Thinking about hiking the Bald Head Walking Trail in Albany? Wondering how long it’ll take and whether you should add it to your adventure list?
Bald Head is rapidly becoming one of Albany’s, and in fact all of WA’s, most popular hiking trails. It’s a day-hike with spectacular, magazine-worthy landscape views and is only a short drive from Albany’s town centre. It’s located on the Flinders Peninsula at the eastern-most tip of land in Torndirrup National Park.
The trail traverses the very top of a narrow ridge line where you can experience incredible 360° views. From there you can spy the water on both sides – one side looks like it’s straight out of the rugged Antarctic and the other looks like it belongs on a tropical island. The trail takes you up and down over 600 metres of elevation and is a moderately-difficult adventure.
Read the article to find out all the expert tips you need to know before you hike Bald Head. Learn about how long it’ll take, how difficult it is, what to bring, and some insider tips for getting the place all to yourself.
1. It’s a whole-day adventure
The Bald Head Walk Trail is a 12.5 km out-and-back walk and takes people anywhere from a half-day to a full day to complete.
How long does it take to walk Bald Head Albany?
A good average estimate of the time it takes to walk Bald Head is approximately 4 to 6 hours. If you’re planning to take it slow, enjoy the scenery and fit in a picnic while you’re there, then it’ll be best to plan for an all-day hike. When I hiked the trail, we took about 6 hours, which included lots of scenery and photo stops, a relatively slow pace, and a picnic at the end of the trail.
We didn’t stop for too long on our picnic because we didn’t want our leg muscles to cease up in the cold. If you do stop for an extended break on the hike, make sure that you try to stay warm with extra layers, and don’t stop for too long.
It’s also possible to run the trail – I saw plenty of runners pass me while I was there. This would of course take much less than 6 hours to complete.
2. It’s free, but National Park entry is a small fee
Bald Head is located in Torndirrup National Park. You’ll have to pay standard National Park Entry to access the trail, which costs $15 per vehicle or $8 concession. You could also consider grabbing a Parks Pass if you’re a regular WA National Park Visitor.
3. Be prepared for a pretty tough hike
Hiking Bald Head is no easy feat.
Just when you think you’re almost at the end, you’ll round a corner and see the trail go on! It’s long, and the terrain has lots of steep ‘ups’ and ‘downs’ over the headlands. There are also lots of stairs and rock steps the whole way along.
Once you come around the last headland you will be able to see across to Bald Head itself – but first you’ll have to descend a huge rocky outcrop with big chunky uneven steps, walk across the granite and up through another few clumps of shrubs before getting to the very end.
The trail underwent some serious upgrades and was re-opened in December 2022. They installed more boardwalks and stairs to help stop the erosion on this extremely popular trail. This was a huge effort undertaken to stabilise the fragile dunes, and limit human impact on the intricate ecosystems that make their home on the Peninsula.
How hard is the Bald Head walk?
The Bald Head Walk Trail is a Grade 4 and is a moderately difficult hike. The hike requires a high level of fitness and hiking experience, as well as good preparation and appropriate emergency gear.
Grade 4 trails are typically long, rough, and very steep. It’s a single-lane, easy to follow trail. There are a few sections over the granite outcrops that are sometimes hard to keep on track, but if you just follow the crowd, look out for markers in the distance, and keep walking in the same direction, you’re unlikely to get too lost.
My strongest piece of advice for the Bald Head Walk Trail is not to underestimate it. There have been many rescues out there due to injuries and people making poor judgement of their individual fitness levels. Take it easy and plan for at least a half-day, if not a full-day adventure.
4. Wear sturdy shoes
Perhaps this tip seems obvious, but good shoes on a long hike can make all the difference. The trail has an incredible variety in terrain, including rocky, sandy, narrow, and steep sections, plus big rock and sand steps, bare earth, and boardwalks.
You’ll be able to easily navigate the terrain in runners or hiking boots. Just make sure that whatever shoes you choose, that they’re well worn-in and comfortable. Thongs are unlikely to go the mileage on a trail this long and varied!
If you opt to go barefoot (if that’s your usual thing), keep in mind that there are a few big granite outcrops you’ll have to walk over – these can get quite hot during sunny summer days.
Bonus Gear Tip
An added piece of gear that will benefit almost anyone is hiking poles. Not everybody likes to hike with poles, but those who do swear by it. They will help immensely with the uneven ground at Bald Head and will help take pressure off the knees when ascending and descending the many stairs and steep sections.
My favourite extra use for hiking poles is to swat the spider webs from the trail when I’m the first out in the morning!
5. Bring a picnic
No good hike is complete without a picnic! Grab a spot on the rocks at the end of the trail and set out your blanket or towel. If you get peckish before you reach the end, why not pick a scenic spot somewhere along the trail to take a snack break?
Just make sure that you don’t trample any vegetation wherever you stop, try to perch yourself on one of the granite rocks if you can.
Making sure that you eat enough when you’re hiking a strenuous trail like Bald Head is essential. Food helps replenish the minerals that your body loses to sweat, meaning that the more you eat, the better chance you have at retaining the water you drink.
When we were having our picnic at the end of the trail, we spied a huge bait-ball in the ocean that was completely surrounded by a frenzy of feeding dolphins. We watched on in awe as we ate our lunch and had a cheeky cup of local wine.
6. Don’t try to walk along the beach to get back
It’s rugged country on the Flinders Peninsula and there are no trails along the beach. The waves can be huge and unpredictable, and it’s a steep slope or rocky outcrop down to the ocean. When you are returning, don’t be tempted to try and take a shortcut along any of the beaches – this can be extremely dangerous.
To avoid confusion and getting lost, head to AllTrails to download offline maps and to check out the trail before you arrive. You can also track your hike to see how long you take and how much elevation you gain.
7. Bring lots of water
Even though Albany is renowned for its high annual rainfall and cold cloudy weather, summer temperatures can still be very hot.
I would advise bringing a bare minimum of 3 litres per person, regardless of the time of year or season. If you’re hiking in summer, bring more than 3 litres. The best way to avoid heat stress is to know your own limits and be prepared with plenty of water, a good hat, and sunscreen.
8. Pack a rain jacket
Albany is known for having some of the highest rainfall in the state of WA, which is why it’s always a safe bet to bring a rain jacket on any hike in Albany.
This is just as important when it’s sunny when you leave the carpark – the weather can change quickly, and it would be a very long miserable walk back to your car with soaking wet clothes on.
9. The best time to visit is Spring (but you can visit all year round)
My favourite time of year to visit anywhere in WA’s south west will always be spring – because of the spectacular display of wildflowers. Bald Head is no different.
The springtime bloom usually happens from August to mid November at Bald Head, and you can expect to see a colourful array of wildflowers covering the hillsides.
Although spring is beautiful at Bald Head, it’s the perfect trail to visit at any time of the year. If you’re visiting in winter, be aware of the strong and gusty winds that batter the coast – stay well away from edges and ledges and make sure you have good footing on exposed rocks, they can be very slippery.
In the hotter summer months, be aware of the potential for heat stress and snake encounters.
10. Get there early
The carpark at Bald Head is very small, so it’s best to get there as early as possible. This will ensure you not only get a good parking spot, but you will beat the big crowds and you might even get the place to yourself for a while.
If you’re out there early, you’ll have the chance to get a section of the trail all to yourself on the way out. But even if you get there at the crack of dawn, the trail will become busy later in the morning. It’s likely you’ll be passing lots of hikers on your way back to the start of the trail.
The trail is fairly exposed most of the way and offers very limited shade on those hot sunny days.
Sunrise and sunset are some of the most magnificent times of day to experience Bald Head. Watch the landscape turn warm shades of amber and feel the air temperatures change as the sun moves through the sky. If you’re hiking at sunrise, make sure you bring a headlamp so that you can see where you’re walking.
If you want to go for a sunset adventure, make sure you carry a headlamp, spare batteries, an emergency blanket, and extra food and water in case the worst happens and you’re stuck out there overnight. Consider carrying a personal locator beacon for use in life threatening emergencies – it offers great peace of mind in such an inaccessible place.
11. Dogs are not permitted at Bald Head
Dogs are not permitted at Bald Head or anywhere in a Western Australian National Park. Plan to leave your pets at home.
12. You can fly your drone at Bald Head
Another great thing about Bald Head is that you can fly your drone there.
Although you won’t need approval to fly your drone to get an epic shot at Torndirrup National Park, you will need to follow DBCA’s guidelines. The guidelines say:
- You must comply with CASA rules,
- Never fly your drone closer than 30 metres from other people (or above them),
- Do not disturb wildlife (at least 60m from whales, dolphins, seals, killer whales, and dolphins),
- Don’t interfere with emergency operations.
You can check out the full DBCA guidelines here.
Bald Head is a wonderful place to take some ground-level photos too. Tiny spiders form webs across the trail, rare wildflowers hide amongst the scrub, the rugged coastal scenery rises from the sea, and birds and sea life flourish.
13. Pop down to Frenchman Bay for a refreshing post-hike swim
By far one of my favourite places in Albany is Frenchman Bay. It’s a quiet spot that’s perfect for a picnic and a swim – but it does get exceptionally busy during peak summer and spring seasons, and school holidays.
Although the air may be warm and you’ll be sweaty after your hike, the water is guaranteed to be crisp and cold! Frenchman Bay is just a 5 minute drive west of the Bald Head carpark.
14. Kids can hike Bald Head
Just like any other hike, only you know what your children are capable of. If you are prepared for a long day and some difficult terrain, there’s no reason your kids can’t enjoy Bald Head too.
15. Immerse yourself in the wild nature around you
The central point of this article might also be the main reason you want to visit Bald Head – to take in the breathtaking scenery and melt into the environment.
Take a moment to look around. Stop and spy the tiny flowers at your feet. Look beyond the horizon for signs of sea life which are abundant below. Dolphins and whales frequent the waters near Bald Head (especially in winter).
Listen out for the hundreds of birds flying busily through the scrub. Look across the headland and let your senses bring you the nature that you need. The earth has a way of healing if we pause long enough, and listen closely enough.
Do you have any other tips?
Have you hiked Bald Head before and have some extra tips you could share? Perhaps you’re thinking about hiking the trail and have more questions. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the Comments below.