Earl Hill
4 km, moderate walk
The rules at a glance
On-lead welcome
Verified dog-friendly with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service
Trinity Park, QLD
Rules verified 26 July 2026
- Dogs
- Welcome
- Where
- Trinity Park, QLD
- Policy checked
- 2026-07-26
Pet policy
Unusual for a QLD conservation park: dogs are expressly permitted on-lead on all walking tracks.
Earl Hill is a steep 4 km return climb out of Trinity Park, twenty minutes north of Cairns, finishing on a lookout over Trinity Beach and Double Island. It is the unusual Queensland conservation park where dogs are expressly allowed on the walking tracks, on lead, which makes it one of the few real hill walks the Northern Beaches dogs get.
The walk. AllTrails measures the main route at 4 km and grades it moderate, an hour and a half to two hours return. The Acacia track climbs to the summit and the Bombax track branches off to the Trinity Beach lookout. The surface is shaded dirt, steep in long pushes rather than short bursts, and it is genuinely a climb.
The rules. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service manages Earl Hill Conservation Park and dogs must be on lead at all times. Bag and carry out waste, because there are no bins on the tracks. This is a conservation reserve, so keep dogs out of the scrub and away from wildlife.
Max's takegerman shepherd
Water. There is a tap at the Flagship Drive trailhead and often a bowl at the top, but treat neither as guaranteed. Far North Queensland humidity does more damage than the gradient, so carry more than you think you need.
Hazards. Heat and humidity are the real risk here, not the terrain. The climb is shaded but still hot after mid morning, and there is no water on the track itself.
Getting there. The trailhead sits at the corner of Flagship Drive and Roberts Drive, Trinity Park. There is no parking at the trailhead itself: park at the council boat ramp off Reed Road and walk about 400 metres along the connecting path. Public toilets are near Half Moon Bay.
Nearby with the dogs. Sunbird Park at Kewarra Beach is the closest fenced off lead area, and Trinity Beach RV Park is the nearest dog friendly base.
When to go. Early, between 5am and 7:30am, or after 4pm. Weekend mornings fill the Reed Road boat ramp parking well before eight, so a mid morning weekday is the quiet compromise. Good for big runners in the dry season.
Sources
- Earl Hill, visiting safely · parks.qld.gov.au
- Earl Hill, things to do · parks.qld.gov.au
- Earl Hill · alltrails.com
Compiled from public sources and verified listings. Always confirm current rules with the venue or council before you travel.
Policy verified 26 July 2026 Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
