1st Camp Loop

1st Camp Loop in Gibsons is one of those trails that looks straightforward on a map but is currently more of an adventure than a clean loop. On paper it’s a 2.4 km challenging circuit with about 235 m of gain up to roughly 479 m, usually taking just over an hour. In reality right now, it’s only suitable for very experienced, confident navigators who are comfortable with backtracking and route-finding.

When this loop is in shape, it climbs steadily through classic Sunshine Coast forest with short, punchy ascents and some solid leg-burn on the way up. You’d normally get a quiet walk under tall trees, with the odd opening where you can catch glimpses over Gibsons and the surrounding hills before dropping back into the woods to close the loop.

Recent hikers report that 1st Camp Loop is currently overgrown, rarely used, and basically unmarked, with old maps leading people off-trail toward private property and even into an active quarry. Expect deadfall, confusing junctions, and no reliable signage, and plan to turn around rather than push through sketchy sections. Until the route is properly re-flagged and updated, locals are treating this more as an exploratory out-and-back than a true loop, and many visitors are choosing better-maintained Gibsons trails instead, especially in low-light or wet winter conditions.