Sealers Cove Walk

Sealers Cove Walk is a challenging out-and-back from Telegraph Saddle Carpark to the remote shore of Sealers Cove. The one-way leg is 10 km, or about 20 km (12.4 miles) round trip, through open slopes, ferny gullies, rainforest and the cove wetland. Allow about three hours going in and six to seven hours overall, including time at the beach: the return climbs to Telegraph Saddle, so it usually takes longer. This is a good choice if you want a full-day walk that gradually gives way to rainforest before ending at a beach. If you want a quick coastal stop, choose one of the Prom’s shorter beach walks instead; this is a real commitment, not a stroll from a car park to the sand. The walk is Grade 4, with steep sections, and the challenge comes from distance and repeated ups and downs rather than technical scrambling.

The first stretch rolls over more open, drier slopes, with short climbs and dips rather than one steady descent. Around Windy Saddle, the canopy closes in and the route drops into ferny gullies and temperate rainforest. The long middle section is mostly under trees, with roots and rocks underfoot and only occasional openings in the canopy. This is not a hike of constant viewpoints; expect to spend more time watching the track than looking across the park. Small clearings offer brief glimpses before the forest closes again. The downhill direction can make the first half feel easier than it is, so keep some energy for the return climb. Uneven ground persists even when the slope eases.

Near the cove, about 1.8 km of raised boardwalk carries the track across swampy ground, keeping visitors above the sensitive wetland. The old boardwalk dated from the late 1970s, was hit by a major flood in 2011 and badly damaged by storms in 2021; rebuilding it was a substantial part of restoring this walk. At the end, the forest opens onto Sealers Cove’s broad crescent of pale sand, backed by green headlands. That first view of the shore is the route’s signature moment; for a photo, include the curve of beach and one headland so the cove’s shape reads clearly. The campground is beyond the beach across a creek, so reaching it means a tidal crossing. Crossings are recommended at low tide; do not assume the campground is on the same side of the creek as the beach. The mapped route continues to the campground; beach-only visitors can turn around at the shore and walk a shorter out-and-back.

There is no food service or treated drinking water along the trail, so carry enough for a long day. Toilets are available before the beach, and there are toilets at the campground. Creek water at camp must be treated before drinking. Camping on the beach is prohibited; an overnight stay belongs at the campground and requires advance booking and a permit. Campers can stay up to two consecutive nights, with groups limited to 12. Dogs are not allowed in the park. Start at Telegraph Saddle Carpark, but during peak periods the car park closes to vehicles and a free shuttle runs from Tidal River and the Overnight Hikers car park; check the current timetable before setting out. Leave time for the return climb, the beach and, if camping, the tide-dependent creek crossing.