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Saddle Mountain Summit Hike – Cairns Hiking Guide
Saddle Mountain Cairns is a summit trail between Kuranda and Smithfield, north of Cairns. Read on for the complete guide to hiking Smithfield's Saddle Mountain Trail. Cairns is a serious contender for the title of Australia's best hiking and bushwalking center. Its rugged, tropical coastline offers epic ocean and reef views to anyone looking to gain altitude. In addition, the ancient rainforests form some of Australia's most beautiful hiking trails. In this quick guide I provide information on hiking to the radar station at the top of Saddle Mountain Cairns. I'll also throw in some photos that I hope...
Saddle Mountain Summit Hike – Cairns Hiking Guide
Saddle Mountain Cairns is a summit trail between Kuranda and Smithfield, north of Cairns. Read on for the complete guide to hiking Smithfield's Saddle Mountain Trail.
Cairns is a serious contender for the title of Australia's best hiking and bushwalking center. Its rugged, tropical coastline offers epic ocean and reef views to anyone looking to gain altitude. In addition, the ancient rainforests form some of Australia's most beautiful hiking trails.
In this quick guide I provide information on hiking to the radar station at the top of Saddle Mountain Cairns. I'll also throw in some photos that I hope will inspire you to lace up and hit the trail!
Sattelberg – where is it?
Saddle Mountain is a tropical peak in the MacAlister Range near Cairns in far north Queensland. The mountain straddles Smithfield Conservation Park and Kuranda National Park.
The Saddle Mountain hike begins at Smithfield Conservation Park on the Northern Beaches, just 15 kilometers from Cairns. You can enter this park from three points; James Cook University free car park, the end of McGregor Road (near AJ Hacket) and a car park just off the Bruce Highway (pinned below).
If you don't have your own car, there are public buses from Cairns and The Beaches that stop at James Cook University, which is right next to the park.
RELATED POST: 14 Awesome Things to Do in Kuranda, Australia
How to get to Saddle Mountain Trail
Confusingly, there are multiple trailheads that provide access to the Saddle Mountain Summit Trail. This is because the foothills are located within Smithfield Conservation Park, an intricate network of hiking trails and mountain bike trails.
For convenience, start on the “Ring Road” route, which is accessible from all of the park entrances mentioned above.
For the purposes of this post, I will detail what I believe is the easiest route to the summit. However, if you are a local or would like to explore the other routes, use the map below to design your own route.
alt="VIEW FROM THE PEAK OF SADDLE MOUNTAIN CAIRNS">
Other hikes: Kahlpahlim rock hike | Glacier rock viewpoint | White Rock Lookout
Map and GPX
Below I have included a GPX file that I generated using my Garmin GPS watch. You can download the file by clicking on the link and upload it to your watch or phone to help you navigate.
GPX file: Download
My Strava: Visit
Smithfield Conservation Park trail map
Here is also the Smithfield bike path map. This is useful if you want to plan an alternative route to the start of the summit trail.
alt=“SMITHFIELD CONSERVATION PARK CYCLING TRAIL MAP FOR THE SADDLE MOUNTAIN HIKE”>Source: QLD Parks | DOWNLOAD PDF in FULL QUALITY
The Saddle Mountain Hike Cairns – Hiking Guide
If you follow my GPS track, the start of the Saddle Mountain hike begins just off the Bruce Highway next to James Cook University (map pin above).
From here, park your car and follow the wide dirt path on the left and go through the metal gates. (Do not take the steeper road to the right). You are now on the “Ring Road” route. Follow this around the edge of the park until you reach a parking lot and a metal bridge.
We continue past the bridge to a junction to the “Downhill Access Track”. The steep climb begins here.
alt=“SMITHFIELD HIKING TRAIL”>Turn off to the Downhill Access Track
Follow the Downhill Access Track as it winds up the mountain. Eventually you come to a sharp switchback with an unmissable tree that looms in front of you almost like an island.
alt=“SMITHFIELD HIKING TRAILS”>“Island Tree”
The Saddle Mountain summit trail begins just beyond this island tree and is easy to miss if you're not careful.
The Sattelbergweg
By the time you reach the much narrower Saddle Mountain Trail, you've already covered half the distance and climbed half the elevation. However, this second half is much muddier and steeper. From this point it is very easy to get to the summit. Just be sure to keep an eye out for snakes sunning themselves along the route.
alt="SADDLE MOUNTAIN TRAIL CAIRNS">
alt=“CARPET PYTHON ON THE WALKING TAIL”>Found this carpet python blocking the already narrow path
MORE ADVENTURES NEARBY: MOUNT WHITFIELD ARROW TRACKS | HARTLEY'S CREEK FALLS
The Cairns radar station
The Cairns Weather Radar Station is located on Saddle Mountain. You will see the fence once you reach the top. It is possible to walk around the entire station, but a quicker route is to take the path to the right just behind the station. This leads to a large rock platform that offers great views of the northern beaches.
alt=“CAIRNS WEATHER RADAR STATION”>
View from above
The views from the top of Saddle Mountain are some of the best in the area. Looking north, the crest of the MacAlister Range draws a line towards the Daintree, inspiring the image of a wind-stoked wave unable to break over deep water.
From the rock platform you can also see Double Island and the Northern Beaches suburbs including Kawarra Beach, Trinity Beach and Clifton Beach. If you walk a little further along the fence line you will have views of Kuranda National Park and the Tablelands beyond.
After taking the time to enjoy the view, continue down the same path to return.
alt=“SADDLE MOUNTAIN VIEW”>
More Cairns hiking guides and adventure ideas
I hope this quick guide to hiking the Saddle Mountain Trail near Cairns was helpful. If you would like to explore a few more hikes in the area, check out the list below. Otherwise, check out this comprehensive guide to Cairns' best waterfalls, Cairns' best hiking trails, or this guide to the best things to do in Cairns.
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.
If you would like to use any of the photos on this website, please visit my licensing page to find out how. I also sell professional art prints, visit my Print Store or contact me directly for customs deductions of images on We Seek Travel.
alt=“SADDLE MOUNTAIN SUMMIT HIKE CAIRNS HIKING GUIDE”>
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