The Mount Sorrow Ridge Trail is located within the Daintree National Park, Cape Tribulation section. This trail climbs from the coastal lowlands of Cape Tribulation, up the rainforest-clad ridge of Mount Sorrow to a lookout offering views of the beautiful Daintree coastline, Snapper Island and beyond.
Mossman Gorge section
The Great Dividing Range is close to the coast in this region. This section covers 56,500 ha of mostly inaccessible rainforests and mountain woodlands. The popular Mossman Gorge is in the southern part of the park.
Cape Tribulation section
Cape Tribulation also lies in the park. Originally the cape belonged to Cape Tribulation National Park from 1981 but was amalgamated into Daintree National Park in 1983. This section covers 17,000 ha including the coastal range (Thornton's Peak, Mount Hemmant, and Mount Sorrow, going north from the Daintree river) and contains Australia's last extensive stands of lowland rainforest. It has extensive (and relatively) unspoiled beaches from Thornton beach to Cape Tribulation beach - fringed with the increasingly rare littoral (beachside) rainforest. The Daintree river is the southern boundary for the region - reinforced by the need to take a cable ferry across the Daintree river. Much of the coastal flatlands, especially to the south of the Alexandra range, and in Cow Bay, were cleared for agriculture in the late 1800s with a major clearing push in the 1970s. A lot of this has since recovered or has been settled.
The Daintree National Park's traditional owners are the Eastern Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal people. Many of the natural features of the landscape hold spiritual significance for the traditional owners. One of these features is the location of the bouncing stones at Thornton Beach. The rocks here are hornfels, metamorphic rocks resulting from the effects of a major intrusion of granite that produced the coastal mountains. They are very elastic, when bounced on the local rock pavement; The park contains the Mossman River to the south, the Daintree River and the Bloomfield River to the north.
For more information on this hiking trail, please visit Queensland.com
Looks like I don’t have a GPX file for this trail yet. If you have one you’d be willing to share, please email it to me so we can help other hikers have a safer, easier time out there. I’ll double-check each file to make sure it aligns with official tracks and topo maps before adding it to this hike. Thanks so much for helping build an even better hiking resource.
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A quick note: Uploading your photos doesn’t mean you lose ownership. You’ll be credited for any photos you share, and you can request to have them removed at any time.
Grade 5 (Difficult) - Walks for the Most Experienced: Grade 5 represents the most challenging walking tracks on the
AWTGS. These are only recommended for very experienced and fit walkers with specialised skills, including navigation and emergency first aid. Tracks are likely to be very rough, very steep, and unmarked. Walks may be more than 20 kilometers. These challenging walks demand a high level of fitness and experience to navigate difficult terrain, significant elevation changes, and potentially unformed paths.
The Daintree rainforest is a national park in Far North Queensland, Australia, 1,502 km (933 mi) northwest of Brisbane and 100 km (62 mi) northwest of Cairns. It was founded in 1981[1] and is part of the Wet Tropics of Queensland. In 1988 it became a World Heritage Site. The park consists of two sections, with a settled agricultural area between them which includes the towns of Mossman and Daintree Village.
One entrance to Daintree National Park is located south of the Daintree River at Mossman Gorge where a visitor centre has been built from where tourists take a shuttle bus to the gorge, where they can take a walk or a refreshing swim..
The most spectacular and oldest part of the Daintree rain forest is north of the Daintree River. After crossing the river on an old fashioned cable ferry there is a range of boardwalks and untouched beaches to explore, and the endangered cassowary can be encountered anywhere.
Daintree National Park is valued because of its exceptional biodiversity. It contains significant habitat for rare species and prolific birdlife. The name is derived from the Daintree River, which was named by George Elphinstone Dalrymple, an early explorer of the area, after his friend Richard Daintree.
Spotted a change on this trail? Maybe there are new features, the route has shifted, or the trail is permanently closed. Whatever the update, I’d love your input. Your feedback helps fellow hikers stay informed and ensures that our trail info stays fresh and reliable.
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Adventure with Confidence: Register Your Trip Plans
Before you hit the trail, take a moment to fill out our trip intentions form. It’s a simple way to share important details about your hike with family or friends. If things don’t go as planned and you’re not back on time, they can easily notify emergency services, helping to ensure a quick response and reducing worry. Enjoy your outdoor adventure knowing that you’ve taken a smart step for your safety.
What you carry in your pack will depend on the weather, terrain, time of year, type of adventure, and personal preferences. Having trouble deciding what gear’s right for you? My free planning, food and packing checklists provide an introduction to things your could consider (as well as the Ten Essentials) on your day, overnight and multi-day adventures. Customise your kit according to your personal needs, always considering safety first.Â
While planning your hike, it’s important to check official government sources for updated information, temporary closures and trail access requirements. Before hitting the trail, check local weather and bushfire advice for planned burns and bushfire warnings and let someone know before you go. Plan ahead and hike safely.
