Grade 1

Mount McLeod Summit Hike (16.5km)

Mount Buffalo National Park

Victoria

16.4km

7 hrs

Grade 4

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Quick overview: The Mount McLeod Summit Hike is a 16.5 km trail in Mount Buffalo National Park, beginning and ending at the Reservoir picnic area. This Grade 4 hike ascends to the park's highest northern peak, where you will encounter views of surrounding valleys and rocky peaks. The route includes steep sections and rocky terrain, making it suitable for experienced hikers. There is a camping option at Dels Plain, located among alpine wetlands. Ensure you carry enough water and treat all water from local creeks before drinking.
Mount mcleod summit hike 768x403

Length

16.4km

Duration

7 hrs

Difficulty

Grade 4 (Hard)

Trail type

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Trail details

Max elevation: 1505m
Min elevation: 1277m
Total Ascent: 690m

Start: The Reservoir picnic area
End: The Reservoir picnic area
Location: Mount Buffalo National Park
State: Victoria
Nearest town: Bright
State capital distance: 342km
Latitude: -36.728914367323746
Longitude: 146.7747634663777

Check current conditions
Track conditions, access and closures can change quickly due to weather, fire, maintenance or safety concerns. Always check the relevant land manager’s website and conditions before you visit. Trail Hiking Australia does not provide real-time track and closure monitoring, and land managers remain the authoritative source for current alerts, closures and access restrictions.

About the trail
Difficulty
Route map
Preparation
Getting there
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About this trail

Route in detail

Tucked away in the remote northern reaches of Mount Buffalo National Park, the Mount McLeod hike offers a quieter, less-travelled path through rugged alpine terrain. At 16.5 kilometres return, this Grade 4 trail is best suited to experienced hikers with a solid level of fitness. It generally takes around seven hours to complete as a day walk, though many choose to turn it into an overnight adventure to fully appreciate the seclusion and slower rhythm of the landscape.

Starting from the Reservoir Picnic Area, the trail follows an old winter ski route, climbing gently through alpine woodland. After about 670 metres, a sign for the Short Circuit Track appears on the right. This is worth noting, as it offers a pleasant and more sheltered alternative for the return leg. From here, the track winds steadily uphill until it rejoins Mount McLeod Road roughly 1.5 kilometres in. Turning right, the path continues northeast beneath the slopes of Andersons Peak before reaching the North Buffalo Saddle, where granite outcrops and mountain views begin to open up.

At around 6.4 kilometres from the trailhead, you’ll come to Dels Plain – a grassy clearing tucked among snow gums and alpine wetlands. This spot serves as a designated campsite and is well-suited to hikers wanting to split the walk over two days. It’s equipped with a composting toilet and seasonal access to small creeks, though it’s important to check conditions with a park ranger and treat any collected water. Dels Plain accommodates up to ten people (two per site), and bookings are required. If you're staying overnight, bring plenty of water and a fuel stove, as open fires aren't permitted.

From the campsite, it's a further kilometre to the summit of Mount McLeod. The trail climbs gradually at first, then steepens slightly as it approaches the peak. At 1529 metres, Mount McLeod is the highest point in the northern part of the park. The summit rewards walkers with expansive views across the Mount Buffalo plateau and down into the Oven Valley – a rugged, layered panorama shaped by centuries of wind and weather.

Whether you’re completing the hike in a day or stretching it out overnight, the return journey follows the same route. When you reach the intersection with the Short Circuit Track, you can either retrace your earlier steps along the road or take the alternate track for a change in scenery. Either way, the sense of quiet that defines this part of the park tends to stay with you long after you’ve left it behind.

The Mount McLeod hike is ideal for those looking to spend time immersed in nature, away from the busier trails. It’s a route where preparation, self-sufficiency, and an appreciation for the subtleties of the alpine environment go a long way.

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Trail difficulty

Grade 4 (hard) badge

Grade 4 (Hard)

For experienced bushwalkers

Grade 4 walks may be long, rough or very steep, and directional signage may be limited. Bushwalking experience is recommended, along with the ability to be self-reliant and manage navigation, weather and emergencies. Walks may exceed 20km.

Good to know: Not every Grade 4 characteristic will apply to every walk, so check the route description for the specific challenges of this hike.

Map and GPX file

Mount McLeod Summit Hike (16.5km)

Map of the route “Mount McLeod Summit Hike (16.5km)”: 16.43 km, 690 m of climbing and 688 m of descent, elevation between 1,278 m and 1,505 m. It is a loop that starts and ends at -36.72706, 146.77641 (latitude, longitude).

Total distance: 16.44 km
Max elevation: 1505 m
Min elevation: 1277 m
Total climbing: 690 m
Total descent: 688 m
Login to Download GPX

GPX files, maps and content are copyright Trail Hiking Australia. Not to be copied, redistributed or uploaded to other platforms including AllTrails.

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Preparation and safety

Trail tips

  • Water is only available from a hardened access point located approximately 100m southwest of the campsite - where the stream crosses the track. Always boil, treat or filter water before drinking as Giardia is present. Advanced bookings and payment are required.
  • Fires are prohibited at the campsite and it is recommended to bring a fuel stove.
  • The campground has a capacity of two people per site and a maximum capacity of 10 people.
  • You can book online or call Parks Victoria on 13 19 63.

Plan and prepare

Australian conditions can turn a small oversight into a serious situation faster than most walkers expect. For a day hike, that means the right gear, weather-appropriate layers, enough food and water, and allowing time to finish in daylight. The day hike planning guide walks you through it.

The Hiking Safety Systems and planning calculators help you understand and close the gaps before you leave home. The Interactive Safety Scenarios show how small gaps turn into real incidents. If you’re new to planning hikes, start with the hike preparation guide.

Download the free hiking preparation and safety checklists before leaving home to help you think through your plans. They help ensure important considerations are not overlooked and support safer decision-making on the trail.

Let someone know

Before you go, complete a trip intentions form and share it with a trusted contact. Agree on a Late-Back Time and ask them to call 000 (Police) if you have not checked in. A clear trip plan is one of the simplest and most effective safety steps you can take, and it only takes two minutes.

Let someone know your plans →

Heading somewhere remote, off-track or overnight? Use the comprehensive trip intentions form instead, as your emergency contact will need more detail. Register your trip plan here →

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Getting there and where to stay

Directions

Reaching the trailhead for the Mount McLeod hike is relatively straightforward by car. From Melbourne, take the Hume Highway northeast and follow signs through Wangaratta and Myrtleford toward Bright. Just before Bright, turn off at Porepunkah and begin the scenic climb up Mount Buffalo Road, which winds its way up to the plateau. Continue past the turnoff to the historic Mount Buffalo Chalet, keeping an eye out for the Parks Victoria office on your right-hand side.

About 500 metres beyond the office, a gravel road veers off to the right—this leads to the Reservoir Picnic Area, where the hike begins. The reservoir is a good landmark to confirm you're in the right place. While the gravel road is accessible to two-wheel drive vehicles, it can be narrow and uneven in sections, so take it slow and drive with care. There is limited parking available near the reservoir. In winter, snow and ice can affect road conditions, so it’s important to check the latest weather and road updates before making the trip.

Get there with Google Maps

Accommodation nearby

Search accommodation in nearby towns: Bright, Everton, Harrietville, Mount Beauty, Moyhu, Myrtleford, Whitfield, Whorouly

Find somewhere to stay near the trailhead. Click the button below to open an interactive map automatically centred on this hike's location.

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Travel arrangements

Whether you are travelling from across Australia or exploring closer to home, these options can help you organise your journey to the trail and make the most of your visit.

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Explore the region

About the region

Rising abruptly above the Ovens Valley, Mount Buffalo National Park feels distinct from the surrounding ranges because much of it sits on a high granite plateau edged by cliffs, outcrops and steep escarpments. That geology gives the park its striking shape and much of its character, from broad subalpine tops to sheltered gullies and creeks dropping quickly off the mountain. The highest point, The Horn, reaches 1,723 metres, high enough for winter snow to be a regular part of the landscape and for seasonal change to strongly influence how the mountain looks and feels.

Although it stands apart visually, Mount Buffalo is part of the wider Victorian Alps and the Australian Alps system, a region that holds some of the state's most intact alpine and subalpine country as well as major headwaters for inland rivers. On Buffalo, that broader alpine setting appears in a compressed form: snow gum woodland, open plateau country, rocky high points and cooler, wetter pockets that support a surprising variety of plant life. More than 550 native plant species have been recorded here, including species with very restricted distributions and some plants associated closely with Buffalo's unusual granite environment.

The park also sits within Taungurung Country and forms part of a much older Aboriginal cultural landscape of the Victorian high country. Like other alpine areas, this was not an isolated mountaintop but part of a larger network of seasonal movement, resource use and cultural connection extending across mountains, valleys and foothills. Seeing Buffalo in that wider context helps explain why it is more than a scenic high plateau rising above farmland and forest. It is one part of a connected mountain landscape with deep cultural meaning as well as ecological importance.

Mount Buffalo has another layer of identity in Victoria's history of alpine tourism and mountain recreation. Its dramatic setting, cool summers and reliable winter snow made it one of the earliest and best known mountain destinations in the state, and that long human history still shapes how the place is recognised today. Even so, the enduring impression is of a granite mountain set apart, where cliffs, snow gums, wildflowers and weather combine to create one of the most distinctive alpine landscapes in Victoria.

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Weather on the trail

The map shows the rain forecast for the trail area. Use the toggle in the top right corner to switch layers, including wind, temperature, UV index, thunderstorms, fire danger and weather warnings. Windy is a forecast model, not an official warning service. Check the Bureau of Meteorology for current warnings before you go.

Trail reviews

8 Reviews on “Mount McLeod Summit Hike (16.5km)”

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Acknowledgement of Country

Mount mcleod summit hike (16. 5km) - trail hiking australia

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.

Curated by: Darren Edwards | Trail Hiking Australia
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