Yurmikmik Lookout Walk (5 km, Moderate) – Kakadu National Park

Overview

About Yurmikmik Lookout Walk

Why go

Broad views over Jawoyn country, Kakadu's southern ridges, and the South Alligator catchment
Marked trail with a rewarding lookout and shady monsoon-forest sections
Short enough for a half-day outing while still offering varied terrain and geology

Heads up

Hot, exposed sections on the upper ridge
Uneven, stony footing and a steady climb
No toilets at the carpark and limited facilities on the route

Yurmikmik Lookout is a moderate, marked walk through open woodland and monsoon-forest country to a stony ridge with broad views over Jawoyn country, the South Alligator catchment, Kakadu's southern ridges, and the Marrawal Plateau.

Parkwolf’s verdictWhy hike it

Map & elevation

The route

Loading the Kakadu map

Full map

Elevation73–93 m

TrailheadYurmikmik Walks carpark-13.51872, 132.45247

Keep this map with you offline in the Parkwolf app

Plan your hike

Before you go

Parking

Park at the signed Yurmikmik Walks carpark off Gimbat Road, the shared starting point for the Boulder Creek, Yurmikmik Lookout, Motor Car Falls, and Kurrundie walks. The carpark has an emergency call device; there are no toilets. A Kakadu park pass is required.

Safety

Carry plenty of water and sun protection, wear sturdy footwear, and avoid the hottest part of the day. Keep to the marked track and watch footing on the stony ridge. Seasonal creeks can flash-flood in the wet season, and crocodiles inhabit Kakadu waterways; do not enter the South Alligator River and follow all park warnings. Check Kakadu access information before departure.

8 active Kakadu alerts

ClosureJim Jim and Twin Falls area closed for 2026The 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

See all 8 alerts

A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone — Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Kakadu Tour Guide

Your drive to Yurmikmik Lookout 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 tour

Recorded for this area

Yurmikmik Walks: Waterfalls of the Southern Stone Country

Listen

“If you're looking for waterfalls late in the dry season, the Yurmikmik Walks are a good choice.”

Plays on the road 1.9 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Kakadu Tour Guide.

Hiking Yurmikmik Lookout Walk

The routeThe walk starts and finishes at the Yurmikmik Walks carpark.

The walk starts and finishes at the Yurmikmik Walks carpark. It follows the marked short-walk route through the Boulder Creek section before climbing toward the Yurmikmik Lookout. The mapped line is stored once to the lookout; visitors return by the same trail. Allow about 5 km (3.1 miles) total return and 1½–2 hours.

What to expectExpect open woodland, shady monsoon forest, a steady incline, a stony ridge, and uneven rocky…

Expect open woodland, shady monsoon forest, a steady incline, a stony ridge, and uneven rocky footing. The lookout faces Jawoyn country; Bornluk is the large sandstone hill to the northwest, and the South Alligator River is visible as a green ribbon along the road. Gardenia trees grow near the lookout and may be fragrant in the dry season.

Before you goThis is a marked Grade 3 walk, but Kakadu heat can make even a short route demanding.

This is a marked Grade 3 walk, but Kakadu heat can make even a short route demanding. Carry plenty of water, wear sturdy shoes, avoid the hottest part of the day, and keep to the marked track. A park pass is required. The Yurmikmik carpark has an emergency call device and no toilets; access and seasonal creek conditions can change, so check Kakadu's current access information before setting out.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Kakadu

All Kakadu wildlife maps

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 map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Kakadu. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.

Yurmikmik Lookout Walk