Discover the 4WD Trails of the Crows Nest - Highfields District

People who visit the area often remark on the beauty of the countryside, particularly the stunning scenic views and the majestic, tall timbers.   For those that love driving in the countryside there are seven 4WD trails to choose from.  The brochures are available below or from the Hampton Visitor Information Centre.

This is “soft” 4WD driving at its best.  Hampton nestles at the top of the Great Dividing Range.  To the east are the steep gullies and ridges that lead to the coastal strip.  On the western side the range falls less sharply to the Darling Downs.  The trails take advantage of these natural features.  Each one follows gazetted roads or stock routes in the less visited areas.  Every trail has magnificent views that range from extensive panoramas to little known vistas glimpsed through stately stands of Ironbarks or Blue Gums. 

There are good picnic spots and lookouts on most trails and even in these dry times there’s still a quiet waterhole or two.   Here the traveller can spend a bit of time skipping stones or watching colourful dragonflies hover over the water.  If you’re lucky a carpet snake might be seen sunning itself on a warm rock.

For those who like birdwatching there are links to the three Crows Nest - Highfields District bird trails, and other good birding spots en route are outlined in the brochure notes.  In the spring the sandstone hills abound with wildflowers that attract butterflies as well as birds.

All the trails start from the Hampton Visitors Information Centre and the brochures give specific directions with distances, and informative notes.  Each trail is of about two hours duration.  It is advisable to call in at the Centre for current road conditions. 

So spend a lazy day meandering through our rural landscape.  See our district from a different perspective.  You’ll want to come back for more.

These trails are on public roads, mostly gravel or formed earth. Some are in poor condition. A high clearance vehicle or 4WD is recommended. Undertake these drives at your own risk.
Brochures are available as PDF files). Click on the letter to get the brochure.

Trail	Description	Time(hours)	Distance(km)
A	Hampton to Gatton - Esk Rd via Seventeen Mile Road, Helidon Hills State Forest and Springdale.	2	47 one way
B	Hampton, Coppermine Road, Ravensbourne National Park. (Beware the "Boggy when wet" section for a few days after rain.)	1½	47 return
C	Hampton to Gatton via Vinegar Hill. Avoid this trail - road badly damaged by logging trucks (1 Jun 2010)	1¼	44 one way
D	Hampton to Withcott via Murphy’s Creek.	2	57 one way
E	Hampton to Blackbutt via Crows Nest, Anduramba & Nukinenda Station	2¼	66 one way
F	Hampton – Crows Nest Falls - North of Cressbrook Dam - Maria Creek-Jones Gully - Crows Nest - Hampton	2	96 return
G	Hampton-Plainby-Upper Pinelands-Djuan-Crows Nest- Hampton	2	91 return