Razorback & Ah Kow Spurs Hike (13.5km)

The Razorback and Ah Kow Spurs hike is a 13.5-kilometre circuit tucked deep within Victoria’s Lerderderg State Park. Graded as level 4, this route typically takes around six hours to complete and offers a mix of singletrack trails, steep climbs, river navigation, and long-forgotten gold mining relics. It’s a physically demanding hike that rewards those who are prepared with a genuine sense of solitude and discovery.

The walk begins at the Square Bottle Track carpark, where a short warm-up stretch leads to a turn-off onto the Razorback Track. This track soon veers right and meanders for a couple of kilometres through dry forest and open ridgelines, before reaching the Razorback North Track on your left. Keeping to the righ at this junction, you’ll continue to follow the Razorback Track as it gradually descends into the gorge. This is one of the more pleasant spurs in the area, with the descent easing you into the landscape. That said, the lower sections become steeper and the surface looser, so take your time and watch your footing, particularly in damp conditions.

Reaching the Lerderderg River marks a dramatic shift in the walk. The formed trail disappears, and with it, any signage or clear guidance. From here, you’ll head south along the river, picking your way between boulders and banks, occasionally needing to cross the water or scramble over rocky sections. The gorge here feels still and enclosed, with steep cliffs and thick bush pressing in on either side. There’s a raw beauty to this part of the walk — the kind that asks you to slow down, take note, and tune into your surroundings. Navigation is essential through this section, as the track becomes more of a concept than a reality. A GPS or reliable map-reading skills are a must, as the entry point to Ah Kow Spur can be easy to miss.

As you make your way downstream, you’ll pass two Emergency Markers: LER516 near Lower Chadwick Track, and LER515 at McKenzie Track. Continue on to LER514, which signals the point where you leave the river behind and begin the long haul up Ah Kow Spur. This is one of the steepest climbs in the park, and it doesn’t ease off quickly. The gradient bites hard, especially after the energy spent navigating the gorge below. There are few distractions here — just the steady pull of the climb and the rustle of dry leaves underfoot.

At the top of the spur, the track levels off before intersecting with the Blackwood Ranges Track. A right turn takes you past Lohs Lane and onwards to the more open terrain of Mount Blackwood. The forest gives way to grassy hillsides, and while the final climb to the summit is steady, it’s nowhere near as punishing as the one you’ve just completed. The views from the top stretch out across the surrounding ranges and valleys, a quiet, open contrast to the closed-in feel of the gorge below.

The return leg follows Tower Track, a narrow sealed road that gently winds down to Mount Blackwood Road. A right turn here leads you back towards the Square Bottle Track carpark, closing the loop. The appeal of this route lies in its contrasts — the balance of isolation and exposure, the mixture of terrain, and the sense that you’ve travelled through a part of the park few others take the time to explore. It’s a challenging day walk, but one that offers both natural beauty and a brush with the area's gold rush past for those willing to venture off the beaten path.