, Glass House Mountain

Both the Tibrogargan and the Trachyte Circuits have had a bit of a make-over in the last few years. Part of the Trachyte Circuit has been re-routed so that it’s now slightly shorter than it used to be.

The Trachyte Circuit is a fairly easy trail, there only are a couple of uphill-ish sections but for the most part it’s flat and easy walking.

Jack Ferris Lookout is a highlight with great views of Mount Beerwah and Mount Tibrogargan. On a clear day, you may even glimpse Caloundra in the far distance.

For a longer walk, tag the Tibrogargan Circuit on at the end (or start with it). This adds about 3km to the hike, and you’ll end up doing roughly 9km. Tibrogargan is the more popular track of the two so expect more traffic on this trail.

I prefer the Trachyte Circuit because you get excellent views of Mount Tibrogargan, and the scenery seems slightly more interesting.

12. YUL-YAN-MAN TRACK | GLASS HOUSE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

BASIC TRAIL INFO

DISTANCE: 8.8km return or loop (via Soldier Settlers Track)
GRADE: Grade 5 (moderate-difficult)
TRAILHEAD: Beerburrum day-use area, Beerburrum Road, Beerburrum

The Yul-Yan-Man Track rated as a difficult (Grade 5) track. If you’ve got some hiking experience and are comfortable with rock scrambling, you should be fine.

The hike starts from the Beerburrum car park and very quickly climbs up involving big boulders as you sidle past Mount Beerburrum.

You get some lovely views of the Glass House Mountains as you reach the bluff.

From the bluff, you scramble down an exposed rock face so don’t attempt this hike on a rainy day.

To make it a loop, use the Soldier Settlers Trail at the end to return to your starting point. Since this is a shared trail, it’s wide and makes for easy walking.

The trail is fairly exposed and can be quite strenuous if you’re doing it on a hot day.

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MORE OPTIONS FOR HIKING TRAILS

There are a few more hiking trails longer than 5km on the coast but they’re not necessarily my go-to ones. But of course, it’s also nice to try somewhere different.

• Piccabeen Circuit (6.7km loop) | Mapleton National Park: A shared trail through blackbutt forest. You’ll have to cross Gheerulla Creek a few times.
• Lake Baroon to Kondalilla day-use area (11.4km one-way) | Kondalilla National Park: This track follows the first (or last) section of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk and involves a fairly steep section down to Obi Obi Creek. Obviously you don’t have to walk as far as the day-use area in Kondalilla, you could turn around whenever you want.
• Booloumba Creek to Mount Allan (11km return) | Conondale National Park: Starting from Booloumba Creek day-use area, this track follows the Conondale Great Walk to the fire tower at Mount Allan and offers great views into the valley.

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MAP OF HIKING TRAIL LOCATIONS

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SUMMING UP

At first it might seem like there aren’t that many hiking trails on the Sunshine Coast but you can actually find plenty once you start looking a bit more.

Most of the longer Sunshine Coast walking trails are in the hinterland but there are also a few trails around Noosa.

Let me know in the comments if I’ve missed a particularly wonderful hike on the coast, and I’ll be super happy to go check it out!

Happy hiking,

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MORE POSTS ON THE SUNSHINE COAST

If you don’t have the time or inclination to do one of the longer walks on the Sunshine Coast, I’ve also got plenty of suggestions for short hikes on the Sunshine Coast, all under 5km.

Alternatively, you could visit some coastal lookouts, some of which you can conveniently drive to in your car or just walk a couple of hundred metres.

You can also find more details on the Noosa Coastal Track or the Mount Coolum Summit Walk.

If you don’t feel like hiking, check out my list of free things to do on the Sunshine Coast.

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