The Cape to Cape Track - Everything you need to know
The Cape to Cape track is an end-to-end hiking trail in Western Australia’s South West region. The trail begins at the Cape Naturalist Lighthouse and ends roughly 130kms later at the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse.
The track features many different types of terrain ranging from smooth wide sealed walkways, rocky narrow paths, overgrown coastal shrubs, 4WD tracks, soft sandy beaches and rocky scrambles.
There are many access points along the trail meaning that hikers can complete it in sections (more on this below).
How will I know which way to go?
Trail markers point the way whilst on the track, these are mostly square pine posts with yellow, white and blue triangular markers. The distance between markers varies depending on the terrain and if there are other trails crossing.
There are few markers if the way forward is obvious. Unfortunately, some of the markers along the trail have been stolen or damaged.
You can buy cape-to-cape merchandise from the visitor centres around the area and also at the trailheads if you leave or arrive during the lighthouses opening hours.
Are there any fees?
No, walking on the track is completely free. However, depending on how long you are spending on the trail and how much distance you would like to cover each day there may be fees for some of the campsites. More on this below in the camping section.
How do you access the track?
There is vehicle access at both ends of the track and also at various points throughout which makes it really easy to hike this trail in sections. There is no public transport that runs from either end of the trail but there are a number of local transport options. I used Cy at Southwest Driving Services. This cost me around $150 total for both transfers. I walked solo and this would be greatly reduced if walking in a group.
There is plenty of parking at both the Cape Naturalist and Cape Leeuwin lighthouses so some hikers leave their cars here for the duration of their trip and then get transferred back to their car once they have completed the trail. Leaving your car at the trailhead is at the owner’s risk as they are public carparks.
What direction should I hike the Cape to Cape?
The trail can be walked in either direction but it is recommended to walk North to South to keep the sun at your back. Having the sun in your eyes all day is no fun! Also, the trail starts out easier on the North to South route which eases you into the multi-day hike.
How hard is the trail?
The Cape to Cape is rated as a moderate hike but if you are completing the entire trail it is not to be underestimated. A lot of people who attempt this hike don’t make it the entire way. There are a lot of soft sandy sections so I would definitely recommend doing some long beach walks in the lead-up to walking the trail to prepare your calves.
How long does it take to walk the Cape to Cape?
This is completely up to you. I walked the trail over 7 days and I would definitely recommend that itinerary. Some of the other hikers I met on the trail were completing it over 5-6 days and I even encountered a group who were trail running the entire track in 24 hours.
Check out my 7 Day Cape to Cape Itinerary here.
Should I walk the Cape to Cape solo, with a group or do a guided tour?
That is completely up to the individual. I walked solo and fully independent so I carried all of my gear, food and water on my back for 7 days. If that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea there are plenty of tour operators in the area that offer various fully guided or semi-guided tours. A lot of hikers I encountered on the trail had booked the self-guided options where you walk from point to point each day and the tour operator just picks you up and transfers you back to your accommodation each night so you only need to carry a day pack. It is all dependent on what you are wanting to get out of the experience.
When is the best time of year to complete the Cape to Cape track?
I personally think September is the best time to complete the hike but it is beautiful at any time of the year. I prefer September as it’s springtime so you get the beauty of the wildflowers and also the cooler weather without too much rain. The track is mostly exposed so during summertime you would need to be careful to protect yourself from the sun and drink enough water.
From March the temperature and humidity drop as we head into the Autumn months, this is also a great time of the year to walk. The middle of winter can be cold and wet and river crossings may be difficult.
Camping
If you decide to camp on the trail there are 4 dedicated trail campsites which are accessible only by walking. There are also a number of other campsites along the trail which allows for it to be walked numerous different ways.
The Cape to Cape track campsites have minimal facilities; rainwater tanks, bush toilets, and picnic tables
The campsites are:
- Mt Duckworth Campsite
- Moses Campsite
- Ellensbrook Campsite
- Deepdene Campsite
There are a number of caravan parks and national park campsites along the trail that hikers also use. These include:
- Tasman Tourist Park in Yallingup
- Prevelly Caravan Park
- Contos Campground
- Point Road Campground
- Hamelin Bay Holiday Park
The National Park campgrounds Contos and Point Road will have fees and can be reserved on the Parks & Wildlife website. Reserve Contos here for $15 or Point Road here for $11.
I wrote a post about my 7 day itinerary and where I camped. Read that here.
How much water should I carry?
If you are walking independently and staying overnight on the trail the campsites have rainwater tanks but these can run dry during the warmer months. Water from these tanks should be treated before consumption.
I would recommend you carry 3 litres of water at all times. There are also towns along the way where you can refill.
I made the mistake on day 2 of carrying 9 litres of water which was way too much. It made my pack unnecessarily heavy and made day 2 much harder than it should have been. The longest stretch without access to fresh water is between Hamelin Bay and the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse – roughly 24kms.
Packing List
- Backpack (I use this North Face backpack) it is important to get a good quality well fitting backpack with good hip straps to keep the weight of your pack distributed evenly.
- Tent (I currently use one from Facebook marketplace but I am saving up for this one from Zorali) You want something that is lightweight and also easy to set up.
- Sleeping Mat (Ultralight Sea to Summit here)
- Pillow (This is a creature comfort and isn’t necessary but this is the one I use)
- Sleeping bag (I use the Hiker 300 by Black Wolf)
- Cooking system & Matches. (The Cape to Cape has a camp stove only restriction so no fires are permitted) I use the Jet Boil Zip you can also get this coffee press attachment which makes for a great camp coffee.
- Utensils (I personally only carry a spork and attach my enamel cup to the outside of my pack with a carabiner. You can get lightweight packs that have everything you need like this one or this)
- Hydration bladder & water bottles (The North Face pack I use has a sleeve to fit a hydration bladder which is an absolute must when hiking long distances as you don’t have to keep taking your pack on and off. I also used the Sawyer Squeeze filtration system to treat the water I collected from water tanks or rivers/streams on the trail)
- Walking shoes and socks (I opted for hiking boots due to the amount of soft sand and I wanted the extra ankle support). These are the boots I have. I also swear by using toe sock liners I used these Injinji ones and I didn’t get any blisters on my last 7-day hike. Pair them with these Darn Tough hiking socks. Next time I will pack 2 pairs of hiking socks and liners for each day)
- Comfortable clothes (I wear these Zorali hiking pants, I love the adjustable waist and pockets. Patagonia Better Sweater Fleece, 2 moisture-wicking t-shirts, Northface Venture Rain Jacket, these cosy sweatpants for sleeping, sports bra, and I like to wear boyshort underwear whilst hiking to fight off chafing and I love these Reebok ones)
- First Aid Kit – like this one
- Sunscreen, Sunglasses and Hat (I love this Neutrogena sunscreen. Its super lightweight and not sticky)
- Map and Personal Locator Beacon (I hire my PLB through MacPac more info here)
- Headtorch (I love my Ledlenser one)
- Large Ziplock bag (to carry out any rubbish)
- Powerbank (this one is a little heavier than others on the market but it has 30,000mAh and is solar rechargeable)
- Insect repellant – if you are Australian then you know that Bushmans is elite.
- Food (these varies based on personal preferences. There are some places to buy food along the trail but most meals will be what you carry in)
- Bonus tip – Pack some magnesium tablets. I take 2 tablets each day when I wake up and my muscles thank me!
Resources
Maps are available from the Parks and Wildlife Department for $11.95. Buy here
The Cape to Cape Guidebook written by Jane Scott & Ray Forma is available from a range of bookstores, outdoor stores, visitor centres and many other shops in the Capes area. I used this guidebook for my planning and I also carried it on the trail for the maps and it was really helpful. I picked my copy up for $25 from The Chart & Map Shop. Buy here
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