Hike at a glance
Length
Duration
Difficulty
Trail type
Trail details
Max elevation: 452m
Min elevation: 242m
Total Ascent: 655m
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 this trail
Important information
Route in detail
Walk features
Trail difficulty
Grade 3 (Moderate)
Moderate walks with some obstacles
Grade 3 walks may include short steep hills, formed tracks with some obstacles, rougher surfaces and many steps. Some bushwalking experience is recommended, and walkers may encounter natural hazards such as steep slopes, unstable surfaces or minor water crossings. Grade 3 walks are no longer than 20km.
Good to know: Not every Grade 3 characteristic will apply to every walk, so check the route description for the specific challenges of this hike.
Map and GPX file
Preparation and safety
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.
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 →
Getting there and where to stay
Directions
Access conditions
Accommodation nearby
Search accommodation in nearby towns: Bacchus Marsh, Ballan, Blackwood, Gisborne, Macedon, Melton, Riddells Creek, Woodend
Find somewhere to stay near the trailhead. Click the button below to open an interactive map automatically centred on this hike's location.
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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Photo gallery
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Your photos can help others plan. Share shots from along the trail so fellow hikers know what to expect.
Explore the region
About the region
Discover activities
More hikes nearby
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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
Notice something different about this trail?
Whether it’s a new feature, a route change, or permanent closure, share your update so we can keep our info accurate and helpful for fellow hikers.
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.
10 Reviews on “Mt Sugarloaf & Djerriwarrh Creek Circuit (20km)”
This is a great walk. Totally worth 4 stars especially when you ware walking through typical Aussie bush. Its not to difficult but in places you feel like you are in the middle of an ancient world. A couple of camp sites near Djerriwarrh Creek which i have not seen running water in as i did this walk and a version of it extended through summer.
Well worth the effort to go have a look and if you don’t want 20km you can cut it in half
Totally agree Peter. It is a great walk. Glad you got out there to do it again.
Great and manageable overnight hike with kids (ages 10… for one of them his first overnight)! Just completed this on 12/13 April although got chatting at the 2k mark and stayed right and bush “bashed” back up (very easy) to meet the trail… cutting out a few cheeky ks both ways. Even though it’s not the most remarkable and wild bush, we loved seeing the grass trees appear and disappear and there are flat spots all along the trail from where it meets the creek to where it cuts back again. Lots and lots of firewood. Thank you, Darren, for the gpx file, there is no way I could have pieced together these trails, they are kind the way they go everywhere!
Fantastic, great to hear you guys managed to get out and do this one. Really pleased you enjoyed it.
This is a great day hike or possible overnighter (with kids) in a lesser known section of the Lerderderg State Park. Plenty of dry open woodland with a few spots where you can see past the treetops across the surrounding area. The section along Djerriwarrh Creek is fun to explore with a few spots where you can easily access the creek. Well worth the time to explore.