The cooler climate at Cameron Highlands makes hiking a very pleasant outdoor activity. There are different jungle trails to explore as a result.
Coral Hill Hike is one of the more well-known trails. But the trail is not marked and there’s no official warden or signboards as with the more famous Mossy Forest.
Do you want to try this trail anyways? Read this post before you do.
Where Is The Starting Point?
Set your GPS to the Time Tunnel Museum in Cameron Highlands.
If you choose to park your car at the front of Time Tunnel Museum, and walk to the starting point, you’ll need to pass some smelly and dirty warehouses.
The starting point of this trail is by a simple shack and a makeshift plank bridge (that looks like it can only handle one person at a time) over a polluted stream. Yes, not very picturesque at all.
The whole experience (while short) of walking here on foot was very off putting, and we weren’t sure we wanted to do the hike at all once we reached the starting point.
But after you go past the shack and some thick ferns, you soon forget these unpleasant effects of mankind and start appreciating the ample greenery around you.
How Long Does It Take To Do This Trail?
This is not a loop track. You will most likely go down the same way you came up with slight variations.
One way takes 15 minutes if you’re confident. But 30 minutes if you keep stopping to rest or to get your bearings.
Note: DiGi users will find that they can get some signal midway into the trail as there is a transmission tower nearby
What Is The Difficulty Level Of This Trail?
If you’re petite, this trail will test your hamstrings as you must cross over high obstacles. For taller folk, this is not so much of a problem.
Proper hiking shoes are advised.
We have average fitness and did this trail in less than an hour – that includes the 10-minute break we took at the top.
Scrambling is unavoidable if you don’t have climbing poles with you. We think gloves are not necessary, but you can wear them for extra protection.
Note: Be careful where you place your hand – there are creepy crawlies like centipedes and hairy caterpillars that will make your skin itch
Watch your head as some branches are lower than others. And watch your feet too. The tree roots are sturdy but slippery.
This trail gets very muddy in places, especially since it rains quite often in Cameron Highlands. We did this trail in midday on a sunny day and the mud was still soft in places.
You can walk out onto the stone outcrop at the top of the hill but be very careful. A fall from here looks like it would lead to serious injuries.
What Can You See On This Trail?
Botanists will surely pick out more than we did. To our untrained eyes, we saw different types of lichen and mosses.
You can see mosses on the tree branches and roots quite early into the trail.
Look closely and you can see different types of fungi too. There are big black ones on the ground, and others that look like steps circling the tree trunks.
There are some mature trees and moss midway in the trail. It looks like the Mossy Forest of Brinchang but without the wooden boardwalk.
At the top of the trail, the thick foliage gives way to thinner shrubs. We noticed many species of pitcher plants among these shrubs.
Is A Guide Necessary For This Trail?
There are several forks along the trail, and you must use your best judgement if you don’t have a guide.
What we did was try to take paths that were easier to cross, and that were heading in the direction we wanted to go in (upwards for the hilltop views).
Note: This is not our first time hiking in Cameron Highlands
This trail is shorter than it looks, and there are usually other hikers’ tracks to follow. Despite this, it can feel a bit intimating to continue onwards when all the paths look similar, and you cannot see where they lead to.
Moreover, you will not be able to hear the main road or other sounds of civilization once you’ve gone into the jungle.
If you don’t plan on getting a local guide, we advise letting someone know that you intend to do this trail before you go. And what time you plan to be back.
Conclusion
Coral Hill Hike is an alternative you can go for if you don’t plan on taking a tour to the Mossy Forest. It’s not that hard to find, and it is short with interesting flora to see.
The views at the top are not awe-inspiring but fair. You don’t have to pay anything to use this trail. But at the same time, be aware that the trail is not well maintained and it’s all at your own risk.
We don’t advise this trail for anyone with mobility issues or young children.
