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Noosa Nationwide Park is a spotlight of the gorgeous seashore city of Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
The free park options gorgeous coastal and forest trails, quiet seashores, and loads of birds and wildlife, all simply accessible from Noosa Major Seaside.
Don’t count on to have the paths to your self because it’s widespread with locals and guests for walks, runs, and browsing. You could find quiet spots, although, particularly in the event you head inland. Dawn is my favorite time to go to.
Throughout my three months in Noosa, I visited the park many instances for runs and walks.
On this submit, I share the perfect walks in Noosa Nationwide Park with decisions for all skills from a brief coastal stroll to longer trails that go deeper into the park’s quieter sections.
You’ll discover a Noosa Nationwide Park map close to the top of the submit.
Contents
Learn how to Get to Noosa Nationwide Park
This submit focuses on the Noosa Headland part of Noosa Nationwide Park. That is by far the most well-liked space of the park with essentially the most strolling trails.
The start line for all of the Noosa Nationwide Park walks under (besides #7) is the Noosa Nationwide Park automotive park, which is 1km or a 3-minute drive from Hastings Avenue and Major Seaside in Noosa Heads (the hub of Noosa).
Parking on the Nationwide Park automotive park is free and is 4P (restricted to 4 hours). There are further areas simply exterior the automotive park dealing with the ocean and on Mitti Avenue which might be 2P (two hours solely).
Whereas there are many areas, they do replenish quick. For a morning stroll, I’d arrive by 8am (ideally earlier) to ensure a spot.
If the surf is up, it may possibly even replenish earlier. On one excessive event, I couldn’t get parked at 6.20am (10 minutes earlier than dawn in July) as a result of there have been so many surfers.
Late afternoon can be a better time to get a parking area, particularly if 2P is sufficient for you.
The instances and distances for the walks under are from the Nationwide Park automotive park. In case you are staying on Hastings Avenue, it’ll be simpler to stroll to the park. This provides an additional 1km/ 15- 20 minutes every means.
The stroll from Hastings Avenue is nice. From the top of Major Seaside observe the trail subsequent to Park Street up the hill. You’ll quickly attain an elevated boardwalk which takes you to the park entrance previous Little Cove Seaside with some beautiful views on the best way.
The Alexandria Bay stroll (#7 under) begins in Sunshine Seaside and is way simpler to get parked at.
Noosa Nationwide Park Amenities
On the Noosa Nationwide Park day-use space subsequent to the automotive park there are bathrooms, picnic tables, electrical BBQs, consuming water, a map, and a small espresso kiosk (open 7am – 1pm).
On the path, the one bathrooms are simply previous Tea Tree Bay (about quarter-hour into the Noosa coastal observe).
Be sure to take all of the water and snacks you want.
If you wish to eat earlier than or after your stroll, see our detailed information to the greatest eating places in Noosa together with choices in Hastings Avenue and Sunshine Seaside (at both ends of the coastal observe).
What’s the Greatest Stroll in Noosa Nationwide Park?
In the event you solely have time for one of many walks in Noosa Nationwide Park, make it the Coastal Stroll, which is among the greatest issues to do in Noosa.
The complete path is 10.8km return, however you don’t have to hike the entire option to get pleasure from fantastic views. Under I’ve included choices for walks from 20 minutes to 2.5 hours.
The stroll is straightforward to observe and is pretty flat with solely small hills on the best way to Hell’s Gates (it’s hillier previous there however nothing too difficult).
The gorgeous path is partly by way of bush (strive searching for koalas, though we had no luck) with some extra uncovered sections.
There are ocean views nearly the entire means, and in the event you do the total stroll, you’ll stroll on the lengthy seashore at Alexandria Bay.
In the event you don’t wish to do the entire Noosa Nationwide Park Coastal Stroll, I like to recommend Stroll #2 under to Hell’s Gates.
Noosa Nationwide Park Walks
1) Noosa Coastal Stroll to Tea Tree Bay
Distance: 1.5km out and again
Time: 20 minutes
Complete elevation acquire: 26 metres
The primary part of the Noosa Coastal Stroll from the automotive park to Dolphin Level is paved and wheelchair accessible.
In case you are quick on time or power, you might simply stroll to Tea Tree Bay and again on the straightforward path (with only a few small inclines).
Boiling Pot Lookout is the primary cease on the coastal path, simply 5 minutes from the beginning. In tough circumstances, you may see the way it acquired its identify because the surf crashes into the rocks.
You may also see Tea Tree Bay within the distance.
On calm days you would possibly get fortunate and see turtles (though we by no means did).
An extra five-minute stroll from Boiling Pot you’ll attain the beginning of Tea Tree Bay, the prettiest seashore in Noosa Nationwide Park.
It is a widespread surf spot, however on calm days it may be good for a swim (simply watch out because it’s unpatrolled).
There are bathrooms simply previous Tea Tree Bay—the one ones on the path.
There are indicators saying to look out for koalas within the timber subsequent to Tea Tree Bay, however these at the moment are very uncommon within the park and we’ve by no means seen one.
You will note loads of bush turkeys, although! And in the event you hear a loud, human-like cackle, it’s most likely a kookaburra.
In the event you solely desire a quick stroll, flip again at Tea Tree Bay. If you’d like a style of the rainforest too, you might add on the quick Palm Grove Stroll (#5 under) as soon as you come back to the automotive park.
In case you are strolling from Hastings Avenue, the stroll to Tea Tree Bay will likely be about 3.5km and 50 minutes return.
2) Noosa Coastal Stroll to Hell’s Gates
Distance: 5.3km out and again
Time: 1 hour quarter-hour
Complete elevation acquire: 68 metres
In the event you can, it’s properly price persevering with additional alongside the coastal observe till Hell’s Gates. The views simply get higher!
See Stroll #1 for particulars on the primary part of the path. 5 minutes previous Tea Tree Bay is the subsequent lookout, Dolphin Level, which is a slight detour off to the left.
Sadly, we’ve by no means seen dolphins right here nevertheless it’s all the time price a glance.
From right here the path is now not paved—it’s a sandy/packed filth observe.
10 minutes previous Dolphin Level is Granite Bay, one in all my favorite components of the stroll. The path opens up with unobstructed views all the way down to the pebbly/sandy Winch Cove and smaller Picnic Cove.
You hardly ever see anybody on these seashores because it’s a steep observe down, it’s not secure for swimming, and at excessive tide, the seashore disappears. The occasional adventurous surfer makes it out right here.
About 10 minutes additional alongside is among the most Instagrammable spots in Noosa Nationwide Park, the Fairy Swimming pools. These should not signposted or on any official maps as you must clamber down slippery rocks to achieve them.
They’re marked on Google Maps (see our map under). After Picnic Cove you’ll attain two stone benches after which a rope fence on a headland. When the rope ends, go away the path and stroll down the rocks to the swimming pools.
When the ocean is calm (low or mid tide is greatest), you may float within the small swimming pools amongst the rocks.
Truthfully, I don’t perceive their excessive recognition. More often than not they appear fairly harmful with the ocean crashing into the swimming pools.
To get the proper photograph you want simply the appropriate circumstances with the solar shining into the swimming pools making them a translucent blue.
The Fairy Swimming pools are about 35 minutes from the beginning of the coastal path and 5 minutes earlier than Hell’s Gates, the final cease on this model of the stroll.
After strolling on a flat part of open path with panoramic views (and we noticed a wallaby as soon as), you’ll attain the eroded sandstone outcrop on the tip of the peninsula.
You possibly can see stunning Alexandria Bay right here, however you’ll get a greater view in the event you proceed on the path for a couple of minutes.
There are a number of log benches at Hell’s Gates and that is the perfect spot to take a break and look out for dolphins (which we did see!) and in winter, whales.
In the event you don’t wish to full the total coastal path, that is the best turnaround level. If you’d like an extended stroll, see walks #3 and #4 under.
3) Coastal Stroll and Tanglewood Monitor
Distance: 7.2km loop
Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Complete elevation acquire: 109 metres
My favorite Noosa Nationwide Park stroll (and run) is to take the Coastal Stroll to Hell’s Gates (as described in #2) and proceed about 5 minutes previous it the place there’s a turn-off to the Tanglewood Monitor.
Following the Tanglewood again to the automotive park is an extended however a lot quieter route and takes you thru gorgeous, ever-changing rainforest and eucalypt forest alive with birdsong.
The path is slightly uphill at first however then ranges off earlier than descending to the automotive park.
If you wish to run in Noosa Nationwide Park, I like to recommend beginning the coastal observe earlier than 6.30am because it will get very busy and it’s tough to go individuals on the slim path. The inland tracks like Tanglewood are a lot quieter.
4) Coastal Stroll to Sunshine Seaside
Distance: 10.6km out and again (to the highest of Sunshine Seaside steps)
Time: 2.5 hours (plus breaks)
Complete elevation acquire: 190 metres
In case you have the time and power, contemplate the total Coastal Stroll to Sunshine Seaside.
Comply with stroll #3 above and proceed on previous Hell’s Gates. The path takes you all the way down to Alexandria Bay, a protracted, remoted seashore that’s normally quiet (though widespread with nudists).
The ocean is usually too tough for swimming, and there aren’t any amenities right here, nevertheless it’s an exquisite spot.
Stroll alongside the seashore till you see the path signal on the different finish. Then stroll up the rocky steps by way of the bush—the toughest a part of the stroll up to now.
As soon as on the prime, there’s a shocking view of Sunshine Seaside. We turned again right here because it’s a steep climb all the way down to the seashore if you’re simply going to show again round.
If you wish to go to the Sunshine Seaside cafes (simply inland from the surf membership), it’ll most likely add an additional 1km every means. You might additionally take a bus or Uber again to Noosa from right here.
In any other case, return the best way you got here.
5) Palm Grove Stroll
Distance: 1.1km loop
Time: quarter-hour
Complete elevation acquire: 21 metres
The Palm Grove Stroll is a really quick and simple path by way of the forest that begins behind the bathrooms on the automotive park.
It’s typically neglected so it may be a peaceable add-on to a brief coastal stroll in the event you don’t wish to do the for much longer Tanglewood Monitor.
The spectacular timber embody piccabeen palms, strangler figs, tuckeroos, crow’s ash, and kauri pines. The birds may be loud!
6) Noosa Hill Stroll
Distance: 2.8 km out and again (or 3.7km loop)
Time: 45 minutes
Complete elevation acquire: 140 metres
Noosa Hill Stroll is among the quietest trails within the nationwide park—I noticed nobody else once I ran it! The NP map manages expectations by saying that the observe has restricted views, so maybe this places individuals off.
Whereas I wouldn’t advocate doing this in the event you solely have time for one stroll (the coastal observe is extra scenic), it’s undoubtedly price doing if you’re searching for a steeper or extra peaceable stroll.
From the automotive park, stroll down the coastal observe for about 50 metres and also you’ll see the yellow signal to the Hill Stroll on the appropriate.
It’s uphill all the best way to the summit, nevertheless it’s not too steep. You go by way of open forests of blue gums, ruby-sapped bloodwoods, and Moreton Bay ash timber.
Whereas there aren’t any sweeping views, you do get glimpses of the ocean by way of the timber all through, and it was particularly beautiful within the morning mild.
There’s a 150-metre detour up a rocky, slim part of the path to the summit. The view wasn’t any higher than what you see on the best way up, although.
You might return again the best way you got here, however I did an extended 3.7km loop again by way of a signposted hyperlink observe, which connects to the Tanglewood Stroll (go proper on the junctions).
I like to recommend this manner again as you go by way of denser and extra different forests.
It may be much less steep in the event you begin on the Tanglewood first—this Alltrails web page for the Noosa Hill Monitor to Tanglewood Monitor says the three.5km circuit takes a mean of 1 hour with 116m of elevation acquire.
7) Alexandria Bay Stroll
Distance: 4.2km out and again
Time: 50 minutes
Complete elevation acquire: 118 metres
The Alexandria Bay Stroll is the one one on this checklist that doesn’t begin on the Noosa Headlands automotive park.
As a substitute, it begins on Parkedge Street within the suburbs of Sunshine Seaside (marked as Alexandria Bay Stroll on Google Maps). Regardless that solely road parking is accessible, it was by no means busy for us.
This was our favorite afternoon stroll after we knew getting parked at Noosa Headlands can be tough.
There’s a map on the entrance and it’s straightforward to observe the purple indicators. The gratifying stroll takes you thru the forest (with one open part with ocean views) to the gorgeous seashore at Alexandria Bay and again.
There are some small hills however nothing too difficult.
If you’d like an extended stroll, you may hook up with the coastal stroll on the seashore.
Noosa Nationwide Park Map
Is Noosa Nationwide Park Value Visiting?
Sure, Noosa Nationwide Park is a should do on any journey to Noosa! Even in the event you solely have time for a brief stroll to Tea Tree Bay, it’s properly price doing particularly because it’s so near Major Seaside.
The Coastal Stroll is the spotlight of the park, however you probably have the time, the gorgeous forest trails are a good way to flee the crowds.
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