Pyramid or Castle Rock? Choosing the Best Hike in Girraween

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If you’ve read about any of our other hikes, you’ll know that my husband and I are rarely prepared for what awaits us. Our experience with Girraween National Park hikes were no different.

I googled for information as my husband drove us there. If anyone has written a comparison between the Pyramid or Castle Rock hike in Girraween, I couldn’t find it when I was searching.

This led me to look up each hike individually. All the websites I read confirmed we should be wearing hiking shoes and that we need to be “fit” to attempt either Castle Rock or Pyramid walk. Well, naturally we just had our sneakers on, because apparently we are not well-prepared people. We’re also not what I consider “fit people”. I work at a desk all day, and although I pay a gym membership, at this point I should be able to list it under “gifts or donations” on my tax return.

However, we were determined to do a challenging hike, and based on google reviews decided that Castle Rock may be easier. Plus, when google gave me “Girraween Pyramid deaths” as an alternative search suggestion, I heeded it as a warning.

Where is Girraween National Park?

Girraween National Park is located in southeast Queensland, Australia, within the Southern Downs Region. It’s approximately 260 kilometres southwest from the state capital of Brisbane to Girraween. For visitors coming from the Gold Coast, Girraween National Park is approximately 220 kilometres to the southwest.

Girraween is also very close to the New South Wales border. Wallangarra is the nearest neighboring settlement just a few kilometres to the south of the park’s border.

For those traveling from Stanthorpe to Girraween National Park, it is about 26 kilometres to the south. Stanthorpe serves as a gateway for visitors and provides essential services and accommodation options.

Which hike in Giraween National Park?

There’s many more hiking options than the Pyramid and Castle Rock trails, but we wanted to try a challenging option. The Grade 4 Hikes include: The Pyramid, Castle Rock and Mount Norman.

As mentioned above, the first hike we did at Girraween was Castle Rock. We had no intention of coming back anytime soon, because the drive is around three hours from our home in the Scenic Rim. However, we had a public holiday a week later and asked our youngest son to choose a hike for us to do as a family. He independently researched and came back with The Pyramid as his suggestion.

So, that’s how we ended up doing both the Castle Rock and Pyramid hikes one week after the other.

Castle Rock Hike in Girraween National Park

The Castle Rock hike in Girraween is approximately 5.2km return trip. The estimated hike times we found elsewhere (including the sign in the park which says two hours) were all faster estimates than our nearly THREE hour completion time. To be fair, we were not in a rush, stopping to take loads of pictures, and spending a LOT of time at the peak.

The trail begins at the Castle Rock camping area and ascends somewhat gently through eucalypt woodlands and rocky outcrops. We did our walk in spring-time, and there were lots of wildflowers, parrots, lizards and amazing granite boulders to see along the trail.

Castle Rock Hike

The final section of the Castle Rock track is a very steep climb over exposed granite rocks. We passed a family of two adults and their very young kids who were coming down as we were going up. The father was NOT happy, he explained they got up this steep section and then the other side is just a sheer drop. They had immediately turned around to bring their young children back down to safety. The stress all over his face said the rest.

This did not give me a lot of confidence.

Luckily, we scrambled up in our sneakers just fine, following the white lines marked out on the granite. In fact, I couldn’t stop smiling. Scrambling over the rocks was so. much. fun! Now is about the time I should mention that I am terrified of heights. This also didn’t bother me too much, it didn’t feel too scary as the ledges were some distance away from us.

From the summit of Castle Rock, you we enjoyed panoramic views of Girraween National Park, including The Pyramids, Mount Norman, The Sphinx, Turtle Rock, and the surrounding mountains and valleys. Just seeing Girraween National Park photos doesn’t do it justice. As with all places of stunning beauty, photos can give you an idea, but do not compare at all to seeing it yourself firsthand.

Castle Rock Hike Facts at a Glance

• Castle Rock hike time: It takes around 2-3 hours to complete (we took 3), depending on your fitness level and how many breaks you take.
• Castle Rock trail: Is well-marked and easy to follow. It gets steep and challenging at the peak, until that point it is a slow ascent with a fair amount of stairs along the way.
• Castle Rock hike difficulty: The hike is graded as level 4. I am not a skilled hiker, I had never scrambled up a mountain before, and I am very afraid of heights. My opinion is this: if you are able bodied and have no time constraints, then you can do this hike.
• Castle Rock with kids: I would not have taken my kids when they were under 10 on this hike. I would not have enjoyed worrying about their safety. If you wish to take your kids, kudos to you, and no judgement from me. You’re braver than I am.
• Bring water: There is no water available on the trail, so it is important to bring your own.
• Shoes: everything we read said you need hiking shoes, we did it fine in our runners. Obviously, use your own judgement for this.
• Weather: I would not do this in the rain, but I wouldn’t choose to do ANY hike in the rain, so it seems like a no brainer. Check the weather before you head out, the granite would be super slippery if wet.
• What time of day: If it was in the high 30’s celcius, I would definitely recommend to do it early in the day!

The Pyramid Hike in Girraween National Park

The start of the Pyramid trail is a very different landscape from Castle Rock. There is a lot more exposed rock, a stream, and the ascent felt steeper. It was just as beautiful, and the rock formations just as fantastic, including the Granite Arch, which is found along the way.

Our youngest is not outdoorsy, and although he chose the destination, and the trail, he did not enjoy the climb. The Pyramid, in comparison to Castle Rock, is much less protected by trees and shade and it was a warm day. We made a lot of stops along the way, whenever anyone needed a rest.

There were quite a few more people than we passed while on the Castle Rock hike, so I am guessing that the Pyramid is more popular of the two.

The Pyramid Hike

The kids and I all wore our hiking boots, but Shayne stuck to his sneakers because he finds them more comfortable. As soon as we reached the final ascent to the “Pyramid”, I was grateful for my choice of footwear. I was not prepared for the sharp angle at which you must climb to reach the summit, and I admit that it was somewhat terrifying to me. My fear of heights came out in full force. Darius, our younger son, is also acrophobic. Luckily, Shayne and Ra were not perturbed at all, so Shayne assisted Darius, and Ra helped whenever I needed a hand… or a pep talk. I didn’t think the climb was hard as much as it was frightening.

Once we reached the granite formations at the top, like the Girraween balancing rock, we enjoyed some very cool views and took lots of photos. The Pyramid summit is not as spacious as the top of Castle Rock, and because there were a few other people up there, it felt crowded. We spent a bit of time enjoying the cool breeze, watching butterflies, soaking in the panoramic view, and hydrating.

If I thought I’d been scared on the way up, I was petrified on the descent. My husband kept telling me to stop looking down. Of course I couldn’t, because the view was just as stunningly beautiful as it was scary! Darius did a great job making it down, mostly because he found my fear to be so entertaining he forgot to be scared himself.

The walk down was much faster than the time it took get up, which was around 1 hour 40 minutes up and 30 minutes to get down. However, we spent a full hour at and around the summit; climbing, exploring, taking Girraween National Park photos, and relaxing.

Pyramid Hike Facts at a Glance

• Pyramid hike time: It takes around 1-3 hours to complete (we took 3 total), depending on your fitness level and how many breaks you take.
• Pyramid trail: Is exposed to the weather, especially the sunshine, but is well-marked and easy to follow. Photos don’t even help you understand just how steep the final ascent is, so be prepared.
• Pyramid hike difficulty: The Pyramid Girraween hike is graded as level 4, the same as Castle Rock trail. However, I found it more difficult. My opinion still remains: if you are able bodied and have no time constraints, then you can do this hike.
• Pyramid with kids: Again, I would not have taken my kids when they were under 10 on this hike. That is just because I would have been concerned for their safety at the top. In comparison to the Castle Rock hike… in my opinion… this one is a more family friendly thing to do. The climb’s steep, but less cliff edges, so I didn’t worry as much for my kids as I would’ve at Castle Rock summit.
• Bring water: There is no water available on the trail, so it is important to bring your own. Whatever you normally bring on a hike, double it.
• Shoes: I was glad I wore hiking boots, but my husband did this trail just fine in Nike runners.
• Weather: The heat on this trail can be brutal because of the lack of shade. The rock faces would be immensely slippery when wet… so check the Girraween weather before you head out.
• What time of day: If in high temperatures, I would recommend starting earlier to avoid the searing heat.

Castle Rock vs Pyramid Hike in Girraween NP

Pyramid or Castle Rock which hike is easier?

I found the Castle Rock hike easier. It has a gentler ascent, more shade, and a larger area to spend time at the summit. The Pyramid was definitely more strenuous to climb, and scarier for my fellow acrophobes.

Which Girraween hike has a better view?

I preferred the Castle Rock hike panoramas, and the points at which you could lookout from were also nicer spots to sit and enjoy the view. Don’t get me wrong, the Pyramid views were also spectacular.

Which Girraween walk rock formation was the most impressive?

Balancing Rock at Girraween is so often photographed for very good reason, it is definitely a highlight of the National Park, and probably the most impressive we saw on either hike. Balancing Rock is near the peak of the Pyramid trail.

TL;DR

Explored two hikes in Girraween National Park, Castle Rock and Pyramid. Castle Rock is a bit easier with a gentler ascent and more shade, while Pyramid offers a more strenuous and steeper climb. Both hikes provide stunning views, but Castle Rock was our favourite. Balancing Rock on the Pyramid trail is a highlight. Plan for about 2-3 hours for each hike, bring water, and consider the weather. While hiking shoes are recommended, sneakers can suffice. Castle Rock is ideal for those seeking a challenging yet manageable hike, while Pyramid is more intense.