A challenging out-and-back trail located 60 miles north of Albany in the southern part of Western Australia, near the Stirling Range National Park, the four-mile Bluff Knoll trail or Pualaar Miial, is popular for hikers, trail runners and birders alike and takes around three hours to complete, although caution is advised on trail times as this depends on multiple variables. For more info, click here. The best times to do this trail is spring when there are many wildflowers and autumn when the weather is neither too hot nor too cold. Being the highest point in the southwest, at 3592 ft the views from the top make the steep climb up the many large steps worthwhile and it is one of only a handful of places that gets regular snowfalls in Western Australia, with some snow falling in most years. The Stirling range is also known for unusual and spectacular cloud formations making it an attraction for photographers; the peak is often covered in swirling mists which creep down into the gullies. It is an exposed site where the weather can and does change quickly so take appropriate clothing with you as well as plenty of fluids. There is parking at the start of the trail, at the end of Bluff Knoll Drive, an access road off Chester Pass Road, although it fills up quickly in peak season. Going early will ensure a spot. Note that there is also a car parking fee of 15$ (at the time of writing). The car park also has toilet facilities and a lookout point. The trail averages a 20% gradient, so it affects calves on the way up and knees on the way down; hiking poles may be a good idea!. Well marked for the most part there are some sheer drops from the trail edge in places making it a potential danger in wet weather when the rocks and track can be slippery, caution is advised. Graded as medium difficulty, for more information on how we grade trails, please click here. This trail is not suitable for young children, wheelchairs or pushchairs and dogs are not permitted on the trial.Be aware that bushfires ravaged the Stirling Range in 2018 and 2019, and although the park has worked very hard to restore the trail, the landscape is still recovering from the devastation.
