Upper Portals

GPS Tracks

Cleared Ridge to Upper Portals (GPX)

The walk is not hard if you follow the trails. A 4WD or at the very least a high clearance vehicle is required to make it up the road. It is rough going in 1st gear with a few extended steep/rough stretches. The drive is harder than the walk.

EARLIER DESCRIPTION

The only reason I'd say this walk is is because there are some steep hills which are very tiring but most of the walk is along fire trails.

Add to
My Wishlist

Tick Walk

Getting There

1.From Rathdowney head south-west on Mount Lindesay Hwy towards Boonah.
2.Take the 1st right on to Boonah Rathdowney Rd
3.Then the third left onto Newmans Rd
4.Left again on Waterfall creek Rd

5.Follow it until you reach Mt May campground. If you're in a 4wd continue uphill to the information kiosk and carpark.

*If you don't have a 4wd you can walk from here but expect a pretty steep hike for 1.5hrs or more; around 4km. Don't expect any signs to tell you you're still heading in the right direction either. You will pass through 3 or 4 gates on your way up. If you are walking the 4x4 track bring plenty of sun protection too as alot of patches are in direct sun.

Maps

SUNMAP 1:25000 Mt Lindesay

Route/Trail notes:

The walk is mostly fire trail until you reach Yamahra creek, there you cross the creek and follow the footpad for a couple hundred meters ther you'll find the upper section of the portals, cross the creek again and you'll see a track that leads up the hill, follow it up and along to get to the lower section of the Upper portals.

Permits/Costs

there are three remote campsites here fees apply see https://www.epa.qld.gov.au/parks/iaparks/gds/IAGDS050.jsp?quickParkId=8

Other References

Take a walk in south east Queensland is a handy book. if you want to see pictures you can go to www.weekendoutdoors.net

GPS Tracks

Cleared Ridge to Upper Portals (GPX)

Comments

My girlfriend and I completed this hike on a perfect 'Winter's' day with not a cloud in the sky nor encountering a single soul from start to finish.
After parking our car at the waterfall creek reserve, we had to walk along the 4x4 track for a few Kms which took us over an hour. This track goes through private property, so be mindful in keeping to the track and closing a couple of gates you'll pass through, as the fields are full of livestock. This track is indeed steep and truly only suitable for 4x4's.
After this slog up the track you will finally reach the beginning of the upper portals hike on the left hand side, with an information board. From here it is 4km to the first part of the Upper Portals. Continue up along the cleared ridge (the highest point of the hike). Here you will be rewarded of views of the West and East peaks of Mt Barney straight ahead of you, and great views of Mt May (which you would have been walking around to reach this point) and Mt Maroon to your left. Back behind you will be the peaks of the Moogerah NP, Maroon dam, and further afield Flinders Peak.
Continue down the path where you will reach the boundary of Mt Barney NP, and take a right going down hill (this will be the steepest part of the hike coming back for a few hundred meters). At the bottom take a left, it is 2.7km from this point and a relatively smooth run to the portals from here. The path will cross a creek numerous times (keep an eye out for snakes, as we stumbled upon a red bellied black snake basking in the sun right next to path after crossing the creek).
Just before you will reach Yamahra creek, Yamahra campsite will be on your left hand side. Then cross the creek and follow a path on the other side, follow the creek downstream and after a few minutes you will reach the upper section of the Upper portals. Cross over the creek again and climb steeply upwards following a faint path and down the other side to reach the lower section of the Upper portals.
Having hiked both the Upper and Lower portals before I would say they are both fairly similar, however the Lower Portals are more popular and somewhat more accessible.
No1gooner on 14 Aug, 2015

Pretty easy walk, just follow the 4WD track. A much longer walk if you don’t have a 4WD. We did this walk in about 2 hours (ran back to get the steep hill over and done with), it’s pretty steep but the walk in from Waterfall Creek Reserve is ridiculously steep and unrelenting. I did it not long ago but wouldn’t do it again. Keen to go back in Summer to explore the portals!
Alice on 24 May, 2015

Walked this track two days after heavy rainfall. We took the 4WD up to the beginning of the track. Pretty spectacular views at the beginning of the track of the surrounding mountains. Steep walk downhill to the portholes - beautiful after so much rain, so many small waterfalls and creeks everywhere. Plenty of beautiful old pine trees. We followed the trail and ended up making 14 creek crossings each way - cold but well worth it. Definitely a pretty track but I'm not so sure what it would be like in drier conditions.
mjorn_ on 3 May, 2015

Commenced the walk from Mt May camping area so this meant being tortured by lugging our packs all the way up the 4x track to the Cleared Ridge car park, from here we made our way to Cleared Ridge where we layer on the green grass in the afternoon sun taking in views of Mt May and Mt Maroon then making out way down to Yamahra Creek camp site where we spent the night, explored the upper portals and further down stream by finding the by pass track so we didn't have to get our feet wet, next time we will do the walk through to lower portals... the return trip went back the way that road was hard on the knees and slippery under feet while having a full pack on your back...must of slid at least a dozen times..lol....and slipped over once...but after saying that was a incredibly rewarding experience.. :-)
Walkinghawk on 8 Jun, 2014

Nice walk along fire trails, not too exciting, plenty of creek crossings so be careful after rain. The first 1.5 km (or last on the way out) is quite steep. Bit of a bugger on the old thighs. Nice to see, not sure if i'll do it again unless I stay at one of the campsites.
Homely Beast on 16 Jun, 2013

Completed this walk twice now. Access road is very steep. Note waterfall right at the ottom of the access road (opposite camping area). Walk down to first creek crossing is very, very steep... massive thigh burner!
mick on Sep, 2011