Lake Mountain & Keppel Hut Hike (21.7km)

Yarra Ranges National Park

Victoria

21.7km

7 hrs

Grade 3

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Explore Safe

While planning your hike, it’s important to check official government sources for updated information, temporary closures and trail access requirements. Before hitting the trail, check local weather and bushfire advice for planned burns and bushfire warnings and let someone know before you go. Plan ahead and hike safely.

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Reviews


2 Reviews on “Lake Mountain & Keppel Hut Hike (21.7km)”

Overall rating
  • Avatar of Juzee Celentane Juzee Celentane

    Was one of my favourite spots to run my dog team. Keppels was always our snack spot.
    Media: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3559338774338972&set=p.3559338774338972&type=3

  • Avatar of Stewart Proper Stewart Proper

    Thanks for reminding me of this one!
    It’s a great walk to introduce people to an overnight hike!

    1. Avatar of Trail Hiking Australia Trail Hiking Australia

      Stewart Proper absolutely. I keep telling people Beeripmo Walk is a great starter for an overnighter and often forget about this one too.

  • Avatar of Trail Hiking Australia Trail Hiking Australia

    Nice day hike this one. Also good as a relatively easy overnighter, camping near Keppel Hut.

  • I just completed the hike yesterday. Gould Track is non-existant, and the local map that I obtained (last updated Jan 2017) doesn’t even show it. I couldn’t find either end of it, so I think it’s safe to say that the track has been completely abandoned.

    Upper Taggerty Rd is still closed (this includes walkers). They have cleared most trees, there are only a couple dozen left to climb over. Keppel’s Hut Walking Trail is also closed to walkers (not sure why, only closed on the Ski Field side). Lady Talbot Drive is also closed from Lower Beeches for tree removal, and I’m unaware of the status of McFadyen Tk, so it’s possible that Keppel’s Hut is (supposed to be) inaccessible to all traffic, both foot and vehicular. I expect that by spring this year (2023) this should be all cleared up.

    For Keppel’s Hut Walking Trail and Boundary Hut Trail, you will want long pants that can withstand going bush. While the trail isn’t difficult to follow, there are sections that are nearly completely overgrown. There are trail markers, and there is still only one route to push through easily, so it’s reasonably straightforward navigating through it despite that. Just, don’t wear shorts. You will regret it.

    Other than that, it’s a pretty decent hike. Total hiking for me was probably 7-8 hours, and I camped at Keppel’s Hut overnight. However, I did skip the Lake Mountain Summit. Views were, unfortunately, largely ruined by cloud and fog, so that detour wasn’t all that worth it for me.

    Interestingly, a lot of this route follows the 7 Peaks Run markers, but I can’t find any routes by that name on this site. Might be something to look into.

    1. Avatar of Darren Edwards Darren Edwards Trail Author

      Thanks Nathan. Yeah, that trail has been gone for quite some time. Bit of off trail if anyone is ever keen, but much easier to walk around. Thanks for the tip on the 7 Peaks Run. I’ll look into that. Cheers

  • This circuit is not currently (April 2022) viable as the Lady Talbot Drive Hazardous Tree Removal Project has closed off all of the access routes to Keppel Hut, including the full length of Upper Taggerty 4WD Road and the trails starting from Panorama.

    1. Avatar of Darren Edwards Darren Edwards Trail Author

      Thanks for the update Richard

  • Avatar of Juzee Celentane Juzee Celentane

    Keppells Hut is a great spot. Have run dog teams into there for the last dozen or so years when the snow conditions have been right.

    Fantastic history to this Hut, rebuilt in 2011 after the Black Saturday Fires. Sadly the old log books were destroyed which detailed many people’s trips to the Hut.

    1. Avatar of Peter Fisher Peter Fisher

      Kyle Hura – spring time walk!

      1. Avatar of Ellie Cuthbertson Ellie Cuthbertson

        Laura Adams Wendy Hsieh

      2. Avatar of Ellie Cuthbertson Ellie Cuthbertson

        Laura Adams why not

      3. Avatar of Jess McRae Jess McRae

        Leona Xu good (but hard) question! ?

        1. Avatar of Samantha Smith Samantha Smith

          Marnie Houghton Kirsty Sims let’s do dinner and games night soon to plan!

          1. Avatar of Michael Wilson Michael Wilson

            Matt Keeble !!?
            When you going to pony up son ?
            Let’s go..

          2. Avatar of Matthew Paulding Matthew Paulding

            Matt Keeble total coverage. Get willow to pack snowshoes

          3. Avatar of Michael Wilson Michael Wilson

            Matt KeebleLETS GO !

          4. Avatar of Michael Wilson Michael Wilson

            Matthew Paulding Lets do it !

          5. Avatar of Aneeta Pillai Aneeta Pillai

            Mid November.. anybody interested?

          6. Avatar of Mark R Reardon Mark R Reardon

            Might do this over my Xmas break.

          7. Avatar of Angela Sykes Angela Sykes

            Mish Hannan wanna do this with me one day?

          8. Avatar of Trail Hiking Australia Trail Hiking Australia

            Nice idea

          9. Avatar of Dan Williams Dan Williams

            Not sure how it works with Trail Hiking Australia if an official organizer is not available. Is it possible to propose a Meet-Up?

          10. Avatar of Juzee Celentane Juzee Celentane

            One of our obstacles, a washout from the river.

          11. Avatar of Carrie Dixon Carrie Dixon

            Possibly Aneeta Pillai

          12. Avatar of Angela Sykes Angela Sykes

            Ray Murray as if we would

          13. Avatar of Dan Williams Dan Williams

            Really keen to do this! Looks like really good fun!

          14. Avatar of Marnie Houghton Marnie Houghton

            Samantha Smith Kirsty Sims we need to plan on pls

  • Avatar of Rhiannon Bowman Rhiannon Bowman

    Vaughan Bowman

  • The Gould Track section is now completely overgrown and effectively no longer exists. You will need to take the longer route following the road right the way round. Another point to note is that there a number of large trees down along the Upper Taggerty Road and a lot of climbing is involved along this section of the track. Other than those two small issues, its still a great track and a great spot close to Melbourne for an overnight hike!

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Acknowledgement of Country

Lake Mountain & Keppel Hut Hike

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.