Manjal Jimalji (Devils Thumb) Trail

Manjal Jimalji is a steep out-and-back to a natural lookout below the ridge. The named trail is 10.6 km return from Little Falls Creek; walking the marked access from Karnak Road parking adds about 1.4 km, so count on roughly 12 km (7.5 miles) in total. Allow about 10 hours from the car. You gain around 1,100 m through rainforest, and it is hard almost all the way. This is for experienced hikers with above-average fitness; it isn't a long, easy stroll.

Park off the road after passing Karnak Playhouse and crossing the cattle grid, then follow the orange markers and direction signs to Little Falls Creek. The approach crosses private land, so stick to that marked route. Once on the trail, distance markers every kilometre help you keep track of the return. At Little Falls Creek, take care on the rocks: they get very slippery. The climb starts right away through lowland rainforest, with bloodwoods and wattles rising above the canopy and lawyer vine along the track edge.

At about 3 km and 900 m elevation, the vegetation shifts to upland rainforest. Look for red flowers on Proteaceae and blue kauri pine. Around 300 m farther on, the forest stops abruptly at an open coral fern patch at roughly 1,000 m, with wiry coral fern and wind-hardy mountain tea-tree. Birdlife changes with altitude, too, so notice the shift as you climb. On clear days this opening gives an early view toward Mossman and Port Douglas before the full lookout.

The coral fern patch is a sensible turnaround if you can't confidently handle the upper route. The lookout is another 2 km each way; the last section has large boulders and requires climbing skills, and you should continue only with above-average fitness and at least five daylight hours left. From the patch, returning to parking makes about an 8.5 km outing. Use the kilometre markers to keep a daylight margin, not just to count how far you've come.

At about 3.7 km from Little Falls Creek, the path re-enters rainforest. Roughly 400 m later is Split Rock, a large cracked boulder. Beyond it, the trail undulates toward Manjal Jimalji; the final approach crosses large boulders to a natural lookout below the ridge crest. On a clear day, look east over Mossman's lowlands and the coast; the Dagmar Range lies north, with Wundu (Thornton Peak) and the Daintree Valley to the northeast. Mist often drifts inland from the sea and gets caught on the ranges, so a cloudy summit can mean wet rock and no view.

Manjal Jimalji is the Eastern Kuku Yalanji name for Devils Thumb, a significant cultural place connected with the story of fire creation. The public account doesn't give the story's details, so leave it there and treat the place with care. The coral fern clearing gives the most distinctive photo: frame some of the bright fern and mountain tea-tree against the wooded slopes and coast on a clear day. Around the lookout boulders, look for red-flowering native rhododendron.

May to November is the more reliable season. Avoid very hot, humid, wet or cloudy conditions: the creek rocks and steep path become slippery, and cloud can hide the views. Start in daylight and be back before dark. No drinking water or food is confirmed at the access, so carry what you need before leaving town. Domestic pets aren't allowed; certified support dogs follow separate access rules.