Parking
Park at the Jim Jim Falls car park. The unsealed approach requires a high-clearance 4WD from Karnamarr campground during the dry-season access period; basic facilities are at the car park and none are provided at the plunge pool.
Overview
About Jim Jim Falls Plunge Pool Walk
This is Kakadu’s short-but-adventurous classic: a 2 km return (about 1.24 miles total) out-and-back from the high-clearance 4WD-access car park to the deep plunge pool beneath Jim Jim Falls. The route follows Jim Jim Creek through monsoon forest, sandy creek flats, and increasingly large boulders, with difficult scrambling near the gorge and pool.
The reward is a dramatic natural amphitheatre enclosed by sandstone cliffs about 200 m high. The falls are strongest in the tropical summer and often reduce to a trickle in the dry season, but the gorge remains impressive. Allow about 3 hours for the marked walk and the rocky footing.
Access is seasonal and the approach road is unsealed: only high-clearance 4WD vehicles should continue from Karnamarr campground to Jim Jim Falls. Check Kakadu’s current Access Report before setting out, carry plenty of water, wear sturdy footwear, and stay on marked tracks. The area is culturally significant to Aboriginal custodians.
The plunge pool is extremely deep and cold, and Kakadu warns that waterways may contain crocodiles; swimming is not recommended. Obey all closures, safety signage, and ranger advice.
Why go
- Shaded anbinik and monsoon forest sections help with the heat
- Short approach with a huge payoff in a dramatic cliff amphitheatre
Heads up
- 4WD-only road access adds planning and time
- Persistent boulder-hopping and slippery rocks won’t suit everyone
- Falls may be a trickle in the dry season
Map & elevation
The route
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Kakadu alerts
- ClosureJim Jim and Twin Falls area closed for 2026Mentions Jim Jim, referenced in this guideThe Jim Jim and Twin Falls area is closed for 2026; do not visit the closed sites.Official details
- ClosureBarrk sandstone walk closedBarrk sandstone walk is closed at the request of Traditional Owners; do not enter. Check the current Kakadu access report before travelling.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Kakadu Tour Guide
Your drive to Jim Jim Falls Plunge Pool Walk, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Kakadu National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Kakadu audio tourMore stories near here in the app
- Jim Jim and Twin Falls: The Famous 4WD Track
- 111 audio storiesacross Kakadu’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Saltwater Crocodile, Water Buffalo, Frilled Dragon, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 35 trails, 54 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Wildlife
Wildlife in Kakadu
1,079 sightingsSaltwater CrocodileMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
121 sightingsWater BuffaloMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
76 sightingsFrilled DragonMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
116 sightingsRed-tailed Black CockatooMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
101 sightingsBrolgaMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
299 sightingsMagpie GooseMost seen around 5 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Kakadu. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
