Highlights:

• The Victorian High Country

• The vast Bogong High Plains

• Heath, snow gums and wildflowers

• Panoramic mountain vistas

Brief:

⏱  Duration: 3 Days            
🗺  Distance: 37 km
⛰  Grade: Moderate
🗓  Best Time: Nov - May
🛏  Accomm: Camping or various options

Falls to Hotham - Walk Overview

Parks Victoria, the arm of the Victorian Government responsible for overseeing Victoria’s parks and protected natural spaces, has developed “Walk Victoria’s Icons”. Parks Victoria describes the chosen walks as “long distance walking experiences that showcase iconic landscapes”. So far, there are three such iconic walks and the Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing is one of them. 

This walk is a point to point walk between two major Victorian alpine resorts, Falls Creek and Mount Hotham. The walk is in an area that Victorians refer to affectionately as the High Country. It’s well named as the area feels removed and different from other parts of Victoria. A rich vein of Australian bush folklore and legend derives from the High Country.

The walk is located approximately 380 km north-east of Melbourne and is entirely within the Victorian Alpine National Park. The Victorian Alpine National Park is Victoria’s largest national park and contains Victoria’s highest mountains - Mt Bogong (1986m), Mt Feathertop (1922m), Mt Nelse (1893m), Mt Loch (1887m) and Mt Hotham (1862m). At the Victoria/New South Wales border it meets and merges into the Kosciuszko National Park, making a whopping alpine wilderness region of over 1.3 million hectares.

The bulk of the Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing is usually snow covered from early June to November, so the walking season is early November to late May.

Further information:

• A three day itinerary is described below (scroll down).

• For more information on walking in the Victorian Alpine National Park, click the button below.

Falls to Hotham - Walk Options

Guided

Several tour operators offer part or all of this walk as a guided trip. You can choose to do the entire 37 km walk or opt for shorter versions. Some operators offer trips that are longer than three days and include walks in addition to the Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing.

Accommodation options include camping or very comfortable accommodation in the alpine resorts situated at either end of the walk. Most of the guided options use the ski lodge accommodation and undertake the Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing via day walks.

Typically, the package offered by these operators include:

• Transfers to and from Melbourne

• Professional guides

• Lodge accommodation

• All meals

• Transfers between the track and the accommodation

• National park entrance fees

Assisted self-guided

There are various self-guided services that can be accessed for the Falls to Hotham Crossing. An offering that provides accommodation each night includes:

• Transfers to and from Melbourne

• Track notes, maps and information pack

• Lodge accommodation

• Luggage transport and vehicle transfers between track and accommodation

• Breakfasts, dinners and packed lunches

• National Park entrance fees

There is also a possibility of accessing self-guided assistance whilst camping overnight.

Independent

There are Parks Victoria campsites located at the end of the first and second days of the walk itinerary described above. Campsites need to be booked before you arrive.

The track campsites have tent platforms, toilets, rainwater tanks and picnic tables. In each case, there is a hut nearby which may only be used for emergency shelter. Walkers must bring their own tents. Whilst rainwater tanks are in place, the tanks may not hold water. There are nearby creeks where water can usually be obtained.

During January, the Falls Creek resort operates a shuttle bus between the start of the walk and the finish.

Falls to Hotham - Essential Information

Access

The Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing can be walked in either direction, but most people start at the Falls Creek end. 

In summer, public transport directly to the track is very limited. It is possible to get reasonably close and then use a taxi or private transport provider.

Some of the accommodation providers in Falls Creek and Mount Hotham will provide transport from their accommodation to a road-accessible point on the track. 

Park Entry

An entry pass is not required for the National Park, but campsites must be booked and paid for prior to arrival. This can be done online through the Parks Victoria website. 

Best Time

The best time to do the walk is November through to May. The area traversed by the walk is usually snow covered in the winter months. Walkers need to be aware that conditions can change rapidly in the alpine areas and snowfalls can occur at any time of the year.

Difficulty

This walk is rated Grade 4 under the Australian Walking Track Grading System. This means that tracks may be long, rough and very steep. Directional signage may be limited.

Accommodation

In addition to the walk accommodation referred to in ‘Walk Options’ above, there are a number of very appealing, comfortable accommodation options available in the Falls Creek and Mt Hotham alpine resorts, as well as the towns at the bottom of the mountains such as Mt Beauty, Harrietville and Bright.

Some of the accommodation providers are attuned to walkers’ needs or offer amenities suited to walkers.  

We can assist walkers in choosing the accommodation options which best suit their needs.

Other activities

As a popular tourism destination, the Victorian Alps and north-east Victoria region offers many attractions in addition to the Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing. Many walkers choose to add extra days to their trip so that they can experience some of those attractions.

Assistance

We can assist walkers with various aspects of their walking holidays.