Bare Rock track and Morgan's Walk

Main Range National Park

Bare Rock is a minor peak North of Cunningham's Gap with great views towards the Mistake Mountains.

Lookouts
Toilets
No Dogs Permitted
Rainforest
1014m
Maximum Elevation
468m
Total Climb

Getting there

From Brisbane follow the Cunningham Highway towards Cunningham's Gap. At the top of the gap turn right into a car park adjoining the highway. Follow the Mt. Cordeaux track which leaves from the edge of the car park.

Maps

The track is clearly marked so no map is required, however, the Sunmap Cunninghams Gap sheet covers the area.

Route/Trail notes

The Bare Rock track turns off just before the Mt. Cordeaux lookout. Follow the track as it passes through a saddle and into the rainforest. Morgan's Walk leaves the main track 680m short of Bare Rock and visits a beautiful grove of montane heath.

GPS Tracks

Comments

It was a great walk. We walked to Mt Cordeaux first then continued on these walks, totalling 15km. Do this walk early in the morning - gets very busy. Would do it again.

Anoogle on 1 Aug, 2020

Started at 9am which was really quiet on the track. Walked to Mt Cordeaux first then onto Bare Rock and Morgan’s Lookout. Although this is an ‘out and back’ track, it’s awesome! This is just as green and lush as any of the Gold Coast hinterland walks just not as crowded. The views are amazing. I saw heaps of birds getting around which was lovely - a wompoo fruit dove, whip birds, cat birds, albert’s lyrebird, wrens, robins etc. On the way back to the car, I also added on the Palm Grove Circuit (approx 4km) bit this was rather uneventful. Total was 17km in 4 hours with an elevation gain of 605 metres.

S K on 21 Jul, 2020

We arrived at around 10am and there was absolutely no where to park. After a 1.5hr drive to get there, I freaked out a bit but decided to drive down the road and see how far the next stop was. There is another carpark/ picnic ground down the road that has a 2.5km hike to get to the carpark. It is really beautiful and worth the walk. What it does mean though, is that it takes another 5km onto your hike.
We did the full bare rock and Morgans track. The additional km really packed a punch, safe to say I was exhausted by the end. In saying that though, one of the best hikes I have completed. So varied along the track. The Gondwana at your feet. Something I will definitely complete again.

Samramham on 17 Jul, 2020

Wonderful rainforest hike! Stunning views of main range. Not difficult for moderate fitness level

MandaPanda on 8 Jul, 2020

Great walk. A little steep and slippery in parts, but well defined track.

Stephen Pinel on 8 Jul, 2020

This was such an enjoyable walk! The lush green of the rain forest was beautiful. The panoramic views from Bare Rock are excellent. And a little birdsong here and there was a treat for the ears.

We went on quite a windy day, so it was even more cold and windy at Bare Rock. But we were still able to enjoy lunch and a hot drink on the leeward side. If you feel the cold, be sure to have a good warm layer and a wind breaker of some type.

The terrain was easy to manage. There are exposed edges/cliffs at Bare Rock, so a little care is of course necessary.

We stopped at Mt Cordeaux on the way to Bare Rock. Mt Cordeaux also has great views, but Bare Rock's are definitely a step up, and well worth the extra enjoyable walking distance.

We also added Morgan's Walk on the return as it is such a short detour. It was worth adding, even if only for the more extended view of the range stretching north. Again, there are exposed edges/cliffs (with a very steep and long drop), so take the necessary care.

Note also that the carpark can be very busy. At 10:30am, I had to park down the road a bit on the somewhat narrow shoulder.

This is a walk that I will be recommending to friends and family. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Marty MH on 24 May, 2020

Went Friday at about 1PM alone. Not a single soul there. Car park is directly next to highway so access was really easy. The walk up is almost entirely an incline, but not overly steep. I'm not that fit and found it fairly easy, however if you go this time of year bring a thick jacket, it was freezing and windy. It's a very long walk to the top, 3/4 of the walk is dense rainforest which was beautiful. Very few sections have notifcable damage from the fires, most of it has grown back now. The track is super easy to follow and very clear. Once at the top you have the choice between continuing to bare rock (another 2.8km) or go to the Mt Cordeaux look out which is another 60m. I decided to continue to bare rock. About half way there is an opening and an amazing view and at the top there was an even better view. It's fairly flat at the top, flat enough to sit down and have something to eat and chill out with 360 degree views, breathtaking. On the way back down I stopped at the Mt Cordeaux look out. Very nice views here too. I was hoping to catch the sunset but didn't realise the sun set in the opposite direction of the view. Definitely a sunrise view. By the time you get back to the bottom you're pretty tuckered. Completed in 4.5 hours with about half hour chilling out at the top and stopping for photos on the way.

Jake L on 1 May, 2020

Easy beautiful walk for the family.
youtube video https://youtu.be/ogdt8hGzLjs

Grunter on 27 Mar, 2020

Did this today. Loads of people out and about. Car park full at 7am on arrival and bursting at midday on return. Did this with Mt Cordeaux. Tracks good. Couple of trees down but can manage to get over them. Walking mainly under rainforest canopy. Great morning out.

Minnie on 22 Mar, 2020

Bit slippery after all the rain

Jeffrey Nuttall on 17 Feb, 2020

awesome walk. had only ever done the path to the lookout at Mt Cordeaux lookout and never ventured further. It was great. met an echidna on the path, a pleasant walk around the back of the mountain then opens out for a great view to the north

Mark Whitford on 7 Sep, 2019

Linked it in with caudeaux nice and pleseant

Deon Krahe on Sep, 2019

We did these two trails as an extension to our Mt Cordeux walk. We walked to Bare rock first and stopped for lunch overlooking the Mistake Mountains. Just stunning even on a hazy day with several bush fires and dust storms in the valleys below. The highlight was listening to a Lyre bird mimic an incredible repertoire of bird calls and even the sound of leaves crunching underfoot of hikers.
Morgan's Walk was less impressive but only a short detour to a lookout point and worth seeing if you're already enroute. Lastly we stopped at the Mt Cordeux lookout on our way back down. It provides beautiful views out to Moogerah dam and surrounding mountains. The family enjoyed pointing out various peaks in the distance we'd hiked previously.
The majority of the walk is in rainforest. Making it ideal for a summer hike. Some nice downhill slopes on the way back to pick the pace up to a jog for a bit of fun with the kids.

Monstar on 24 Aug, 2019

Very pretty Rainforest, more lush and tropical then the other side of the road (the track up to Mt Mitchell).
Lots of beautiful moss covering the trees.
Great views east and west

Simon Hutchen on 17 Jul, 2019

I did this hike including Mt Cordeaux and found it to be an easy, well marked and signed walk with little need of navigation skills. The day was clear so the views were superb at Mt Cordeaux and Bare Rock. A highlight was seeing an Alberts Lyrebird scratching the ground less than 3 metres from us and seemingly oblivious to us. We also heard a Wompoo Fruit Dove right above us but unable to see it but did see a Spinebill close up just near the lookout. I found it an easy but enjoyable walk.

jgmansell on 12 Jun, 2019

Absolutely fabulous. It’s a great lookout and the walk is just so pretty. Well worth doing if you do the Mt Cordeaux walk. The only part of the walk that is a bit rough is just before Bare Rock.

Ian and Sue on 6 May, 2019

Clearly marked. Felt safe doing this walk solo and I wasn't the only person doing so. Breathtaking views from Bare Rock. Lots of wallabies and birdlife. I started walking at 07:30-ish and was the only person on Bare Rock when I got up there so got to enjoy the views undisturbed. When I was descending the mountain HEAPS of people were coming up and I got warned about a 'massive' snake (didn't see it). The car park was overflowing when I left at 11:30 and people were waiting for my parking spot. Take plenty of water because this isn't a flat stroll.

BalticAussie on 27 Apr, 2019

So worth it to do this hike after Mount Cordeaux. Beautiful views from Bare rock and easy track to follow.

Ronald and Ramona Jonkergouw on 17 Feb, 2019

Did 'Bare Rock' walk after Mt Cordeaux. Was totally worth it. A bit more exercise is involved compared to the relatively easy Cordeaux bit, but it is well worth the view. Saw a lot of wildlife on this path.

Dwaino on 13 Jan, 2019

Wowsers! This was an amazing walk! I did this by myself. The walk itself was not particularly hard though steep in a few parts to get to Bare Rock. The weather was perfect and I was super lucky to have a big cloud cover which just made the views stunning. On the way back down the cloud had cleared so I got the best of both worlds. I went to Mt Cordeaux first and doing the extra walk to Bare Rock and Morgan’s Walk is well worth it! I met probably about 20 odd walkers on the whole trek on a Sunday morning. I started at 7.30 and made it back to my car by 11.30 and that’s with heaps of stops. Honestly would do this walk again!

Belindak77 on 29 Jul, 2018

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