Australia is a walking wonderland, which makes living here a dream for a self-proclaimed outdoor enthusiast like me. Before travelling to a new destination, one of the first things I do is research the top hikes and trails. To me, it’s the best way to get to know a place and experience its most scenic sights up close.
If you asked me earlier this year about my favourite walk in Australia, I would’ve tossed up between the multi-day Three Capes Track in Tasmania or the more relaxed Malabar Headland Walk in Sydney. But after a recent trip to Exmouth, I might’ve discovered a new front-runner – and chances are, you’ve likely never heard of it.
That hike is the Yardie Gorge Trail, one of only a few marked walking tracks within Western Australia’s stunning Cape Range National Park – which is often likened to Australia's mini Grand Canyon by the sea. It’s roughly a 60-minute drive to Yardie Creek from the closest town, Exmouth, which I’d recommend as a base for your Coral Coast adventures. The road hugs the coastline, offering breathtaking views of the ranges to your left and the 300-kilometre-long Ningaloo Reef to your right.
Yardie Creek is one of the southernmost points of the national park, so you’ll pass plenty of other Cape Range hotspots along the way. These include Vlaming Head Lighthouse (a fab sunset spot), Mandu Mandu Gorge (a more challenging hike), Oyster Shack (an isolated snorkelling spot) and Turquoise Bay (named Australia’s best beach in 2025). However, we recommend saving the last one for a post-hike swim!
From the car park, it’s a short walk to the trailhead, where you’ll find a small jetty. If you’re not a hiker like me – or if the weather is too hot – taking a boat cruise from here is a great way to see the creek from a different perspective. Though you’ll miss out on one major highlight: those breathtaking views that stretch across the gorge all the way to the shimmering turquoise waters of the Ningaloo Reef.
First, you’ll have to earn those views! The opening section of the Yardie Creek Nature Walk is incredibly peaceful, filled with chirpy birds and native wildflowers in winter. Around 600 metres in, you’ll reach the end of the nature walk, where you can either turn back or continue on the Yardie Gorge Trail for an extra 1.5 kilometres. This section features a mix of steep climbs and descents over red rock cliffs, which was a welcome challenge for a mountain goat like me. While I didn’t see any, hikers often spot rare black-footed wallabies hiding in the rock walls – so look out!
Once I reached the top, I was rewarded with surreal views of the rugged clifftops stretching along the creek and across the sandy shore to the Indian Ocean. The red limestone cliffs reflected in the deep blue water running between the gorges, while short green shrubs added vibrant pops of colour. By this point, I must’ve exclaimed, “This is so beautiful!” at least 50 times – but it was a view so stunning I needed to verbalise it to remind myself it was real.