The Scenic Rim Trail

Moss covers a fallen tree, ferns reach out across the path, vines dangle down from a canopy far above my head. I’ve been out hiking in the rainforest for most of the day and haven’t seen a single person.

Bird calls fill the air and the rustle of leaves alert me to even more animals. It’s just me and them. Although this is one of the best multi-day hikes near Brisbane, if you hike the Scenic Rim Trail, there will be many times when you may feel like you have it all to yourself.

The 47-kilometre trail (longer if you’re using the luxury accommodation along the way) is raw and rugged. Although some stretches are easy, there are parts that make you work for every single view.

But the payoff is extraordinary. Much of the trail passes through gorgeous rainforests that have an ancient, almost spiritual, energy. And from atop some of the ridges, you’ll look out and see dramatic mountains of volcanic rock.

Although the Scenic Rim Trail is relatively easy to reach from Brisbane, you can’t just turn up in sneakers and hope for the best. To do the multi-day hike, you need to make some bookings in advance, you need the right gear, and you need to be physically prepared.

There is an option to walk the Scenic Rim Trail independently, but most people will do it as some kind of tour. However you approach this stunning route, the physical challenge remains the same.

What is the Scenic Rim Trail?

The Scenic Rim Trail has two big accolades – it is one of Queensland’s Great Walks and it’s one of the Great Walks of Australia.

Officially, the Scenic Rim Trail is a 47-kilometre hiking route that mostly stretches across the glorious Main Range National Park, although it also goes through some private property.

If you’re doing a tour that stays at the luxury accommodation along the way, the total length will be about 60 kilometres.

It’s located in southeast Queensland, about 90 minutes’ drive west of Brisbane or two hours’ drive west of the Gold Coast. The one-way trail starts in the north at the Thornton View Nature Refuge and you’ll push your way south, finishing at Cunninghams Gap.

To be clear, this isn’t a manicured flat walking track. It’s a series of steep climbs, exposed ridgelines, and dense forest floors.

Scenic Rim Trail flyover:

Much of the trail is through Gondwana rainforests, which get their name because they’re what covered much of the supercontinent up to 180 million years ago. This is the landscape dinosaurs once walked through (which is why it’s one of Australia’s World Heritage Sites).

You’ll see giant spear lilies clinging to cliff edges. You’ll walk past grass trees that are hundreds of years old and stand four metres tall. But you’ll also face mud, loose rocks, and sections of track that are completely overgrown.

Now, I’m going to walk you through the standard four-day itinerary, and then break down the different ways you can walk the Scenic Rim Trail, including the new self-guided luxury option.

Scenic Rim Trail: 4-day itinerary

Although there’s a standard route for the Scenic Rim Trail through the Main Range National Park, keep in mind that there are slight variations if you’re doing a guided or self-guided tour because you may have slightly longer detours to the accommodation.

But however you’re doing the Scenic Rim Trail, you’re still climbing the same mountains and navigating the same ancient rainforests!

Day 1

Distance: 9km
Time: 5-6 hours

Day one is the hardest. There is no sugar-coating it.

To get up to the ridge that the trail follows for the next few days, everyone has to do the same steep climb through eucalyptus and grass trees.

You start at the Thornton View trailhead and immediately face a massive ascent, gaining around 600 metres in elevation. It’s an arduous, lung-busting climb.

A few of the scrambles up the rocks are particularly difficult. If you’ve got issues with your knees or other mobility considerations, you may need some help here.

But the reward hits you as soon as you crest the ridge. The views back east across the Laidley Valley towards the skyscrapers of Brisbane are spectacular.

You’ll finish the day at your first camp, either the public Mount Mistake walkers camp or the private farmhouse accommodation.

Day 2

Distance: 14.5km camp/18km guided
Time: 6-8 hours

This is a massive day on your feet. But it’s also where the magic starts to happens.

For most of the way, you’ll be following old logging routes. A rusting wreck of machinery left in the bush is a stark reminder that this area was once a bustling forestry site.

But it’s quite incredible the way the environment shifts so suddenly early on. You step out of the dry exposed ridges and plunge straight into the ancient subtropical Gondwana Rainforest.

The temperature drops, the light dims, and the air smells like damp earth and decaying leaves. When I did the walk, there was mist hanging in the trees the whole day.

The trail today is is wider and less technical than day one. It’s a long way but it’s mainly flat, other then a gradual incline for a couple of kilometres in the middle. It’s also hard to get lost, so you’ll move quite quickly.

Day 3

Distance: 10.5km camp/13km guided
Time: 6-8 hours

Day three is my favourite of the four days of the Scenic Rim Trail. It’s all about deep rainforest immersion in the most remote parts of the national park..

Compared to the first couple of days, the track gets messy. The trail is heavily forested and you need to pay strict attention to where you are putting your boots. Hazards like fallen trees, loose rocks, and slippery mud are everywhere.

You’ll navigate extensive sections of Grade 5 track, which means it’s unformed, steep, and completely unforgiving. You’ll even be hopping on mossy boulders to cross creeks at the bottom of waterfalls.

But it’s not all just staring at your feet. You get brilliant visual breaks.

For instance, the trail pushes out to spectacular lookouts along the escarpment. You stand right on the edge of the cliffs, looking out over the Fassifern Valley, before diving back into the dense green canopy.

Day 4

Distance: 13km camp/14.7km guided
Time: 5-6 hours

Your final day starts with a heart-warming climb. It gets the blood pumping early.

You’ll push through more sections of rugged Grade 5 trail, staying high on the ridges. And although there is still some rainforest here, there are also pine trees from the logging days.

The highlight of the morning is reaching Bare Rock. You have to tackle a short rock scramble to get there, but you emerge to incredible 360-degree views across the entire Scenic Rim.

From there, the hardest work is done. You join the more established public trails for the final descent.

In fact, the last six kilometres is quite easy and this is where I start to see other hikers (other than my group) for the first time in four days.

It’s a gentle walk downhill through sun-dappled eucalypt woodland and a popular hiking trail for day-trippers from Brisbane. The track spits you out at The Crest car park at Cunninghams Gap.

Your knees and calves will likely be a bit sore, but the sense of achievement is massive.

How to do the Scenic Rim Trail

The Scenic Rim Trail is a little different than many of Australia’s multi-day walks because it was developed by a private company (called Scenic Rim Trail) in partnership with the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.

It means that the commercial options for doing the walk – the guided tours and self-guided tours – tend to be the focus of the route. The independent option is less popular and doesn’t have nearly as much infrastructure.

But having said that, there is no “right” or “wrong” way to walk this trail. It entirely depends on what kind of experience and cost you’re looking for.

Hike the Scenic Rim Trail independently

If you want to do this on the cheap, you can hike the 47-kilometre route entirely independently using these instructions from QPWS.

Everyone has to walk from north to south, no exceptions, so there are three campsites you can stay at, which are designed to make it a four-day walk.

The first two campsites (Mount Mistake and Castle View) have dirt patches for you to pitch a tent, as well as a drop toilet and a water tank (you should treat the water before drinking). The third campsite (Banshee) is similar but it has wooden platforms for tents.

Don’t expect luxury, but the campsites are clean and well-maintained. You have to book them in advance online and pay the camping fee ($7.75 a night per campsite).

When you book the campsites, the system automatically charges you for three nights because you have to move on to the next one each day.

With gear, you have to carry absolutely everything. That means your tent, sleeping bag, stove, food, and emergency equipment. You also have to carry and treat all your own drinking water.

This option is strictly for physically fit, experienced long-distance bushwalkers. The track is not a hardened path.

Although it’s generally quite well-marked, there are some areas where it’s possible to go off track and get lost. There isn’t phone reception for a lot of the route. So you do need to carry options for navigation.

4-day guided tour of the Scenic Rim Trail

Doing the Scenic Rim Trail on a four-day guided tour has been the most popular way to experience the area since the route launched.

It’s easy to see why. You get the rugged wilderness during the day, and luxury accommodation with chef-prepared meals at night.

The standard tour offered by the Scenic Rim Trail company is the four-day guided option. You walk about 60 kilometres in total because of some detours off the main track to get to the accommodation.

The first night, you stay in a gorgeous farmhouse that’s been renovated so there are comfortable bedrooms, each with a private ensuite.

The second and third night, you stay in specially built ecocamps (that are very similar in design to each other), with separate wooden cabins connected by an elevated walkway.

All your meals are provided, included a hearty morning breakfast, a packed lunch for the trail, and a warm dinner in the evening. You’ll generally eat with the group and be able to chat with your fellow hikers.

The guides are a huge asset on a tour like this. You’ll learn about the logging history of the region, as well as the important Indigenous heritage, particularly with ancient trees and the shapes of the mountains.

When you hear a bird call in the canopy, they can tell you exactly what it is. If you want to know what plants you’re looking at, they will have an answer.

It can also be comforting to know you don’t have to worry about navigation, and you’ll have some help with some of the trickier parts of the trail (especially the climb up the rocks on the first day). They are also trained in first aid and have equipment for emergencies.

You do have to carry your own pack, though (they used to offer luggage transfer with the tour, but now that’s an optional add-on that you need to pay for).

Self-guided tour of the Scenic Rim Trail

Doing the Scenic Rim Trail unguided was only added as a four-day tour in mid-2026 and it’s a great option if you’re looking for a middle ground.

It’s the same path, the same luxury accommodation, and the same meals as the guided tour, but you do all the walking independently because there are no guides, just a host waiting at the farmhouse and ecocamps.

This is a great choice for people who are experienced hikers so don’t need a guide for navigation or safety, and it’s good if you want to walk at your own pace (fast or slow).

It’s also significantly cheaper than the guided tour.

You’ll be given digital trails that you can import into any map app and use that for navigation. There aren’t many markers along the Scenic Rim Trail, so there will be points you’ll likely need to use some kind of map, especially as the accommodation is slightly off the main route.

The main downside is that you lose the on-trail knowledge of a guide, which is a shame when walking through a World Heritage Site with so many stories. There’s a lot of logging history, Indigenous heritage and botanical information that would be nice to know.

Other guided tours

If four days doesn’t fit your schedule, the Scenic Rim Trail company has a few alternatives that can either give you a taste – or take you even further.

There’s a two-day guided walk where you’ll stay at luxury tent accommodation off the trail and do trips into the southern section of the walk to see some of the rainforest.

There’s a three-day guided walk that is similar to the four-day itinerary but skips the first day, which has the long uphill climb. This tour is usually only offered in the warmer months and is essentially a way to focus only on the cooler rainforest stretches.

And then there’s a six-day guided tour. For this one, you’ll do the normal four-day walk along the whole Scenic Rim Trail, and than have extra days either side to do a bit more walking and have some relaxing time at luxury lodges.