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Length: 19km
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Duration: 7hrs
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Grade: 4
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Style: Circuit
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Start: Lake St Clair Visitors Centre
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End: Lake St Clair Visitors Centre
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Location: Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park
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Closest Town: Derwent Bridge
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Distance from CBD: 180km
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State: TAS
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Latitude: -42.116756
Longitude: 146.172951
Keep the Trail Access info current...
Speed Bumps
2WD Access
Drinking Water
Untreated Water
Accessible Toilet
Public Toilets
Entry Fee
Gravel Road
Vehicle Ford
Bitumen Road
Public Transport
4WD Access
Winding Road
Steep Road
Small Car Park
Large Car Park
Accessible Parking
Picnic Shelter
Select items to indicate conditions for access to the trail.
2WD Access
4WD Access
Public Transport
Bitumen Road
Gravel Road
Steep Road
Winding Road
Speed Bumps
Vehicle Ford
Entry Fee
Large Car Park
Small Car Park
Accessible Parking
Accessible Toilet
Public Toilets
Drinking Water
Untreated Water
Picnic Shelter
Picnic Table
BBQ Facilities
Campfire Pit
Camping Area
Keep the Trail Features current...
Timber Boardwalk
Concrete Path
Gravel Path
Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park...
Select items to indicate features found along the trail.
Concrete Path
Timber Boardwalk
Gravel Path
Sandy Trail
Rough Trail
Undefined Trail
Prams & Strollers
Manual Wheelchair
Motorised Wheelchair
Bicycle Trail
Mountain Bike Trail
Historic Rail Trail
Dog Friendly
Urban Walk
Coast & Beach
Historic Lighthouse
Waterfalls & Lakes
Rainforest Walk
Goldfields & Mining
Heritage Walk
Aboriginal Art
Alpine Region
Alpine Huts
Exposed Ledges
Rock Scrambling
Steep Terrain
Bush Bashing
River Crossings
Scenic Viewpoints
Well Marked
Drinking Water
Untreated Water
Fishing Spots
Swimming Spots
Overnight Campsites
Trail Running
Horse Riding
Hike Summary
An easily accessible mountain walk giving outstanding views of Lake St Clair, Mt Olympus, Frenchmans Cap and the headwaters of the Franklin River.
Highlights
As the altitude increases, vegetation changes from eucalypt forest to patches of cool temperate rainforest in the gullies. As you climb higher, the vegetation changes again to sub-alpine forest, dominated by snow gums (Eucalyptus coccifera) and stunted rainforest. Towards the summit, alpine plant communities dominate and during late spring and early summer they provide a colourful display of fragrant flowers.
Below the summit is an area of wind and rain sculptured sandstone that forms many weird and fascinating shapes. These sandstone blocks are almost 300 million years old and once formed a continuous layer across most of Tasmania. About 165 million years ago magma intruded up through the sandstone to form dolerite, which covered the sandstone layer. Both layers have been eroded over time by wind, rain, snow and glacial action.
Below the saddle between Mt Rufus and Mt Hugel the track winds through Richea Valley, named for the pandani and scoparia plants that grow here. These plants, which are both heaths, belong to the Richea genus of plants. The beautiful colours of flowering scoparia include reds, pinks, yellows and whites.
About the region
Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is located in the Central Highlands area of Tasmania (Australia), 165 kilometres northwest of Hobart. The park contains many walking trails, and is where hikes along the well-known Overland Track usually begin. Major features are Cradle Mountain and Barn Bluff in the northern end, Mount Pelion East, Mount Pelion West, Mount Oakleigh and Mount Ossa in the middle and Lake St Clair in the southern end of the park. The park is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
Getting there
Road C193 to Lake St Clair from the Lyell Highway (A10)
Tips
Park entry fees apply. (Self registration park entrance.)
Visitor centre, restaurant and accommodation.
Supervise children , tracks subject to severe weather conditions all year round, weather may change quickly, tracks are difficult to navigate when covered in snow and may be impassable.
No pets, firearms or bicycles.
GPX File
Max elevation: 1395 m
Min elevation: 755 m
Total climbing: 764 m
Total descent: -764 m
For more information about this hiking trail please visit Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania
Hikes Nearby
6 thoughts on “Mt Rufus Circuit (19km)”
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Al Mountbatten
Catherine Reid
One of my favourite day hikes…the changing terrain and vegetation is amazing ? If you haven’t done this add it to your bucket list ?
Yep… it’s a great walk… and if the weather permits – head along to Platypus Bay, and have a swim!
VThis looks good for a hike Richard,I take it that you have been here .?
I did this last week!!! It was fantastic! Lovely easy walking section along the Summit Ridge to Summit however prior to that was densely rooted and rocked track which took plenty of time and careful footwork to negotiate. It was also on my bucket list.