The Overland Track

The route

The track runs roughly south through the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, in the heart of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. It starts at Ronny Creek, a shuttle ride from the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre, and climbs onto the open plateau south of Cradle Mountain. The first two days cross that high country to Waterfall Valley and Lake Windermere. The third, the longest, comes down through moor and forest to Pelion Plains.

From Pelion the track climbs to Pelion Gap, the saddle between Mount Ossa and Mount Pelion East, then descends past Kia Ora and through the Du Cane forests to Bert Nichols Hut at Windy Ridge. The last day follows the Narcissus valley to Narcissus Hut. The 65 km ends there, not at a road. To reach the road at Cynthia Bay you either take a small ferry down the lake or walk 17.5 km along its shore, usually as a seventh day.

Side trips leave the main track along the way: Cradle Mountain and Barn Bluff in the north, Mount Ossa from Pelion Gap, the Du Cane waterfalls, and Pine Valley near the end. None is part of the 65 km. A few old huts still stand beside the track. Du Cane Hut was built in 1910, and Old Pelion Hut dates from 1917, when the area was mined.

What the walking is like

The first day asks for effort straight away. The track rises from the grassland of Ronny Creek past Crater Lake, and the short, steep climb to Marions Lookout is where the weight of a full pack first makes itself felt. Above it the ground rolls away across the plateau, on boardwalk, stone and rough path, towards the dark block of Barn Bluff. On a clear day the space seems endless. In cloud, the next marker post is the whole world.

The second day is short and stays high, through low heath and tarns to Lake Windermere, with time to sit by the water if the weather allows.

The third day is the long one, 16.8 km, and the walk changes character. The track goes down into myrtle forest, where roots run across the path and water stands in the hollows. The sound of wind on the moor gives way to dripping leaves and running water. Around the Forth valley the mud is deep, and keeping your feet takes attention. Then the trees part and Mount Oakleigh rises over Pelion Plains.

From Pelion the climb through forest to Pelion Gap brings back the height and the exposure. This is the place to read the sky. Mount Ossa, at 1,617 metres the highest mountain in Tasmania, rises beside the saddle, and on a settled day its summit is a separate half-day climb. In rain, snow or strong wind, the right choice is the main track and the descent to Kia Ora.

Beyond Kia Ora the forest takes over: King Billy pine, sassafras and myrtle, close and green, past the old Du Cane Hut. Short, steep side paths drop to the waterfalls of the Mersey River. The last full day is gentler, down the Narcissus valley to a suspension bridge over the river and the hut beside the lake. After six days measured in steps, Lake St Clair opens out ahead. Some walkers wait at the jetty for the ferry. Others take one more day under the trees along the shore.

The stages

The Parks and Wildlife Service sets out the walk in six stages, one hut to the next. You may stop at any hut or campsite on the way, so the stages are a guide, not a timetable.

Places on the way

Four places mark the shape of the walk: the lake on the high plateau, the plains at its middle, the mountain you can choose to climb, and the hut at the end.

Lake Windermere

The end of the short second day, and the last of the high, open country before the forest. The hut and tent platforms stand back from the shore to protect it. On a fine afternoon there is time to sit by the water.

Pelion Plains

Reached at the end of the long third day, out of the mud and the forest. Mount Oakleigh stands over the plains and Mount Pelion West rises to the west. The hut is the base for the climb to Pelion Gap.

Mount Ossa, if the weather allows

Tasmania’s highest mountain, at 1,617 metres, rises beside Pelion Gap. The return climb from the saddle adds 5.2 km and four to five hours, and is unsafe in heavy rain or snow. It is for a settled day only.

Narcissus Hut

The end of the 65 km, near the north end of Lake St Clair. Here the walk becomes a choice: the ferry to Cynthia Bay, or a last day on foot along the shore. The hut radio is used to confirm the ferry.

Planning the walk

When should I walk it?

December to February gives the longest days, and summer is the season the guidebook recommends, though serious weather is still possible. The booking season runs from 1 October to 31 May, and the Parks and Wildlife Service is clear that snow and severe cold are possible in any month. October and May are colder and shorter; April and May bring an earlier deadline for collecting your pass. Check the park alerts and the mountain forecast before you leave.

Do I need to book?

Yes, from 1 October to 31 May every walker needs a booked departure date and an Overland Track Pass, and the track is walked north to south only. Up to 34 independent walkers may start each day. Bookings for the season open online on the first Tuesday in July, and the popular dates go quickly. You book a starting date, not a bed: the public huts cannot be reserved.

On the day you start, collect your pass at the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre after a short briefing, by 1.30pm, or 12.30pm in April and May. The fee includes park entry for the walk and the shuttle to Ronny Creek, but not transport to Cradle Mountain or from Lake St Clair.

Should I walk independently or with a guided company?

Either works, and the choice is about what you want to carry and arrange. Independent walkers take their own food, stove, sleeping bag and tent, and use the public huts. Guided companies run catered trips, some camping and some using private huts of their own. Compare what each actually includes. The weather is the same for everyone.

Where do I sleep, and what about food and water?

In the public huts or on the tent platforms beside them, but you must carry a tent, because the huts cannot be booked and may be full. Bring all your food and a stove. The main huts have rainwater tanks and composting toilets; treat or boil the water. Keep food away from possums, and carry out all your rubbish.

How do I get to the start, and back from the finish?

By shuttle or bus, booked separately, from Launceston, Devonport or Hobart. The two ends of the park are far apart by road, so plan both legs before you go, and consider a night near Cradle Mountain before you start.

At the end, you choose between the ferry and a last day on foot. Book whichever you choose before you set off.

How fit do I need to be, and what should I carry?

Fit enough to carry a full pack for six days in a row, including one day of 16.8 km. Train with the pack you will carry. Take a waterproof jacket and trousers, warm layers, a hat and gloves, your tent, sleeping bag and stove, a map, a first-aid kit and a spare day’s food. Mobile reception is unreliable, so carry a personal locator beacon; they can be hired locally.

Can I walk it with children?

Older children who are used to multi-day walks can, with care. The Parks and Wildlife Service advises against the walk for children under eight, and anyone 17 or under must walk with an adult. Judge them on the long third day and the steep, rooty ground, because there is no road out partway.

Can I walk it in winter?

Yes, if you are an experienced winter walker with the right equipment. From 1 June to 23 September there is no booking fee; instead you register and hold a parks pass, and you may walk in either direction. No new starts are registered from 24 to 30 September. Expect short days, snow and blizzards. The ferry runs in winter on demand, with a minimum charge for small groups.

Which side trips are worth the time?

Mount Ossa, if the weather is settled. Every side trip depends on the sky, so plan them as options, not fixtures.

For a day at the northern end without the walk, see our guide to Cradle Mountain. For the start or end of a Tasmanian trip, see Hobart.

If the walk goes wrong

The weather turns. Decide early. Stay at the hut or campsite you are at, wait for a better morning, and drop the summits. A swollen creek, snow or a strong wind can make a short stage long. Never push on just to protect a ferry or bus booking.

Injury or illness. There is no road out halfway, and rescue can be slow in bad weather. Stay warm, stay with the hut or the track, and use your locator beacon in a real emergency. Tell someone your route and your expected finish before you start.

A missed or cancelled ferry. Use the radio at Narcissus Hut to explain. Wait for a later sailing, stay at the hut if you are equipped, or walk the shore the next day. Do not start the 17.5 km late to catch a bus.