The walk to Yankee Hat was the first walk we ever did in the Canberra area and it remains one of our all time favourites today. It leads to a giant leaning boulder whose underside is adorned with well preserved Indigenous paintings thought to be several thousand years old. That alone would be well worth the walk but the track itself is also fabulous.
You’ll cross a vast grassy plain which feels completely cut off from the outside world. You’re surrounded by distant mountains on all sides and you can neither see nor hear a road. It feels remote and special. You’ll share the track with hundreds upon hundreds of kangaroos which definitely adds to the atmosphere.
In short, this is one of the best easy walks near Canberra. Here’s what to expect from the trail.
The Yankee Hat Track
The stats
Distance: 6km return
Elevation gain: 135m
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead: Yankee Hat Walking Track Car Park
Summary: The Yankee Hat Track is an easy walk which is predominantly flat or the gradient is so gentle that it feels it. There are a few stairs and some gentle slopes up and downhill, but no steep sections or tricky terrain.
The path is a mix of flattened grass and some strategic boardwalk taking you safely over any marshy ground.
Starting the trail: through the grassy plains
From the Yankee Hat car park (full parking details at the end of the post) you’ll head down a couple of stairs and straight out into the wide expansive grasslands and will likely bump into your first kangaroo within a minute or two.
Large mobs patrol the plains and it really add to the atmosphere.
It had been a staggering 13 years since we first walked this track and it was interesting to remember that I had been really scared of the male kangaroos last time.
It was just under a year on from our bear attack and I was still terrified of any potential threats.
I still give any males a wide berth though none of the roos were perturbed by our presence, most simply carry on munching away.
In terms of the path, it’s beaten down grass and there are intermittent markers keeping you on track.
The landscape is dotted with boulder jumbles which is very reminiscent of the Snowy Mountains and always a pleasure to walk through.
You’ll head very gradually up and then downhill to the first boardwalk at the 1km mark. A little bridge and metal boardwalk will carry you safely over the boggy ground beneath.
There are a couple of hundred metres of rocky steps uphill through a little bushy section and then you will emerge into a new part of the plains.
There are some stunning views, though they are even better on the way back when you’re facing more of the peaks.
Reaching the art site
As you begin crossing the next grassy plain you’ll pass over another boardwalk but this one has been almost fully reclaimed by the grass, though it would still do its job if you were walking in wet conditions.
There’s a long flat stretch of track and then a minor incline back into another forested section.
This is where you will probably start seeing your first wallabies as they seemed to prefer a little tree cover.
At the 2.6km mark, you’ll pass where the old visitor book used to be and the track continues to the right. You’ll quickly come to some more metal boardwalk and the art site is just 100m away, 2.9km from the car park.
It’s a fun entrance as you pass between the learning boulders.
Yankee Hat Aboriginal art site
The art is located on the underside of a huge granite boulder and a fence protects it, though it’s not grated so the viewing experience is very good.
While some of the older paintings have succumbed to weathering over time, there are still a number of very vibrant and well preserved paintings.
There are obvious kangaroos, dingoes, an emu and some stick figures. We also think there’s a turtle though the sign said it could be an echidna.
The paintings are thought to be between 800 and 3700 years old and were made by the Ngunnawal people, the traditional custodians of the land.
It’s a wonderful site and very special with it being the only publicly accessible Aboriginal art site in the ACT.
Needless to say it should be treated with the upmost respect and never touched as the oils on your skin can damage the paintings.
It’s a privilege to simply sit and admire it, especially as it was closed for many years and for a long time it seemed like it would never reopen again.
Completing the walk
Since we last walked this trail a new loop extension has been built and it’s a fab addition to the trail. You’ll head through the art site and out onto some more boardwalk.
After 100m it will open out to some of the best views of the trail.
The boardwalk ends after another 50m and you head right for a further 50m before turning left.
This will bring you back onto the original trail you have already walked, though the views are even better in this direction.
Getting to the Yankee Hat trailhead
The trail begins from the Yankee Hat car park in Namadgi National Park, you can see the exact location on Google maps here. The final 3.3km of the road to the car park is unsealed but suitable for any car at time of writing. There are two fords to cross but unless there has been very heavy rain these are small and insignificant.
It’s located around a 1 hour 15 minute drive from Canberra, much of which is through the national park and very scenic. You’ll find a long drop toilet at the car park.
Where to stay in Canberra
We’ve been to Canberra more times than I can count and stayed in a huge number of different hotels (all unsponsored). You can see our pick below, but you can see all your hotel options here.
Little National Hotel
When all you need is a huge comfy bed, powerful shower and a great location then look no further. The rooms at Little National are very small but they're often our go to, especially when we want to use the amazing free co working space inside the hotel.
There's also a great lounge with comfy seats and wine glasses ready for you to BYO, so the living space feels bigger than the room alone.
Parking is free on weekends and that includes Monday morning too so it's a great option for a long weekender.
Check the latest prices on:
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, that we will earn a small commission if you click through and decide to make a purchase. This helps towards the costs of running our website. Thanks for your support.
Bendora Arboretum is like a little piece of North America right here in the ACT. The easy walking path takes you through spectacular pine plantations, some of which have glorious colourful foliage during autumn. We’re sharing everything you need to know to plan your visit.