Walls of Jerusalem Walk

Walk Overview

The colorful biblical names that have been bestowed upon landmark features of the Walls of Jerusalem National Park hint at its grand scale, epic nature and, for most, its profound impact. Walkers are inevitably lured by geographic features with names such as Herrod’s Gate, Solomon’s Throne, Pool of Siloam and the Vale of Bethseda.

There is no generally accepted classic walk route through the Walls of Jerusalem National Park. What works best for most walkers, especially walkers proposing to spend two to four days in the Park (and for walkers who would prefer not to be carrying full packs every day), is to use the disturbingly named Wild Dog Creek campsite as a base. So, that’s what the walk itinerary below does.

But for those with four to six days to spare or those with an inclination to circuit walks, there are some excellent alternatives. The longer walks take you into little-visited areas and feature some campsites alongside magnificent lakes.

The Walls of Jerusalem National Park is located on the Central Plateau of Tasmania. It is situated a short distance east of the better known and much-visited Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park and, together with that national park, forms the bulk of the northern portion of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

The Walls of Jerusalem National Park derives its name from the dolerite peaks, bluffs and cliffs in the middle section of the Park that appear to create a natural fortress.

The Central Plateau of Tasmania is a relatively flat, elevated region. Most of the area sits above 1200 metres and is alpine in nature. The region is also known as the Lake Country, as the Walls of Jerusalem National Park and the neighbouring Central Plateau Conservation Area contain approximately 4,000 lakes. The lakes are the product of the last Ice Age, during which the scouring action of the ice cap that covered the plateau created innumerable indentations in the dolerite.

The Walls of Jerusalem National Park is about 200km south-west of Launceston. The drive from Launceston takes about 2.5 hours. Unusually, there is no road access into the park. Access is gained by foot, with the most common entry point being from a carpark located outside the north-west boundary.

Facilities in the park are virtually non-existent. The Wild Dog Creek Campsite has tent platforms and a toilet. There are several huts in the park but they are very small and prone to leakage. Tents must be carried.

Further information:

• A four day itinerary is described below.

• For more information on walking in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park, click the button below.

Itinerary

The walk takes 3-6 days to complete. A 4 day itinerary using Wild Dog Creek Campsite as a base is shown below.

Day 1

Car Park near Lake Rowallan to Wild Dog Creek Campsite

Distance: 7km

Time: 4 hours

Accommodation: Camping

Day 2

Day walk incorporating Mount Jerusalem

Distance: 8-12km

Time: 6-8 hours

Accommodation: Camping

Day 3

Day walk incorporating Solomon’s Throne

Distance: 8-12km

Time: 6-8 hours

Accommodation: Camping

Walk Options

Guided

Several tour operators offer this walk as a guided trip. Some offer it as a four day trip; others offer it as a three day trip. Other than the first day and the last day (the walk in and the walk out), the operators are flexible as to the routes taken over the middle days. Weather and group capabilities can influence matters. 

These guided tours involve carrying full packs to and from the base camp at Wild Dog Creek. The guides tend to carry more so your pack will probably be lighter than if you were doing the walk independently. From there, day packs are used for the day walks.

The tour operators offering longer trips than the trip described above sometimes use food drops to reduce the weight of walkers’ packs.

Some operators offer a guided walking trip that combines the Walls of Jerusalem National Park with the nearby Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National park. Generally those are four day trips. 

Typically, the package offered by these operators includes:

• Transfers to and from Launceston 

• Two professional guides

• All meals (prepared by guides)

• Hiking equipment 

• Emergency support

• National park entrance fees

• Group size: 5 - 10

Assisted self-guided

Some of the tour operators who offer guided trips in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park provide self-guided services as well. Typically, the service includes:

• Transfers to and from Launceston

• Provisions

• Hiking equipment

• Track notes, maps and information pack

• National Park admission

• Emergency support

The duration of the self-guided options can be determined by the walker as the tour operators are generally flexible.

Independent

Wild Dog Creek Campsite has camping platforms, a water supply and a toilet. The Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service encourages walkers to camp there to minimize environmental impact. Camping is also possible at Dixons Kingdom, which is a further two hours’ walk beyond Wild Dog Creek. The only amenity there is a toilet.  

There are other places in the Park suitable for camping and walkers are permitted to sleep in the basic huts at Lake Melton and Junction Lake.

Independent walkers in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park must be fully self-sufficient as, except as described above, there are no facilities in the Park. Also, as the Park is in a remote location and is subject to extreme weather conditions, walkers need to be well-equipped and experienced.   

Essential Information

Access

Most people start their ‘Walls walk’ at the car park located off the gravel Mersey Forest Road near Lake Rowallan. The car park is 4.8 km past the Lake Rowallan dam wall. The Park boundary is a 30 minute walk from the car park. There is a walker log book at the car park.

There are no public transport facilities to this area. There are private transport operators who can provide transport to and from the Park for individuals and groups. Self-guided and guided tour operators also provide access to the park.

Park entry

As the walk is in a National Park, an entry pass must be purchased. Passes may be purchased on-line. No other bookings or permits are required. 

Best time

The best time to do the walk is December - April. This is because of the longer daylight hours and warmer average temperatures. However, walkers need to be prepared for any conditions even during this period. The weather in the area is very changeable and extreme weather conditions can be experienced year-round.

Difficulty

This walk is rated at a moderate level of difficulty. This is partly due to the fact that the walks undertaken while up on the plateau can be adjusted to be more or less challenging. The walking can be at a moderate level if you wish it to be.

The climb up to the plateau, especially with a full pack, is hard. The climb is about 500 metres over three or four kilometres.

Accommodation

In the Walls of Jerusalem National Park, it’s camping only.  On the approach to the Park, Deloraine and Moles Creek have some good accommodation options. There are also some very good lodge options in the vicinity, at least one of which organises guided walks into the Park for its guests.

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

Other activities

The Walls of Jerusalem National Park neighbors the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. Therefore, if you have time, it is very tempting to combine the two. Driving time between the two trail heads is about two hours. There is excellent accommodation at Cradle Mountain if you need some pampering between the adventures.

As a popular tourism destination, the Central Plateau of Tasmania offers many attractions in addition to its world-class walks. Fishing in the mountain lakes is particularly popular. Many walkers choose to add extra days to their trip so that they can explore some of these attractions.

Assistance

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