Spring Creek Falls, Port Douglas – Mowbray NP Waterfall & Hiking Guide

Spring Creek Falls, Port Douglas – Mowbray NP Waterfall & Hiking Guide

Cairns & Port Douglas hiking guide to Spring Creek Falls (Black Rock Falls) in Mowbray National Park, Queensland. Find out how to get here, what to expect and photos of the hike and waterfall!

Are you looking for a fantastic hidden waterfall hike north of Cairns or near Port Douglas? Just a short drive from the coast in Mowbray National Park lies Spring Creek Falls, also known as Black Rock Falls, a towering cascading waterfall with a series of incredible swimming holes perfect for a quick adventure.

Apart from the locals, there aren't many who know about this gem. Therefore, chances are good that you can enjoy this epic waterfall hike all to yourself! Regarding the actual mission to the falls, there is no clear trail and instead you have to move upstream along Spring Creek. In this blog post I have detailed my route to the falls and included a few photos to help you along the way!

Featured in: The Best Things to Do in Port Douglas

How to get to Spring Creek Falls?

Spring Creek Falls is located deep in the Mowbray Valley, just 20 minutes' drive from Port Douglas. If you're traveling from Cairns, plan on driving just over an hour on one of Queensland's most scenic drives on the Captain Cook Highway North.

No matter which direction you come from, you must navigate to Spring Creek Road. This road is accessed via Trezise Road off the Captain Cook Highway, just 15 kilometers south of Port Douglas.

Below I have pinned the exact GPS coordinates for the Spring Creek Falls trailhead to help you navigate.

GPS coordinates: 16°34’44.4″S 145°29’02.6″E

alt=“HIKING HEAD TO SPRING CREEK FALLS HIKE”>The track begins to the left of this curve

ALSO NEARBY: Hartley’s Creek Falls

Hike to Spring Creek Falls – Mowbray National Park

Hiking distance: 6.3 km there and back
Duration: 2.5-3.5 hours there and back
Height: ~300M total gain
Difficulty level: Medium

The climb to Spring Creek Falls does not follow a set path, but instead winds along Spring Creek to the upper falls. While there are sections where you'll notice a worn track, you'll likely find yourself hopping, skipping, climbing and crawling over the rocky banks on a random course all the way to the waterfall. If you're having trouble finding your way, I've also attached a GPX file below showing my route. Just keep in mind that this hike can become very dangerous after heavy rains and especially during the rainy season.

While you will likely cross the stream several times, I never once had to take my shoes off as there are flat sections throughout most of the stream's course.
alt="SPRING CREEK NEAR PORT DOUGLAS">

step by step

Beginning, the first section of the hike to Spring Creek Falls follows a wide 4WD access road to the riverbank. It is very difficult to get lost as you have the stream as a reference for the entire hike. However, I would suggest staying on the right side of the stream to start. Also look for ribbons on the trees indicating the best routes around pesky rocky sections. These bands also indicate the best places to cross.

You'll also notice that there is quite a bit of tree-falling on this hike, so it's more of a full-body workout than a gentle stroll!
alt="SPRING CREEK, PORT DOUGLAS">
When you arrive at a large clearing with the first obvious deep swimming hole, stay to the right of the stream. The stream then begins to climb up the mountain and the boulders begin to grow larger. In this final section you may have to cross the river a few times. However, when you reach the very steep section before the most significant cascade yet, go right and climb up the roots of the steep slope to the right. From here it is only a few minutes to Spring Creek Falls.

• alt=“SPRING CREEK FALLS WANDERN SIE AUF GROßEN FELSEN“>
• alt=“BLACK ROCK WASSERFALL IN DER NÄHE VON SPRING CREEK, MOWBRAY NATIONALPARK“>

Avoid the temptation to quit early and settle for one of those smaller waterfalls or swimming holes. Spring Creek Falls (Black Rock Falls) is definitely worth the reward and a sight to behold! Don't worry, you'll know you've arrived when you see the giant cascade in the rugged amphitheater pictured below.
alt="SPRING CREEK WATERFALL HARBOR DOUGLAS">

RELATED POST: Cairns Hikes: 36 Best Hikes

GPX file

Here is a useful GPX file showing the route I took on the way to Spring Creek Falls in Mowbray National Park.

GPX file: Download

My Strava: Visit

VISITING PORT DOUGLAS?: Read my comprehensive accommodation guide

Main waterfall and swimming hole

As I mentioned above, there are no ifs and buts about whether you arrived at the main waterfall. Spring Creek Falls, or Black Rock Falls, is a massive cascade that cascades down a nearly vertical rock face at least 50 meters!

Below the waterfall is a deep swimming hole, which is an excellent reward after climbing around all those boulders. This makes it a perfect place to relax and swim. I wouldn't worry about crocodiles here either - it would have to be an adventurous reptile to find its way to this waterfall!
alt=“SPRING CREEK, BLACK ROCK FALLS”>
alt=“BLACK ROCK FALLS NEAR PORT DOUGLAS, QUEENSLAND”>

More Epic Cairns Tropical Far North Queensland Adventure Guides

I hope you enjoyed this guide to Spring Creek Falls in Mowbray National Park in Port Douglas. If you're looking for more waterfalls, hikes and epic adventure guides in Far North Queensland, why not check out some of my other blog posts below.

Otherwise, for some inspiration, check out my guide to the best things to do in Cairns and surrounding areas or this Far North Queensland waterfalls guide.

MY CAMERA AND PHOTO EQUIPMENT

• Spiegellose Kamera: Canon R5
• Drohne: DJI Mavic Pro 2
• 360-Grad-Action-Kamera: Insta360 One X2
• Landschaftsobjektiv: Canon RF 15-35 mm f/2.8L
• Allround-Objektiv: Canon RF 24–105 mm f/4L
• Teleobjektiv: Canon RF 100–500 mm f/f/4,5–7,1 L
• Lange Aktionsstange: Insta360 Invisible Pole (BulletTime)
• Landschaftslinsenfilter: Hoya Circular Polarizer
• Kamerarucksack: F-Stop Tilopa
• Lieblingsfotozubehör: Peak Design Capture Clip

For a list of my recommended photography gear (including what I use and why), check out my Travel Camera Gear Guide.

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