Frenchmans Cap Track

Walk Overview

Frenchmans Cap Track is an iconic Tasmanian walk. It’s more challenging than the Overland Track or Three Capes Track and is best tackled with a guide or after completing other multi-day Tasmanian walks.

It’s iconic because the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park is in the heart of the treasured Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Frenchmans Cap is the highest and most prominent peak in the Park, with its distinctive white cap visible from far afield. The walk itself is outstanding, starting and finishing near an idyllic stretch of the Franklin River and then delivering exceptional views of the World Heritage Area from its high point.

The walk has many other features. The walk in to Lake Vera passes through a flood plain carpeted by button-grass then ascends through rain forest replete with colourful fungi and lichen.  The leg from Lake Vera to Lake Tahune provides stunning views of Frenchmans Cap and nearby peaks and spires. The hut at Lake Tahune sits beneath one of the most impressive features of the walk, being the 400 metre quartzite cliff face of Frenchmans Cap. 

The walk is essentially an ‘out and back’ walk. Whilst there is some variability about the side trips done in the vicinity of Frenchmans Cap itself, the walk in to the summit ‘launching spot’ of Lake Tahune and the return to the trail head from Lake Tahune, cover the same ground.

There are two unattended huts on the track. The huts have bunks but no cooking stoves or utensils. The Lake Vera Hut accommodates 20 people while the Lake Tahune Hut accommodates 16 people. It’s not possible to reserve places in the huts.

Frenchmans Cap Track lies in the heart of the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. The Park is situated 117km north-west of Hobart and covers a massive 446,300 hectares.  The sparkling quartzite summit of Frenchmans Cap is a dominant feature of the Park, as are the stands of towering ancient Huon pine trees. Heavy annual rainfalls in the west of the Park support cool temperate and lush rainforests. By contrast, the drier eastern side features eucalyptus forests and grass moorlands.

Further information:

• A five day itinerary is described below.

• For more information on walking in the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, click the button below.

Itinerary

The walk takes 3-5 days to complete. A 5 day itinerary is shown below.

Day 1

Lyell Highway to Lake Vera Hut

Distance: 16km

Time: 6 hours

Accommodation: Camping or Huts

Day 2

Lake Vera Hut to Lake Tahune Hut

Distance: 6km

Time: 4 hours

Accommodation: Camping or Huts

Day 3

Summit Frenchmans Cap (Return to Lake Tahune Hut)

Distance: 4km + side walks

Time: 4+ hours

Accommodation: Camping or Huts

Walk Options

Guided

A number of tour operators offer the Frenchmans Cap Track as a guided trip. Most offer it as a five day trip following the itinerary described above, but there are some variations, particularly around the third day.

The guided trips on Frenchmans Cap Track are undertaken as a full pack camping trip.  While there are two huts on the track, places in the huts cannot be assured.

The tour operators indicate that pack weight is generally around 18 - 20 kg, but that of course depends a bit on the weight of your personal gear. 

Typically, the package offered by these operators includes:

• Transfers to and from Hobart or Launceston (depending on tour operator)

• Two professional guides

• All meals (prepared by guides; clients usually assist)

• Hiking equipment 

• Emergency equipment

• National park entrance fees

• Group size: 5 - 10 (some commit to max group size of 6 or 8)

Assisted self-guided

We’re not aware of any operators offering self-guided services for this walk. It is possible to organise transport to and from the trail head and there are hiking equipment rental businesses in Hobart and Launceston.

Independent

The huts at Lake Vera and Lake Tahune, as well as the campsites in the vicinity of the huts, are available to independent walkers. The two huts accommodate 16 and 20 people respectively and places cannot be booked. It is, therefore, essential that a tent be carried as the huts can fill up. The huts contain brickette fuelled heating stoves. There are compost toilets in the vicinity of the huts and water sources. 

Essential Information

Access

The starting point for the Frenchmans Cap Track is a car park beside the Lyell Highway approximately 200 km from Hobart and 55 km from Queenstown. 

There is no scheduled public transport to the start of the walk but several private transport operators will drop you off and collect you. There is a walker log book near the start of the walk. 

Park entry

As the walk is in a National Park, an entry pass must be purchased. Passes may be purchased through the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service website. 

Best time

1 October to 31 May is the most popular time to do the walk. The walk is open in the winter months but it is a more serious and challenging undertaking. The guided walk tour operators tend to operate between October and May.

Difficulty

The walk is rated at a hard level of difficulty.

Accommodation

There is no accommodation (or any other facilities) at the trail head. The closest accommodation and other facilities are at Derwent Bridge (37 km) and Queenstown (55 km).

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

Other activities

The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area offers many attractions in addition to the Frenchmans Cap Track. Many walkers choose to add extra days to their trip so that they can experience some of these attractions.

Assistance

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