[2][3][4] The park consists of two sections—Mossman Gorge and Cape Tribulation, with a settled agricultural area between them which includes the towns of Mossman and Daintree Village.

After crossing the river on an old fashioned cable ferry there is a range of boardwalks and untouched beaches to explore, and the endangered cassowary can be encountered anywhere.

[7] In 2021, a historic deal made with the Queensland government has led to the eastern Kuku Yalanji people taking formal ownership of Daintree National Park.

[3] Located 75 km (47 mi) north of Cairns via the Captain Cook Highway and Mossman, the gorge offers many scenic exploration walks including Baral Marrjanga, Lower river track, Rex Creek bridge, and the Rainforest circuit track.

The Daintree National Park's traditional owners are the Eastern Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal people.

[16][17] In his report to the Queensland Parliament, Dalrymyple described the range as "jungle-clad hills" but he provided no explanation as to the choice of name.

[18][19] Dalyrmple described the land from the range down to the Daintree River as "luxuriant jungles, filling all the broad valley, and giving evidence of many thousands of acres of the same rich agricultural lands ... soon to be the gem of Australia", prophesying that agriculture rather than mining would be the longterm feature of the Queensland economy.

[20] Another of the expedition members, Robert Johnstone (a sub-inspector in the Queensland Police Force) climbed to the top of the Heights of Dagmar, describing the range as "fine open grassy hills of good soil; the extent of rich jungle land is very extensive".

Another expedition member Walter Hill (a botanist) described the soil "first class" and identified a new species of coconut palm.

By 1894, a number of blocks of land had been sold along the Daintree River in the south-east of the present boundaries of the locality.

The wompoo fruit-dove is one of six species of pigeon that live in the park[2][3] as well as significant populations of the endangered cassowary, a flightless bird of substantial size.