Cape to Cape Track, WA Lighthouse to lighthouse in five days
Two lighthouses, 125-odd kilometres of cliff, beach and karri forest, and not much in between but the Indian Ocean. Here's how to break it into five good days, what to carry, and the one river that decides which way you walk.
- Distance
- 125–130 kmThe Friends of the Track say 125, Parks and Wildlife 130
- Time
- 5 to 7 daysVery fit walkers do it in 4 or 5
- Best months
- Spring, autumnSummer is hot; winter floods the river mouth
- Water
- 4 L a dayPer person when camping, 2 L for a day walk
Plan around the river first
Halfway down, the Margaret River runs out to sea at Prevelly. Most of the year you can cross at the mouth with care, usually over the sandbar. From about June to October it can run deep and fast, and some days nobody's getting across at all.
Heading south, that's an inconvenience: there's a winter detour inland to the bridge. Heading north, it's a problem. You can only drive to the river mouth from the south side, so if it's running too high, the only way out is back the way you came.
Red months: the crossing can be dangerous or closed.
Five days, north to south
The track is about 125 to 130 km, depending on whose figures you use (the Friends of the Track say 125, Parks and Wildlife 130). Our five days add up to 127, each one ending somewhere with a bed or a campsite. Scroll down and the line walks the coast with you.
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DAY 1 24 km
Cape Naturaliste to Injidup
The friendliest start you'll find on a long walk. The first 3.4 km, from the lighthouse to Sugarloaf Rock, is sealed path suitable for assisted wheelchairs and prams. Bring whoever's seeing you off, and they can wave goodbye at the rock.
Then the real track begins: limestone cliff tops, a clamber down to the beaches around Yallingup and Smiths, and the first sand in your shoes. Get used to it.
SleepMount Duckworth walker campsite, or a bed in YallingupWaterCampsite tank, untreated, can run lowGroundSealed path, then cliff top and sandBefore you start
Eagle Bay Olives is on Cape Naturaliste Road, on your way to the lighthouse: a family-run grove planted back in 1998. Buy a bottle for the drive home. Your pack has enough to carry.
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DAY 2 23 km
Injidup to Gracetown
Cliffs, coves and one of the track's best short stretches: Moses Rock to Quininup Falls, just 1.9 km, and worth slowing right down for.
You finish at Gracetown on Cowaramup Bay, where there's a caravan park for the night.
SleepGracetownWaterRefill in townGroundCliff top, coves, beachA short drive inland
Cowaramup is ten minutes inland. Seven Seas Tea hand-blends loose-leaf on the main street, and a small bag weighs next to nothing. Temper Temper makes chocolate on the same stretch of highway. Call it supplies.
New makers, once a month
One short email a month: the makers we have added, what is in season, the odd gift list.
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DAY 3 29 km
Gracetown to Redgate
The longest day, and the one with the river. You reach the Margaret River mouth at Prevelly partway through. Outside winter it can usually be crossed with care. In winter, check it before you leave Gracetown, not when you're standing on the bank.
If you'd rather break it up, this day splits easily. Prevelly and Margaret River have beds, and you rejoin the track for Redgate the next morning.
SleepPrevelly or Margaret River areaCrossingMargaret River mouth, June to Oct riskGroundBeach and cliff, soft sand in placesRest day in town
Margaret River town is a short drive from the river mouth. Vasse Virgin has made olive oil soap since the 1990s and has a store in the township. A bar for the end-of-week shower is the one luxury worth its weight.
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DAY 4 28 km
Redgate to Hamelin Bay
The day the track turns its back on the sea. It heads inland through the karri trees of Boranup Forest, cool and shaded after three days of open coast, then drops back to the water at Hamelin Bay.
South of here it gets wilder: fewer people, fewer roads, more coast to yourself.
SleepHamelin Bay, or Boranup and Contos campgrounds nearbyBookContos: numbered sites on ParkStay since June 2026GroundForest track, then beach -
DAY 5 23 km
Hamelin Bay to Cape Leeuwin
The home straight. It ends at Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, where the Indian and Southern oceans meet. Sort out your lift from here before you set off on day one. Augusta is the nearest town.
FinishCape Leeuwin LighthouseWaterFill up at Hamelin BayGroundRemote coast, beach and cliffFor the lighthouse
Pack one good bar of chocolate on day one and don't touch it until Leeuwin. You'll have earned it. Bahen & Co grinds its chocolate on stone at a family farm near Margaret River.
Four short sections Parks and Wildlife picks out as highlights. One way, so plan a pick-up or walk back.
Cape Naturaliste to Sugarloaf Rock
3.4 kmSealed path, fine for assisted wheelchairs and prams.
Smiths Point to Injidup Beach
5.8 kmCoves and cliff tops around Yallingup.
Moses Rock to Quininup Falls
1.9 kmThe shortest of the four.
Every morning, before you walk
- Check the Fire Danger Rating on Emergency WA. Extreme or Catastrophic means you don't walk today.
- Check Park Alerts from Parks and Wildlife. Burns and bushfire risk can close or reroute parts of the track.
- Tell someone where you're sleeping tonight. Parks and Wildlife has a trip intentions form for exactly this.
- Charge your phone. Coverage comes and goes, and without it you can't call 000.
Packing list
Tick things off as they go in the pack. Your ticks stay saved on this phone or computer, so you can wander off and come back.
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Water
Staying found
Weather
Camp
Feet and food
Leave at home
The dog. No dogs, horses or other pets anywhere on the track.
Cape to Cape questions
How long is the Cape to Cape Track?
About 125 to 130 km, depending on whose figures you use: the Friends of the Cape to Cape Track say 125, Parks and Wildlife 130. It runs lighthouse to lighthouse, from Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin. The five days in our plan add up to 127 km.
How many days does the Cape to Cape Track take?
Five to seven days end to end for most walkers; the Friends of the Track say six or seven is most common. Very fit walkers finish in four or five. You can also walk it in sections using the access roads.
Where does the Cape to Cape Track start and finish?
At Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse in the north, up the road from Dunsborough, and Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse in the south, near Augusta. You can walk it either way, but in winter go north to south because of the river crossing. There's no public transport right to the track: coaches reach nearby towns, and the Friends of the Track's FAQ lists ways to get from there to the track. For the rest of a trip down south, see our Margaret River itinerary.
Do you need a permit to walk the Cape to Cape?
No. The Friends of the Track say walking any part of the track is free. Fees apply at some campsites, but not all.
Is there phone reception on the Cape to Cape Track?
Only in patches. The Friends of the Track say there's reasonable coverage along the northern third, though you may need to climb to high ground, and much of the track has poor or no coverage. Charge your phone each morning, and read the packing list above for what to carry when your phone can't reach anyone.
Can beginners walk the Cape to Cape?
Yes, if they pick their sections. The first 3.4 km from Cape Naturaliste is sealed path. The full track has steep, rough stretches and plenty of soft sand, so first-timers are happier with shorter days or the four short walks above.
Where can you get water on the track?
In towns, from springs, and from tanks at the walker campsites. Tanks can run low when the track is busy. None of the tank or stream water is treated, so carry a way to treat it and about 4 litres a day.
Do you need to book campsites?
The track's own walker campsites can't be booked; groups are asked to let Parks and Wildlife know ahead. Contos campground is different: since 8 June 2026 you book a numbered site through ParkStay WA. Fees apply at the campgrounds.
Which direction should you walk?
Either works most of the year. In winter, walk north to south: if the Margaret River mouth can't be crossed, southbound walkers have an inland diversion and northbound walkers have to turn back.
Can you take a dog on the Cape to Cape?
No. Dogs, horses and other pets aren't allowed anywhere on the track. For walks where dogs are welcome, see our dog-friendly South West guide.