Mount Donaldson Summit Walk is an 8 km, grade 4 return hike in Tasmania’s Pieman River State Reserve, typically taking around three to four hours to complete. It is a rewarding walk that showcases the changing landscapes of the Tarkine, offering a strong sense of place without feeling overly demanding for walkers with a reasonable level of fitness.
The walk begins near the banks of the Savage River and quickly draws you into cool temperate rainforest. Myrtle and eucalyptus dominate the early sections, with mossy ground and filtered light creating a calm, sheltered feel. The track climbs steadily rather than steeply, which makes the ascent feel achievable, though sections can be muddy or worn into shallow channels after rain, so good footwear is important.
As you gain height, the forest gives way to open button grass moorland and a more expansive sense of space. This transition is one of the highlights of the walk, with long views opening up as the summit approaches. Wildlife is often part of the experience, particularly near the lower sections where burrowing crayfish holes are common, and overhead it is not unusual to see wedge tailed eagles riding the air currents.
The summit of Mount Donaldson delivers wide ranging views across the Pieman and Savage Rivers, the rolling hills of Tasmania’s West Coast, and, on clear days, glimpses of the Southern Ocean in the distance. Conditions here can be exposed, and the track can be slippery in wet or windy weather, so it is worth allowing time to layer up and move carefully on the final approach.
For those looking to extend the experience, Mount Donaldson can be linked with the Huon Pine Walk and the Savage River Walk for a longer return journey of around 17 km. This combined route takes eight to ten hours and connects Corinna with Mount Donaldson via the section locally known as the Link Walk, which runs between the SS Croydon shipwreck area and Norfolk Road. Created following the opening of Corinna Wilderness Village in 2005, this link allows walkers to travel through a wide range of forest types and river environments in a single day, making it a rewarding option for those wanting a deeper immersion in the Tarkine landscape.
Grade 4 (Hard) -
Challenging Walks for Experienced Walkers: Grade 4 on the
AWTGS signifies challenging walking tracks. Bushwalking experience is recommended for these tracks, which may be long, rough, and very steep. Directional signage may be limited, requiring a good sense of navigation. These walks are suited for experienced walkers who are comfortable with steeper inclines, rougher terrain, and potentially longer distances.
- The walk begins beneath a cool canopy of myrtles and eucalypts before opening out onto buttongrass plains and low alpine shrubs. The upper half of the track is exposed to sun and wind, so be prepared for changing conditions.
- The summit offers sweeping 360 degree views, taking in the coastline, river valleys, and distant mountain ranges, making it a rewarding place to pause and take in the landscape.
- The top third of the track is noticeably eroded in places, with water having cut narrow, deep channels into the path. These sections can be awkward underfoot and require a bit of care, particularly after rain.
- Despite the exposed and eroded sections, the walk is well worth the effort, combining varied terrain with some of the most impressive views in the area.
Total distance: 8077 m
Max elevation: 423 m
Min elevation: 16 m
Total climbing: 432 m
Total descent: -432 m
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Getting to the trailhead: Pieman River State Reserve.
Mount Donaldson is located just outside Corinna, around three and a half hours west of Launceston. From the Tarkine Hotel in Corinna, head north along Corinna Road until you reach the turn for Norfolk Road. Turn left and continue to the bridge over the Savage River. Parking is located just beyond the bridge and around the corner, where several information boards mark the start of the track on the opposite side of the road, leading into the forest.
As with other drives in this area, avoid travelling through reserves at night where possible, as these roads are shared with native wildlife. If you do need to drive after dark, take extra care and reduce speed, particularly on the more remote sections approaching Corinna and the Savage River crossing.
Need a rental car to get you to the hike? Find one here.
The Pieman River region is a wild, mist-shrouded frontier on Tasmania’s West Coast, where the temperate rainforest meets the Southern Ocean. Known to the local Aboriginal people as Corinna, this area serves as a gateway to the Tarkine (takayna)—one of the largest cool-temperate rainforests in the world. The region is defined by its deep, tea-colored waters, stained by button-grass tannins, and the ancient forests of Huon Pine, Myrtle, and Sassafras that crowd the riverbanks, some of which have stood for thousands of years.
Hiking in this region offers a rare glimpse into a landscape that has remained largely unchanged for millennia. The air here is among the cleanest in the world, carried by the "Roaring Forties" across thousands of kilometers of open ocean. Whether you are trekking the rugged coastal headlands of the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area or navigating the lush, fern-laden inland tracks, the terrain is characterized by its dramatic beauty and its "edge of the world" atmosphere.
Historically, the region was a bustling hub during the 19th-century gold rush, and remnants of this mining and timber-felling past still haunt the landscape. Today, the focus has shifted from extraction to preservation. The Pieman River acts as a natural corridor for diverse wildlife, including the elusive platypus, white-bellied sea eagles, and the iconic Tasmanian devil. To hike here is to step into a prehistoric world, where the silence of the forest is broken only by the rush of the river and the calls of endemic birds.
Looking for more walks in or near Pieman River State Reserve? Try these trails with a similar difficulty grade.
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