About 45 minutes' drive south-west of Beaudesert, Mount Barney National Park is the most rugged of the Scenic Rim parks. It centres on a tight cluster of peaks — Barney itself (1,359 m), Lindesay, Maroon and the smaller Ballow — formed by a Cenozoic volcano whose softer cone eroded away to leave a knot of granite stocks. The result is a landscape of steep grassy ridges, sandstone bluffs and dense rainforest gullies that draws serious bushwalkers and climbers from Brisbane.
The most popular outing is the South Ridge Track to Mount Barney's summit (around 17 km, 9–11 hours, no marked path above the saddle) and the easier walks to Lower Portals and Barney Falls, both of which end at swimming holes in granite gorges. There is no road to the summit; the carpark at Yellow Pinch is the standard trailhead. Camping is permitted with a permit.
Even if you do not plan to climb, the drive south along the Mount Lindesay Highway is one of the most scenic in the region.