3 Bears Track; Epic coastline from Dunsborough to Yallingup

The 3 Bears Track is one of many places around Dunsborough, Yallingup and Margaret River that you can go four wheel driving. It is a magnificent track, which is used by many people to access the incredible surf break, known as 3 Bears.

If you are looking for more places to take your 4WD and see incredible coastline, check out 4WD Tracks Margaret River.

Asides from the 3 bears 4WD track there isn’t any other coastal Dunsborough 4WD tracks, which makes this one rather special.

If you want more tracks, you can check our post out here – WA 4WD tracks.

Where is the 3 bears track?

The Three Bears Track runs from Cape Naturalist down to Yallingup (or just off Caves road).

It can be done in reverse, depending on your preference, but finding the start from the southern end is not as easy.

How long does it take?

We most recently did the 3 bears track in January 2020, and with limited stops had it done and dusted from south to north in under two hours, and that was with a lot of detours due to parts of the southern section blocked and gated off.

It’s a fantastic track to do either before the sun is too reflective off the water, or late afternoon to enjoy the sunset.

How do you get to the track?

Most people start the track from the North and head south, but this is entirely up to you. If you are starting from the North, head out Cape Naturalist road, and turn left onto Sugarloaf Road. The track starts on your left about 500 metres down the road.  

There is a power pole, and a sign that says Leeuwin Naturaliste National Park. Follow the track south, and you’ll eventually pop out near Yallingup.

Expect to see a lot of gates though, as they keep blocking off parts that used to be open.

If you are coming from the south, we entered from Hemsley Road, and headed north. Each time we tried to get to the coast earlier on we hit gates, so you have to travel around half of the track inland now. 

How difficult the Three bears track?

The track itself is not too difficult at all. A large majority of it is compact sand, but there are a number of spots where it is rocky and the sand can be soft in places.

With reasonable wheel placement, even soft roaders (with minimal clearance) shouldn’t have any issues.

I’ve seen Foresters easily do the track, but just watch your tyre pressures and avoid any big rocks! The sand can be soft in sections, and it is worth lowering your tyres down a bit for the rocky sections. Take it slow, and enjoy the scenery!

For most vehicles, 20 PSI should be enough. Of course, you can go lower depending on how soft the sand is. I know a lot of people don’t let their tyres down, which is fine if the sand is hard. However, if it means you chew the track up then you are damaging it and making it harder for people in the future.

In Winter, the track can develop some reasonable sized puddles. They don’t usually get much taller than around 300mm, but it pays to go through them slowly!

Is it worth doing?

We highly recommend this track. I’ve done it a few times, and still love doing it. If you go when the weather is terrible, you can see how powerful the ocean can be. The waves come smashing in to the rocks and being on the west coast, there is zero protection.

On a day where the weather is good (and the waves are usually still decent sized!) you will love the colour of the water, the gorgeous beaches and plenty of incredible views. Half way through the track there are toilets, and some stairs that lead down onto the beach where the surfers hit the water.

Next time you are down at Dunsborough, Yallingup or Margaret River, be sure to check the 3 Bears 4WD Track out. This part of our coast is truly magnificent.

If you want somewhere not too far away to camp at, I’d highly recommend Jarrahdene; brilliant bush camping in the south west.

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