Main Range Walk: Overview
Main Range Walk is one of the most popular hikes in Kosciuszko National Park. While most visitors head to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko via the shorter 12 km return track from Thredbo, this route offers a far more rewarding experience. The walk is a longer loop, but the extra effort pays off with more breathtaking views of the mountain ranges and glacial lakes.
Main Range Walk: Quick Overview
- Location: Kosciuszko National Park, NSW, Australia
- Distance: 22 km
- Time: ~8 hours
- Elevation gain: ~800 m
- Highest point: Mt Kosciuszko summit (2,228 m)
- Trailhead: Charlotte Pass
- Trail type: Loop
- Difficulty: Challenging – Grade 4
- Best time: December to March
- Highlights: Blue Lake, Lake Albina, Mount Kosciuszko summit, alpine views
- Park entry fees: during hiking season: $17 per vehicle per day, bus passengers $6.60 per adult
- Public toilets: Available at Charlotte Pass and Rawson Pass
This hike can be done from November to May, as the road between Perisher and Charlotte Pass closes during the snow season (June to October).
The trail begins at Charlotte Pass (1,835 m), a trailhead for several other hikes. Even early in the morning, parking can fill up quickly. If you do this hike on a long weekend or during Christmas break, I recommend arriving as early as possible. It will be easier to find a parking spot along the road closer to the start of the trail.
Main Range Walk is a loop, so it can be completed in either direction. We hiked anticlockwise, and many reviews recommend hiking anticlockwise. This way, you do the steepest sections earlier in the day while your legs are still fresh, and finish with a mostly downhill stretch.
For those looking to extend the adventure, there’s also the option to turn this into a multi-day hike, with detours to Australia’s Eleven Highest Peaks.
Hike Section: Charlotte Pass to Blue Lake
The first section of the Main Range Walk takes you to spectacular Blue Lake. According to the National Park sign, the distance to Blue Lake is 5 km and takes 2 hours.
The track starts as a paved trail. At the start, the trail goes through the gorgeous snow gums
with twisted, colorful trunks. It continues downhill to the Snowy River and overlooks a spectacular valley where Club Lake Creek flows into the Snowy River.
After about 700 m you will reach the lowest point of the trail. Here, you will need to cross the Snowy River and Club Lake Creek. There is a path of stepping stones to help cross them. But note that the stones become very slippery when wet, and crossings may be impassable after rain.
After crossing the Snowy River, the trail goes uphill through the alpine fields for about 3 km until you get to the turnoff to the Blue Lake lookout which is about a 500 m walk from the main trail. This is an optional side trip, but it is only 1 km return, and in my opinion, it is one of the highlights of Main Range Walk. Many hikers only hike to Blue Lake and return to Charlotte Pass.
Blue Lake
We did the hike at the end of January 2023, at that time you could not go beyond the lookout. The trails to the Blue Lake, Blue Lake Creek, and Hedley Tarn are currently not accessible, as the area is closed for regeneration.
Blue Lake is a stunning glacial lake situated at an elevation of around 1,890 m above sea level. It’s renowned for its striking blue color caused by the refraction of sunlight on the clear water.
Blue Lake is the largest of the four cirque lakes on mainland Australia. The other three are Club Lake, Lake Albina, and Lake Cootapatamba. All four of them are in Kosciuszko National Park and can be seen on the Main Range Walk.
Hike Section: Blue Lake to Carruthers Peak
From Blue Lake lookout return to the main trail and continue to hike uphill along the main trail heading to Carruthers Peak (2,145 m), the seventh highest peak in Australia. Soon you will get to a saddle with a breathtaking view of the ranges. The trail continues climbing to Carruthers Peak. And again you will enjoy stunning views of the ranges from there.
Hike Section: Carruthers Peak to Muellers Pass
From the peak the trail winds down the ridge. Soon the stone path turns into a metal grate. This section of the trail is an easy flat walk overlooking beautiful Lake Albina. As you continue hiking further to Muellers Pass the metal grate walk gives way to a stony path, and the trail starts ascending again. Soon you will reach Muellers Pass. From here you can take an optional side trip to Wilkinsons Creek.
Hike Section: Muellers Pass to Mount Kosciuszko summit
We continued hiking from Mueller Pass towards Mount Kosciuszko, ascending a stone path that eventually gave way to a rubber mesh. The trail offered stunning views of the Snowy River Valley on our left and fractured granite on our right. After a while, we got to the intersection with the Summit Track.
At the intersection, turn right and hike towards the summit of Mount Kosciuszko, which is another 990 meters away. From here, the trail becomes very busy. Every year more than 100,000 people climb Mount Kosciuszko. Once you get to the intersection you will see a lot of people hiking to Mount Kosciuszko via Thredbo to Kosciuszko Walk or Summit Walk from Charlotte Pass. Unlike other mountain summits, the trail to the summit is very well-maintained.
On our approach to the summit, we noticed scaffolding on the top of Mount Kosciuszko. It turned out that NSW National Parks is constructing a ramp to make it accessible to people with restricted mobility.
On the summit, we had a snack break and enjoyed panoramic views of the surrounding alpine landscape. Ramp construction was underway and the trig point marking the Mount Kosciuszko Summit was behind the fence.
Hike Section: Mount Kosciuszko summit to Rawson Pass
From Mount Kosciuszko, the hike is mostly downhill along Summit Walk to Charlotte Pass. From Mount Kosciuszko, we hiked back to the intersection and then walked another 680 m to the Rawson Pass. Rawson Pass is an intersection of Summit Walk from Charlotte Pass and a metal walkway from Thredbo. There is a toilet, which is the highest public toilet in Australia, and a mountain bike parking stand.
Hike Section: Rawson Pass to Charlotte Pass
From Rawson Pass, the Main Range Walk follows a wide gravel fire trail leading to Charlotte Pass. This section of the trail is suitable for mountain bikes. From Rawson Pass, the trail goes along the Etheridge Range, and in about 1.7 km you will reach Seaman’s Hut, a cabin built in 1929 and now used as an emergency shelter.
The trail continues for about 1.4 m down to the Snowy River. No stepping stones crossing in this part of the hike, as there are bridges across the Snowy River and Merritts Creek. From Snowy River it is about 4.5 km to Charlotte Pass. The trail overlooks the Snowy River and the valley on the left. The views do not change much in this part of the trail, but the last kilometer goes through a grove of beautiful snow gums.
Main Range Walk: Things to keep in mind
– You must be prepared for weather changes. Even in summer, weather conditions can change suddenly and very dramatically. Check the weather forecast and prepare for weather changes.
– UV radiation is extremely high.
– Bring enough water, warm clothes, a rain jacket, sunscreen, and a hat.
– There is mobile reception in some spots.