Frenchmans Track

Properly called Frenchman's Road, it is one of them "roads", that really should be called a track - not only because it's narrow as a track, but also because it does have its challenges.


And it surprises one then when a lot of the time this track is actually not too challenging - except its two river crossings, and one of them is likely your deepest one on the peninsula.



The start of the Frenchmans Track has some patches of bog holes until you get to Wenlock River crossing.
   

The western river bank is steep, (steeper than you can see in the below photo).

... but once down, the river crossing itself is easy if you are doing it well enough into the Dry season.

Continuing east the Frenchmans Track has a sandy climb,
   

... a few wet patches,
    
.. as well as level but sometimes even a little corrugated parts...
  

.. and some more uneven parts..
  

The main excitement of the Frenchmans Track is Pascoe River, which often is one of the deepest river crossings on the peninsula (how deep really depends on recent, local rains).

Once you get to Pascoe, it is a steep track down along the western river bank.

The river itself is reasonably deep and that in the combination with quite a strong current makes this crossing challenging.



And that said how challenging is the Pascoe River Crossing depends on a lot of things including the time of the year and recent weather.

The eastern bank is not as steep as the western one, but is still a fair climb up.

The rest of the road is cruisy with no big dramas...

.. and some great views over some rocky country...

.. and the surrounding landscape,
   

.. until the track comes to its eastern end at the main road into Iron Range National Park, Lockhart River and Portland Roads.

Pascoe River Crossing

Pascoe River crossing is great fun!

Like most other rivers, Pascoe has of course different crossings on the peninsula.


Not quite as many as some other rivers do, since Pascoe is one of the shorter ones.

Unlike Wenlock, Archer and some other rivers it does not cross the peninsula, both starting (near Mount Tozer south of Lockhart River) and ending (in Weymouth Bay north of Portland Roads and Iron Range National Park) on the eastern side.

Its most used crossings are those on Frenchmans Track, and the so called Pascoe Track south of it.
   

And the most serious of the two is the one of the Frenschmans Track.
   

Sometimes this Pascoe River crossing is not hugely deep, other times it is.
   

Being a river it also has a fair current, and consequently, according to a lot of people, including experienced four wheel drivers, I often hear that it is the most serious crossing they encountered on their Cape York trip.
   

It sure is on every traveller's photos and videos, who have done the Frenchmans Track.
   

Its entry and exit are rocky and slow,



... and the crossing itself is everyone's favourite!

 

Plan Your Trip... the FREE Cape York Travel Pocket Guide

Get this 50 pages guide totally for FREE. It contains information that helps you getting started with planning of your trip. You get to make early-stages desicions such as when to go, how long time you should take, how to get there and get around, where to stay (general info), what will it cost.. and a short insight to what is there to see and do in Cape York.

Plan and Bring to the Trip... the full Destination Cape York Travel Guide

This complete 300 pages travel guide is all you need before and during your trip. Besides the background chapters on the peninsula's history and wildlife; and the comprehensive detail about all the places (down to prices, opening hours and full contact detail), it has invaluable information on at least 10 four wheel drive tracks, at least 30 guaranteed FREE camping spots on the Cape (and at least 150 on your way to the Cape), at least 40 best swimming holes, all mapped; as well as practical things - from fuel, roads, wireless internet and mobile phone reception, how to deal with the national parks booking rules; and Aboriginal land entrance and camping permits and alcohol restrictions - to vehicle preparation and accessories and necessary recovery gear by my vehicle-recovery-guy partner). Not to mention locals' tips on how to spot that croc and palm cockatoo ;-)

If you liked the books or this website, let others know about it! 

Link to it from your website, your blog, your forum post... Share it on Facebook, Tweet about it...



Every link helps other travellers!

Thank you for doing the right thing and letting others know :-)