Noosa National Park Running Route

Noosa National Park Running Route

G’Day mates! That’s Australian for “Hello, friends!”

Why am I throwing around my Australian today? Well, I’m over down under spending time with my sister and her family, because my 2nd niece was just born! She might be just 4 weeks old, but she’s already a big road trip fan.

Last week, we took her to Noosa Heads to check out the beach and Noosa National Park. 

OK, OK…my newborn niece stayed inside with her dad. But her mom, older sister, grandparents and I did get to visit the gorgeous beach (I’ll share more on that next week!).

Noosa National Park's Coastal Trek hiking trail-it's narrow, but well maintained so perfect for running! TIP: Get here as early as possible to beat the heat and crowds.

And even though my sister is a new mom again, she’s been eager to get back to working out so we spent some time enjoying the hiking trails of Noosa National Park.

Technically, we didn't run on the trail this trip.  I had to remind my sister that while she might be approved for exercise, she still has to wait on getting back to high impact workouts! However, we did see a lot of runners on the trails and tracked our route together so you could come back and enjoy a run here the next time you're in Australia!

Our Noosa National Park Trail Route

For most of our hike, we took the blue Coastal Track. My sister was eager to show me beautiful Alexandria Bay and views of the ocean throughout our walk.

The photo doesn't do the view justice. This is just one of
many gorgeous beaches you'll see along this hike.

Just over a mile into our walk, we took a shortcut, the Tanglewood Track, to get down to the ocean as quickly as possible. Even though we left for our hike at 6:50 AM, the Australian summer sun is HOT!

From there we walked back up to get onto the Coastal Track and check out the easternmost side of the national park and Hell's Gates. 

Made it! On top of Hell's Gates midway through our hike sporting my Lorna Jane activewear like a good Australian! 

​As kept walking complete this 5.44 km/3.38 mi route, we enjoyed many amazing views and LOTS of water. Between the two of us we finished off 5 water bottles on this hike!

But the highlight of the trip for me (besides spending quality time with my little sister, of course)?

Seeing my first koala in the wild!

He was just off the trail close to the trailhead and carpark (Australian for parking lot) taking a nap in a tree on the beach side of the hiking path.  

Just a koala bear taking a nap a Noosa National Park...no big deal...

Bottomline: If you visit Noosa Heads in Queensland, Australia you must check out Noosa National Park.

In addition to the route we covered during our trip, there are several more treks you can check out. A trail map can be found HERE and when you get to the park itself.

Thought noosa was just the name of a yogurt and need a little orienting before you plan a visit? Noosa is about 2 hours north of Brisbane, Australia so even if your main trip is centered around Brisbane aka Brisvegas it's worth adding to your Australian itinerary.

Next week, I'll be back to share a running route you can complete on the beach in Noosa Heads.

As for my sister and me?

We're going to round out our routine with some online personal training and private Pilates, the perfect complement to outdoor cardio and a better, more customized option for my new mom sister 😉