Hartley's Creek is located only 15km north of Palm Cove, the easiest way to find it is head to Hartley's Crocodile Adventures but continue for another 500m up the road and on the left there is a turn off, park on the grass at this turn off. Once on foot head towards the little retreat but before you get to its gates you will notice on the left a track that runs into the grass and along the side of the fence.
The track is roughly 3.8km one-way so just over 7.5km return. The first 2.1km is majority uphill walking with a few places you go down to only head back up, generally its a slow incline, except for the steep incline 300m along after only 500m of walking. Follow the main track not turning off until you get to a large opening where people spend the night to camp. To head to a few nice swimming holes and rock formations head to the creek and walk upstream until you are greeted by cool water flowing over rocks you can slide down and areas where its deep enough to sit and swim in.
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| Paper Wasps |
A quick tip walking from the camping area up the creek be careful, as I found a large paper wasp family in and on one of the trees.
If you wish to head up to the falls you will notice a track off to the left from the camping area it is 1.7km till the falls. Stick to this track you will continue the pattern of going up and down from ridge to dried up creek. The last 250m of the walk requires you to walk along the side of the creek up to the falls. Here there is a rope swing and crystal clear water to swim around in, |
| Late night walk to the falls |
