Breathtaking Lord Howe Island Walks and Hikes

Whether you’d like to test your mettle or adopt an unhurried pace, these are the best walks and hikes for discovering the beauty of Lord Howe Island.

Looming from the sea as if a mirage, the UNESCO World Heritage Lord Howe Island easily evades comparison to any other island. Fringed by impossibly clear, cyan-hued waters and with lush sub-tropical forests draped over soaring mountains, it offers some of the most dramatic and beautiful terrain in Australia.

With heart-snatching views, adrenalin-spiking trails, and sparkling hidden coves, the island is crisscrossed with incredible treks and walks. From multi-day challenges to gentle strolls, these are the best Lord Howe walks and hikes.

1. Seven Peaks Walk

Distance: 45km

Time: 5 days

Difficulty: Moderate to hard (with options)

Terrain: Bush trails with steep and rope sections, rocky and beach walks

The king of all Lord Howe hikes, this five-day, six-night adventure is part of the Great Walks of Australia collection and is run by the wonderful people at Pinetrees Lodge.

Experience laid-back luxury on the picturesque Lord Howe Island. (Image: Pinetrees Lodge)

You’ll hit all the high notes as you’re guided by United Nations ecologist, Luke Hanson, who is as knowledgeable as he is deeply enthusiastic about his island home.

Tackle the Seven Peaks Walk. (Image: Tourism Australia)

You’ll take in spectacular vistas from North Head and Mount Eliza, Kims and Malabar Hill, and cool off in the crystalline waters of the island’s pristine beaches.

sunset views over the North Head, Lord Howe Island

The sun peeks over North Head, Lord Howe Island. (Image: tom-archer.com)

Packed into the itinerary is also a water day, where hikers may swap boots for boats and choose their own aqua adventure, be it beach lounging, kayaking or snorkelling the outer reef.

colourful coral gradens surrounding Lord Howe Island with views ofMount Lidgbird and Mount Gower

Swim past colourful coral gardens. (Image: Jordan Robins)

The final and most challenging day featuring the formidable Mount Gower summit comes with an optional bail out to explore off-track spots on Mount Lidgbird instead.

an aerial view across Lord Howe Island to Mount Gower

Take in the beautiful scenery across Lord Howe Island to Mount Gower. (Image: Mark Fitzpatrick; Destination NSW)

2. Mt Eliza

Distance: 600m

Time:

Difficulty: Moderate

Terrain: Rocky and steep

Pretty little Mount Eliza climbs upwards to a lofty 147 metres above sea level. It’s a rocky and steep scramble to the top, but up here you’ll be rewarded with a sweeping lay of the island’s north section.

Mt Lidgbird and Mt Gower as seen from Mt Eliza

Take in spectacular views from the summit of Mt Eliza. (Image: photosbyash via Getty Images)

Twitchers will be disappointed that between September and March the track is closed on account of nesting sooty turns and their newborns. At all other times, follow the track up Eliza from the North Bay picnic area.

coastal views from the Seven Peaks Walk, Mt Eliza

Be rewarded with sweeping vistas of the island’s north section. (Image: Pinetrees Lodge)

3. Mount Gower

Distance: 4.5 kilometres (one way)

Time: 8–10 hours

Difficulty: Demanding

Terrain: Steep, narrow, rocky

A colossal sentinel overseeing the paradise below, Mount Gower presents an irresistible, boast-worthy challenge for experienced hikers. But no matter how mountain-ready you are, you’ll only be able to hike Gower with a licenced guide and for good reason, as conquering the summit requires an intimate understanding of the landscape and its climate.

Hike Mount Gower and admire the paradise below. (Image: photosbyash via Getty Images)

Taking around eight hours up and back, the difficulty pays dividends when you eventually reach the cool, mist-shrouded and fern-festooned forest at 875 metres high.

a Sooty Tern flying above North Bay on Lord Howe Island

Spot native birdlife at North Bay on Lord Howe Island. (Image: photosbyash via Getty Images)

Along the way, you’ll be tested with a vertiginous rope section and steep, rocky trails. But you’ll also be treated to clear views of Balls Pyramid and Mount Lidgbird, as well as native birdlife and you’ll return to sea level with a sizeable feeling of accomplishment.

coastal views across Mount Lidgbird and Mount Gower, Lord Howe Island

The views across Mount Lidgbird and Mount Gower are nothing short of spectacular. (Image: tom-archer.com)

4. Malabar Hill to Dawsons Point Ridge

Distance: 1.5km (one way)

Difficulty: Moderate

Terrain: Steep with rocks and tree roots

Begin this walk from Neds Beach after a reviving morning swim. You’ll ascend a grassy slope up to Pooles lookout from which you can spend a few moments soaking in the large format beauty before following the track onto Malabar Hill, which rises 208 metres.

a couple admiring Lord Howe Island on top of Malabar Hill

Walk up the Malabar Hill for panoramic views. (Image: Destination NSW)

The cliff-hugging track pauses at Kims Lookout en route to Dawsons Point Ridge, where a right hand turn will lead you down stairs to North Bay, where you can conclude your hike with another deserved dip.

a woman fish feeding at Ned's Beach, Lord Howe Island

Head to Ned’s Beach for an early morning swim. (Image: Tourism Australia)

5. Goat House Cave

Distance: 2.1km (one way)

Time: 3–4 hours

Difficulty: Difficult

Terrain: Steep and rocky

Pack your lunch and your valour for this walk to Goat House Cave on Mount Lidgbird. You’ll need both sustenance and fortitude to complete this, at times, vertigo-inducing hike. Ropes are required in parts and exposure to the elements on the way to the cave may tap into your reserves of resolve, but if you push onwards the attention-seeking views will more than compensate.

Mt Gower and Mt Lidgbird on Lord Howe Island

Follow the scenic route on Mount Lidgbird. (Image: colbourne49 via Getty Images)

The walk begins sedately enough with a boardwalk section through Soldiers Creek Valley, but as the pandanus and endemic kentia palms give way to the more exposed Smoke Tree Ridge and Intermediate Hill, you’ll get an inkling things are looking up – way, way up. It’s a thigh-burning ascension with the final climb a work of willpower for those not entirely OK with heights, but at the top, Lord Howe’s best view is laid out for you.

Capture the best view of Lord Howe Island. (Image: Destination NSW/Eugene Tan)

6. Intermediate Hill

Distance: 1km

Difficulty: Moderate

Terrain: Steep

It’s quite the uphill burn, but given the comparatively formidable peaks elsewhere on the island, the 250-metre summit of Intermediate Hill is, well, intermediate. The viewing platform at the top is worth tomorrow’s stiff legs, though, with vast and sweeping blues and greens punctuated by the Balls Pyramid sea stack. You can go back the way you came, or if you’ve not quite had enough of a challenge, follow the steep descent via Smoking Tree Ridge.

a woman standing on top of Lord Howe Island

Soak up panoramic ocean views from the summit. (Image: Destination NSW/Eugene Tan)

7. Old Gulch and the Herring Pools

Distance: 300-metres plus extra

Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Terrain: Boardwalk and rocks

From North Bay, a leisurely stroll along the boardwalk will lead you to the crystalline, rocky cove of Old Gulch, which is pleasant enough if you’d like to stop there. But, not far beyond is one of the island’s hidden treasures. You’ll need a low tide and a south wind to rock hop it around the eastern ledge to the Herring Pools. These deep and beguiling coral-lined plunge pools are fascinating to snorkel, so bring your mask for the dip. You can either return the way you came or – if you’re an experienced swimmer – jump off the ledge and swim the 300 metres back to shore.

Stroll along the crystalline, rocky cove of Old Gulch.

8. Little Island

Distance: 3km

Difficulty: Easy

Terrain: Mostly flat

While the southern end of the island has some of Lord Howe’s most intimidating peaks (looking at you, Mt Gower and Mt Lidgbird), there are also plenty of accessible spots for a gentle walk. Beginning at the southern end of Lagoon Road, this flat wander through the forest of banyan trees and kentia palms deposits you at a grassy clearing in the immense shadow of the twin peaks.

an aerial view of Mt Lidgbird and Mt Gower

The hike deposits you at a grassy clearing so you can take in the views. (Image: Unsplash/Dylan Shaw)

One of the most incredible moments of the island happens here between March and September, when the rare Providence Petrels swarm around the mountain tops at sunset. Holler out to the birds with a special call the locals will share with you and watch the seabirds clumsily tumble from the sky to satiate their curiosity.

scenic coastal views on Lord Howe Island

The UNESCO World Heritage Lord Howe Island boasts cyan-hued waters and lush sub-tropical forests. (Image: colbourne49 via Getty Images)

Check out the best Lord Howe Island Accommodation.

At Lord Howe’s inaugural Dark Sky Festival, we learn how this island paradise is on track to be certified not only as an International Dark Sky Place, but Australia’s first Dark Sky Island.

Lord Howe Island could become the country’s first official Dark Sky Island, according to a renowned advocate for the preservation of dark skies. Marnie Ogg, along with her astronomer husband Fred Watson, was responsible for getting NSW’s Warrumbungles designated Australia’s first International Dark Sky Park in 2016.

Astrotourism is a fast-growing travel trend. (Image: Gavin Heatherington-Tait)

Ogg, director of astro tourism company Dark Sky Traveller and the Australasian Dark Sky Alliance, spoke on a panel to a gathering of astronomy enthusiasts, nature lovers and holidaymakers at the Lord Howe Island Brewery in April 2025. The science talk formed part of Lord Howe Island’s inaugural Dark Sky Festival.

“It would just be a beautiful badge not only for tourism but for conservation,” she said.

What is a Dark Sky Island, and why is it important?

A Dark Sky Island has little to no pollution obscuring the starry skies. (Image: Eliot Drezet)

A Dark Sky Island is part of the International Dark Sky Places (IDSP) program that certifies communities, parks and protected areas around the world that preserve and protect their dark skies through responsible lighting and public education.

Since Flagstaff, Arizona, was declared the first International Dark Sky Place in 2001, the program has expanded to include over 160,000 square kilometres of protected land and night skies around the world.

The benefits of preserving our dark skies are manifold, as societies are becoming increasingly aware of the damaging effects of light pollution and how it affects not only our ability to observe stars but also ecosystems, wildlife and our own human health.

If Lord Howe becomes a Dark Sky Island, it will join a global roster of Dark Sky Islands, including Sark in the Channel Islands, which was first designated in 2011.

“Sark is like Lord Howe, in a way, except that they don’t have cars at all – they just have tractors and bikes,” said Ogg. “They have a thriving community of people who go there because they can see beautiful dark skies at night and go back in time to really experience life in a night environment.”

Are there Dark Sky Places in Australia already?

Kestrel Nest Eco Hut dark sky approved lodge

The off-grid Kestrel Nest is Australia’s first international DarkSky-approved lodge. (Image: Grant Hardwick)

Australia is already home to seven official Dark Sky Places, including Warrumbungle Dark Sky Park (designated 2016); The Jump-Up Dark-Sky Sanctuary in outback Queensland (2019); the River Murray Dark Sky Reserve in South Australia (2019); and Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary in SA’s Flinders Ranges (2023).

In 2024, the coastal town of Carrickalinga on the Fleurieu Peninsula in SA became Australia’s first Dark Sky Community, and Sydney’s Palm Beach Headland became our first Urban Night Sky Place. In April 2025, Kestrel Nest EcoHut became the country’s first DarkSky-approved lodging. Located on Highland Farm and Woodland in NSW’s Eastern Riverina region, this off-grid property is committed to protecting and enhancing the natural environment it’s part of.

What will becoming an International Dark Sky Place mean for Lord Howe Island?

Lord Howe is a haven for stargazers. (Image: Eliot Drezet)

Lord Howe’s fabulously starry skies already make the UNESCO World Heritage-listed island one of Australia’s premier stargazing destinations.

A designation as a Dark Sky Island would cement its reputation, attracting further mindful tourists to a place that famously limits its visitor numbers to 400 at any one time to preserve the fragile ecosystem and pristine landscape.

“Astronomy-based tourism brings a traveller who is very conservation-minded,” said Ogg. “They help and support the community.”

It would also extend the tourism season, spreading the economic benefits throughout the year and giving travellers to the island more options when planning. “Where you might not be doing swims and dives and trips up Mt Gower [in winter], you could be sitting under a night sky.”

And while there is no official timeline right now for when Lord Howe might become an official Dark Sky Island, Ogg says it already meets much of the criteria, and the road map to designation will be a fairly straightforward one.

“The biggest benefit with Lord Howe is that there is a lot that doesn’t need to be undone,” she said. When we talk about a lot of Dark Sky Places, they might have to retrofit streetlights, pull out lights from buildings or talk to residents about how they use light. That could take years. But it won’t here. Lord Howe is so far along the track.”

Central to an application – which costs US$250 (A$380) to lodge with non-profit organisation DarkSky International – is the creation of four events a year, Ogg explained, which could be anything from a letterbox drop to raise awareness of dark skies (covering anything from the impacts on animals and people to cost savings and good lighting principles) to a major event in the calendar like Lord Howe Island’s new Dark Sky Festival.

When is the next Dark Sky Festival on Lord Howe Island?

Being in the light of stars is an artful enjoyment and encourages stress relief.

The next Dark Sky Festival on Lord Howe Island will run between 16 and 23 May 2026.

Organiser Danielle Nicolson was inspired to launch the festival after winning gold at the 2024 Australian Tourism Awards for Excellence in Food Tourism with her business, Love Lord Howe. “While there, I met organisers of festivals in other remote regions and was moved by their passion and the impact these events had on their communities,” she explains. “The idea for a ‘Dark Sky Festival’ quickly emerged as it strongly aligns with our Island’s conservation values.”

“Next year, we’re planning even more immersive activities and experiences,” Nicolson continues. “The goal is not only celebrating and educating people about the importance of night sky conservation but also supporting local businesses by boosting tourism during the quieter season.”

Flight, accommodation and event ticket packages are available through Oxley Travel.

8 breathtaking Lord Howe Island walks and hikes

Whether you’d like to test your mettle or adopt an unhurried pace, these are the best walks and hikes for discovering the beauty of Lord Howe Island.

1. Seven Peaks Walk

2. Mt Eliza

3. Mount Gower

4. Malabar Hill to Dawsons Point Ridge

5. Goat House Cave

6. Intermediate Hill

7. Old Gulch and the Herring Pools

8. Little Island

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Australia could soon have its first Dark Sky Island

At Lord Howe’s inaugural Dark Sky Festival, we learn how this island paradise is on track to be certified not only as an International Dark Sky Place, but Australia’s first Dark Sky Island.

What is a Dark Sky Island, and why is it important?

Are there Dark Sky Places in Australia already?

What will becoming an International Dark Sky Place mean for Lord Howe Island?

When is the next Dark Sky Festival on Lord Howe Island?