Coal Falls is a 10.2km, grade 5 hike located in the Ben Lomond National Park, Tasmania. The hike should take around 8 hrs to complete.
Hike overview
This hike summary has been provided by Waterfalls of Tasmania and as such, not all information has been provided on this site. For more information on this waterfall hike, please visit Waterfalls of Tasmania.
There are many waterfalls throughout Tasmania that are worth exploring! One of the best ways to discover some of the best scenery in Tasmania is simply hiking to a waterfall. Waterfalls of Tasmania has the most informative and thorough documentation about Tasmania's most popular waterfalls.
There are many scientific reasons why visiting a waterfall is good for our mental and physical health. I won't go into them here but I will say that exploring waterfalls on your hikes is a great way to break up the journey as their beauty alone is good for the soul. Search for more hikes with waterfalls here.
Photography by Craig Doumouras
Route and GPX file
If you have a GPX or KML file for this hike and are happy to share it, please upload your file here.
Trail location
Sorry, no records were found. Please adjust your search criteria and try again.
Sorry, unable to load the Maps API.
Getting there
​Ben Lomond National Park is about an hour south-east of Launceston. Take the C401 through White Hills then turn right at Blessington onto Ben Lomond Road (C413).
From Hobart, the park is a 3 hour drive north on the Midlands Highway (A1). Turn off to Evandale (B41) and take the partly sealed road C413 towards Blessington. Turn left onto C420 (Deddington Rd), and then turn right on C401 (Blessington Rd). Continue towards Upper Blessington and then turn right onto Ben Lomond Road (C432). ​
The park boundary is 8 km from the Ben Lomond Road turn-off, and a further 18 km to the alpine village. The road is unsealed and the final climb up Jacobs Ladder to the plateau is steep and winding. There is a 30 km speed limit and vehicles travelling uphill should give way to those descending.
Between June and September, all vehicles are required to carry correctly fitted snow chains. Anti-freeze is also recommended. Chains are not available for hire at the mountain, so visitors not carrying chains are advised to find alternative transport to the ski village.
During skiing season, a shuttle bus operates from the Ben Lomond lower carpark.
In snowy and icy conditions, the road to Ben Lomond National Park may be closed without notice at the barrier 4.5 km from the alpine village.
Where possible, please avoid driving in our reserves at night. You are sharing the roads with our native wildlife, so take it slow and watch out for animals on the road.
Gallery
If you have any photos from this hike and are happy to share them, please upload your .jpg files here.
Please note: Uploading photos does not transfer ownership of copyright away from you. If requested, you will be credited for any photos you provide and can ask they be deleted at any time.
About the region
Although a park for all seasons, winter is Ben Lomond's time to shine. Boasting one of Tasmania’s two ski fields, snow sports enthusiasts can enjoy skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing and tobogganing. Those who prefer to take it easy can sip on a hot chocolate, while immersed in the 'ski village’ atmosphere of this authentic Tasmanian winter wonderland.
When the snow melts, a spectacular alpine landscape is revealed and you’ll be in awe of the beauty of the rocks set against stunning views. There are plenty of walks and rock climbing opportunities, and with wildlife in abundance it is not uncommon to see several different species in a day. Ben Lomond National Park is Tasmania’s off-the-beaten-track gem – sure to surprise and delight.
Suggest an edit
Does this hikes information need updating? Sometimes the route, trail features or access conditions change.
Gear to consider

My planning, food and packing checklists provide an introduction to things your could consider (as well as the Ten Essentials) on your day, overnight and multi-day adventures. Everyone, and every hike, is different, so customise your outdoor kit according to your personal needs, always considering safety first.Â
The HiiKER app helps you to find 1,000’s of the best bushwalking and hiking adventures, with reviews, photos, and great places to stay. I’m excited to have partnered with HiiKER to offer members of Trail hiking Australia Community an exclusive deal to help you get outdoors with extra confidence with premium mapping, planning and tracking features. Claim your offer here.
Let someone know
Let someone know where you’re going and when you plan to return. Fill in an online trip intentions form to privately send important details about your adventure to your emergency contact. They can then inform emergency services if you don’t return on time.
Acknowledgement of Country
Trail Hiking Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we hike and pay respects to their Elders, past and present, and we acknowledge the First Nations people of other communities who may be here today.