Hikers Guide To Windin Falls In QLD Australia

Windin Falls is an incredible hike that offers an awe-inspiring view and vantage point of the Atherton Tablelands and Mulgrave Valley. When you reach the top, you will get to stand in a natural picturesque infinity pool that leads into an impressively tall waterfall. The hiking trail is roughly 4.5 km (one-way) and takes hikers through the rainforest of the Wooroonooran National Park, with a small loop near the ascent to the falls.

Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 9.0 km total
Suggested Duration: 3-5 hours
Signage: Some signage
Facilities: Parking lot

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Key Features Of Windin Falls

Located in Wooroonooran National Park
Leads to the stunning Windin Falls, a series of tiered waterfalls
Offers opportunities for swimming and enjoying the natural pools
Passes through lush rainforest and tropical landscapes
Ideal for hikers seeking a rewarding waterfall hike
Spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding rainforest and mountains
View of the Atherton Tablelands and Mulgrave Valley

Before You Start Hiking Windin Falls

Before beginning the hike to Windin Falls, there are a few things we feel you should know.

First, as is the case with any hikes in the Australian Tropics, it’s key to check the weather for rainfall and be prepared! We recommend planning ahead in this regard, particularly during the wet (summer) season.

Next is that insect repellent and sunscreen will make for a much more pleasurable experience. The tropical sun and bugs have the potential to make an otherwise awesome hike unenjoyable.

Google maps the “Windin Falls Car Park” location and prepares for a windy road (if coming from Cairns or Innisfail). The drive was almost as fun as the hike (all motion sickness aside)!

It’s also worth noting that this hike does take place within a natural park, so, unfortunately, that means no dogs are allowed.

There are no “trading hours” for this trail, but we advise starting no later than 3 p.m. to allow ample daylight during the hike.

The Wooroonooran National Park is home to over 500 different plant species and plenty of wildlife. Be cautious of spiders, snakes, and plants, some of which are poisonous.

There are markers throughout the hike to help you stay on the proper path, so getting lost shouldn’t be an issue.

The infinity pool is breathtaking but small, and it gets busy quickly. We recommend doing the hike early in the morning to beat the crowd!

About The Wooroonooran National Park

Wooroonooran translates to “Black Rock.” Since 1988, this national park has been one of the many Wet Tropics World Heritage Areas.

The Wooroonooran National Park is home to some of the oldest surviving rainforests in the world and Queensland’s two tallest mountains: Mount Bartle Frere (1622 m) and Mount Bellenden Ker (1592 m).

Our Experience Hiking Windin Falls

After driving through the winding roads and the farmland, we arrived at the Windin Falls car park. Our rental car’s navigation system got us there without issue.

We hiked the Windin Falls track in March of 2020, the day before flying back to Canada. That’s the wet season in northern Queensland. Fortunately for us, the rain held off, and it was a bright and sunny day for our adventure.

That made for two general modes of hiking for about half of the hike:

Dry terrain with the hot sun beating down on us.
Muddy terrain with rainforest canopy shading us from above.

We were wearing waterproof footwear for the hike, so this wasn’t a massive deal though we almost lost our shoes in the mud a few times.

For many hikers, mud isn’t a big deal and only acts to slow us down. There were no points at which the trail was completely washed out.

Walking through the Australian rainforest is one of our fondest memories of our visit to the country. The Windin Falls track stands out as a favourite.

Other than the muddy parts, the trail is wide and fairly easy to hike. Though there were certainly inclines and declines, they were unlike those in the other tropic hikes (notably The Arrows in Cairns).

The hike to the falls was overall enjoyable. It’s a relatively short hike for such a great payoff.

The falls themselves were breathtaking, and we took in every moment of our time at the peak. The water was nice and refreshing after hiking in the heat.

Getting down to the water is a bit challenging but certainly possible for anyone capable of hiking up to the point.

As you can see, the pool is small and shallow but is a great place to cool down. Of course, practice safety near any cliff face!

We brought swimmers and towels to take a dip but didn’t actually get to swim due to the infinity pool being quite small, and there were a lot of other hikers around. Nonetheless, the cool water was welcomed on this hot and humid day.

The view of the Mulgrave Valley and the mountains of Queensland is epic. What a great look for such a relatively short climb! Perhaps that is why the hike is so popular among locals and tourists alike.

Before long, the pool was filled with people, and the crowd continued to grow. After taking in the view, cooling down and taking a few pictures, it was time to head back.

We chose to return the same way we came in. However, if we were to cross the water of Windin Creek, we could have completed a small loop at the end of the trail. We didn’t realize this at the time and thought the “Y” had passed earlier, leading to a dead end.

The hike back was much of the same except with a feeling of accomplishment about our hike to find the scene we had just witnessed.

On our way out, an ATV and dirt bike passed by, tearing up the track while doing so. Though they were courteous to not fling mud at the hikers they passed, the muddy path did not take kindly to their tracks.

We’re not sure if motor vehicles are actually permitted on the track, but it is something worth noting in this article. Do not be surprised if you come across a motor vehicle or two.

Before long, we were drenched in sweat once again and back at the car park.

We got back to our car and headed back to the shared house before hopping on our plane back home to Canada.

Before we could get there, though, we stopped to let the cows cross the road! This small stall is something we’ll always remember about our time in the Atherton Tablelands.