The Ultimate Guide To Exploring Mount Field National Park

Filled with giant eucalypts, cascading waterfalls and peculiar flora found only in Tasmania, Mount Field National Park is a destination that will indulge the senses and inspire the adventurous. 

Along with Freycinet National Park, Mount Field is the oldest and most accessible national park in Tasmania, not only is it under 2 hours drive from Hobart but the walk to Russell Falls (the most magical of the Three Falls Circuit) is wheelchair accessible! 

We spent a week visiting all of the waterfalls, exploring the many hiking trails throughout the ancient alpine landscape and visiting South Tasmania’s only ski fields – stay tuned for when we revisit with our snowboards in winter!   

In this guide, you’ll find information on all the best hikes, waterfalls, and other things to do, including the practical stuff like how to get there, where to stay, the best time to visit Mt Field and more.

Here is the ultimate guide to exploring Mount Field National Park! 

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Your Complete Guide To Mount Field National Park

Where Is Mount Field National Park?

Mount Field National Park is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and as soon as you set foot in its ancient forests, you’ll understand why.

The park is located in the southwest of Tasmania, to the east of the Franklin-Gordon Wild River National Park and the Southwest National Park – both of which are also included in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. 

The landscape in the southwest of Tasmania is widely known for its rugged, untamed beauty and is a must-visit destination for all hiking, nature and adventure lovers. 

How To Get To Mount Field National Park

Mount Field National Park’s visitors centre is located 1 hr 10 mins northwest of Hobart and 3 hrs southwest of Launceston. From the visitors centre, you have access to the entire park either via walking or driving deeper into the mountains. 

By Car

As Mount Field is a very popular destination, there are plenty of signs and the roads to the visitors centre are all sealed and accessible for all vehicles. The visitors centre has a large car park that you can utilise for the day while you explore. 

Take a look at the map below for directions to Mount Field National Park.

By Bus

Tasmanian Wilderness Experiences offers bus services to and from Mount Field from Hobart, with the option to be driven up to Lake Dobson, located above the visitors centre in the alpine region of Mt Field. 

Unfortunately, there is no direct route from Launceston to Mount Field by bus. The only option is to take a bus to Melton/Mowbray and a taxi for the remaining distance. This is costly and hiring a car even for one day would be more cost-effective. 

Best Way To Explore Mount Field National Park

Due to the close proximity to Hobart, it’s very possible to explore Mount Field on a day trip while you stay in the city. In a day, you could visit the three main waterfalls and still have time to drive to Lake Dobson and walk the circuit around the beautiful alpine lake. 

Tour Options

Mount Field has a few tour options for those that don’t have access to a car. The best bang for your buck is the day trip by Get Your Guide that includes Kunanyi/Mount Wellington, Mount Field, Bonorong and Richmond. 

Viator also offers a great tour to Mount Field that is slightly shorter (6 hours rather than 9 hours) and focuses more on the park and the Salmon Ponds nearby. 

• Mt Wellington – Mt Field – Bonorong – Richmond Day Trip
• Mt Field National Park and Russell Falls from Hobart

Car / Campervan Hire Options

A day trip is a great way to get a taste of Mount Field but to truly immerse yourself in the national park’s raw beauty, we highly recommend spending 2 – 4 days exploring all that Mount Field has to offer. 

There is a campground right next to the visitors centre that creates the perfect base for your explorations. For this reason, we suggest looking into hiring a campervan for your time at Mount Field National Park.

• Camplify
• Apollo Camper
• Britz
• Cruisin’ Motorhomes
• Maui Rentals

Though if a day trip to Mt Field is all you can manage than Rental Cars is your best option for finding the best deals on car hires.

Where To Stay Near Mount Field

You’re spoilt for choice for accommodation near Mt Field, where you have the option of camping right beside Tyenna River, in the Government Huts close to Lake Dobson, remotely in the alpine, or in a quaint Airbnb nearby.  

Camping

The Mount Field Campground is located a few minutes’ walk from the visitors centre and the beginning of the waterfall walks. It’s very well maintained with a large amenities block that includes hot showers and washing facilities. 

On top of a national parks pass, there is a fee to stay at this campsite. At the time of writing this, the price is $16 for two in an unpowered site and $20 for two in a powered site, with the addition of $7 and $9 per person respectfully.

The only free camping nearby is beside the Tyenna River on Gordon River Rd but you need to be fully self-contained as there are no facilities there. You can find directions on Wikicamps but please remember to follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles. 

• Mount Field Campground
• Left of Field Campground

Other Accommodation Options

The only accommodation option that is located within Mount Field National Park is the Government Huts near Lake Dobson. 

These huts were built in 1940 for the road workers and are now available to the public to book. They will take you back to basics with no electricity or showers, however, you’ll stay toasty warm with a woodfire. 

• Mount Field Government Huts
• Russell Falls Cottages
• Airbnb options near Mount Field
• Maydena Mountain Cabins
• Tyenna River Cottages
• Giants Table and Cottages

Remote Camping

For the avid hikers, overnight hiking is allowed in the alpine region of Mount Field National Park. There are some drop toilets dotted about the alpine near the old huts, but camping in the huts is prohibited. 

Twilight Tarns has a great flat section where you can pitch a tent and there is a toilet nearby. This is the only slightly specified camping spot and the only place I would suggest to camp due to the soft, grassy section and close proximity to a toilet. 

Note: Camping is prohibited on the Tarn Shelf. 

When To Visit Mount Field National Park

Mount Field is a destination that you could visit each season and receive a unique experience every time. 

In winter, the peaks are often blanketed in snow and the alpine is a very popular destination for cross country skiing. When there is enough snow coverage, the Mount Mawson ski field operates ski tows on weekends and holidays. 

In Autumn, the Tarn Shelf Circuit in the alpine puts on a brilliant show of colours as the Fagus (Tasmania’s only deciduous beech tree) turns from green to gold, orange and red. It is truly a photographer’s dream, especially when a dusting of snow appears. 

The waterfalls are generally at their best towards the end of winter and into spring when Mt Field receives the most rainfall on average. However, it’s often quite cold in the national park so for the warmest weather conditions (that are still usually below 25 degrees Celsius) visit in January or February. 

How Long Do You Need To Visit Mount Field National Park?

The most popular activities in Mount Field are Russell Falls and the Tall Trees walk which can be done in a day. To include the Pandani Grove circuit that’s located at Lake Dobson, a 30-minute drive into the alpine on an unsealed road, we recommend spending two days. 

To complete all the hikes, or the majority at least, it’s ideal to spend two to three nights at Mount Field. That way, you may even get the chance to walk to Russell Falls at night to witness the elusive glow worms along the trail! 

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Is The Tarn Shelf Walk?

The Tarn Shelf walk can either be completed as a circuit or a return hike. The out and back option will take you from Lake Dobson to the Tarn Shelf and return, while the circuit takes you past Tarn Shelf and onto Twilight Tarn before descending to Lake Webster and returning to Lake Dobson in a clockwise direction. 

Tarn Shelf Circuit

• Distance: 15.6 km
• Time: 5 – 6 hours
• Elevation Gain: 664 m
• Ideal for keen hikers looking to explore the entire landscape

Tarn Shelf Return

• Distance: 7.6 km
• Time: 2 – 3 hrs
• Elevation Gain: 400 m
• Ideal for travellers looking to witness the beauty of the Tarn Shelf with minimal walking

Is Mount Field National Park Worth A Visit?

Mount Field National Park is Tasmania’s oldest National Park and is definitely worth a visit. The ancient forests are filled with cascading waterfalls, giant eucalypt trees, local Tasmanian wildlife and the glacially carved alpine is a hikers paradise. All of this along with one of Tasmania’s only ski fields, Mt Field really does have something for everyone.

Can You Swim At Mount Field?

While you can swim in the Tyenna River next to the Mount Field campsite, or in Lake Dobson in the alpine, beware that is most likely going to be mighty cold! With temperatures commonly below 10 Degrees Celsius. 

Do You Need A Park Pass For Russell Falls?

Yes, to enter Mt Field you need to purchase a Tasmanian Parks Pass which you can do at the visitors centre where the Russell Falls walk begins. 

Is Lake Dobson Road Sealed?

No, the road to Lake Dobson is not sealed. However, it is generally kept in good condition and accessible for 2wd vehicles. In winter, the winding and steep road may be closed or require snow chains. For information on the road condition, you can call 03 6288 1149.

How Tall Is Mount Field?

The tallest peak in the Mount Field National Park is Mount Field West, which is 1,434 m high. 

Things To Do At Mount Field National Park

Whether you’re a hardcore hiker or a weekend wanderer, there are plenty of walks and other outdoor activities to suit everyone. 

And for those that would rather see the sights from the comforts of their car, the drive to Lake Dobson from the visitors centre envelopes you in the ancient moss-covered forests of towering tree ferns and, as you ascend higher, colourful snow gums. 

Mount Field Waterfalls

Mount Field is most popular for its easily accessible waterfalls, most famously the three falls circuit, which flow over dark sandstone rock slabs covered in hundreds of varieties of moss and lichen. Each has its own unique beauty and with an easy walk between three out of four of them, it’s possible to visit them all in a day.

Russell Falls

1.4 km | 15 – 25 minutes | 40 m elevation gain | Grade 1

Russell Falls is one of the only wheelchair accessible waterfalls in Tasmania, the other being Nelson Falls located in the Franklin-Gordon Wild River National Park. The vibrant rainforest surrounding Russell Falls has been protected since 1885 and was Tasmania’s first nature reserve. 

The short 10-minute walk to the waterfall takes you through a dense temperate rainforest filled with giant tree ferns, swamp gums and myrtles. You’ll hear the cascading water before you see it as it falls approximately 40 m over two sandstone tiers. 

You can return via the same formed track or complete a short circuit that follows the creek on the opposite side. 

Horseshoe Falls

2.1 km return | 30 – 50 minutes | 88 m elevation gain | Grade 2

From Russell Falls, a short 10-minute walk up a few stairs leads you deeper into the rainforest and to the base of Horseshoe Falls. 

The waterfall gently plunges into Russell Falls Creek over a vertical sandstone wall that’s covered in an array of moss and lichen. 

While you can return via the same track in under an hour, Horseshoe Falls is the second waterfall along the Three Falls Track (listed below under the hikes) which we highly recommend undertaking. 

Lady Barron Falls

4.2 km return (6 km circuit) | 1.5 – 2 hrs | 220 m elevation gain | Grade 2

Lady Barron Falls is our favourite of the Three Falls Circuit – which might be due to the fact that fewer people bother to visit the third waterfall, but also because of the many layers of marine Permian siltstone that cause the cascading water to divert in all directions before meeting up again in the creek below. 

While you can reach Lady Barron Falls by walking a little ways up Lake Dobson Road and taking the track left into the forest, we recommend completing the Three Falls Circuit instead which only adds on 2 km but saves you from climbing up the steep hill towards Lady Barron Falls. 

Marriotts Falls

4.3 km return | 1.2 – 1.5 hrs | 195 m elevation gain | Grade 3

Marriotts Falls isn’t technically in Mount Field National Park, but it’s so close I couldn’t leave it off the list! You’ll notice this trail is far more unkept than those within the national park, which only adds to the adventure. 

The trail follows the Tyenna River for approximately one kilometre before turning northwest into an open field. Metal poles keep you on track as you squeeze between thick shrubs and enter a dense rainforest. 

The rainforest section is the most exciting part of the hike, where plenty of trees have uprooted and crossed the muddy path. After weaving in and out of the debris for a couple of hundred metres, you’ll reach Marriotts Falls. 

Marriotts Falls plunges over a 15 m (or so) sandstone wall into a pool littered with enormous splintered swamp gums, damming the natural flow of water. 

Each fallen trunk has a thick layer of moss growing from the rotting bark, making walking among them an interesting task! 

Mount Field Hikes

The hikes within Mount Field National Park range from 20 minutes to 9 hours and offer a vast diversity in landscape and difficulty depending on which you choose. 

Below is a list of all the hikes, ranging from easiest to hardest. 

Tall Trees Circuit

1 km | 15 – 30 minutes | 30 m elevation | 260 m highest elevation | Grade 2

Wandering among the tallest flowering plants in the world, you’ll feel dwarfed as you stare up at the gigantic swamp gums enclosing the path. 

This short circuit is perfect to stretch the legs and learn a little about the flora with the interactive signs posted throughout the walk. 

To reach the start of the circuit, you can either walk or drive 1 km west on Lake Dobson Road from the visitors centre, where you’ll find a small car park on the left. The circuit begins on the right-hand side of the road. 

You can also include the Tall Trees Circuit into the longer Three Falls Circuit. 

Three Falls Circuit

6 km loop | 1.5 – 2.5 hrs | 242 m elevation gain | 260 m highest elevation | Grade 2

The Three Falls Circuit encompasses all there is to see at the base of Mount Field National Park. Beginning at the visitors centre, the trail wanders anti-clockwise to Russell Falls, Horseshoe Falls, along the Tall Trees Trail, to Lady Barron Falls, before ending at the visitors centre. 

With only a couple of stairs and one small steep section, this easy trail is a must-do on your visit to Mount Field. It winds leisurely under a canopy of tree ferns and myrtles all covered in a film of green before opening into a forest of giant swamp gums. 

Pandani Grove Circuit

1.5 km loop | 25 – 40 minutes | 50 m elevation gain | 1,000 m highest elevation | Grade 2

Taking a 30-minute drive from the visitors centre to Lake Dobson, you’ll enter a new landscape full of pandani and snow gums as you reach the sub-alpine. 

Nestled below the Mount Field ski fields, this loop begins at the car park and takes you clockwise around Lake Dobson, through a dense forest of pandani, pencil pine and snow gums. Both pencil pine and pandani are endemic to Tasmania and are showcased magically around this lake. 

In winter, when the forest is dusted with snow, this landscape truly feels like a wonderland. 

Lake Seal Lookout

5 km return | 1.5 – 2 hrs | 284 m elevation gain | 1,250 m highest elevation | Grade 3

If you only have a short amount of time and want to see as much as you can, the Lake Seal Lookout is a great alternative to the entire Tarn Shelf hike. 

Beginning at the Lake Dobson car park, the trail leads along the western banks of the lake before gently ascending through a forest of tall pandanus and pencil pine. Reaching a dirt road, a steep climb must be endured to reach the private ski lodges below Lake Seal Lookout. 

A small rock scramble will deliver you to the lookout, where you can see all the way to Lake Seal and the Broad River valley below. 

Seagers Lookout

3 km return | 1 -2 hrs | 205 m elevation gain | 1,208 m highest elevation | Grade 3

Seagers Lookout offers a taste of what you will find on the eastern edges of Mount Field National Park. 

The return walk begins at Lake Fenton, a 20-minute drive west from the visitors centre along Lake Dobson Road. This short and sharp walk will lead you through colourful snow gums and over a boulder-strewn slope until you reach the peak. 

From Seagers Lookout, you’re rewarded with a fun boulder climb to reach the best vantage point to look down into the Derwent River valley and beyond to the southwest. 

Tarn Shelf Circuit

15.6 km loop | 5 – 6 hrs | 664 m elevation gain | 1,270 m highest elevation | Grade 3

7.6 km return | 2 – 3 hrs | 400 m elevation gain | 1,270 m highest elevation | Grade 3 

The Tarn Shelf hike is the most popular alpine walk in Mount Field National Park and as soon as you set foot on the shelf, you’ll understand why. 

Beginning at Lake Dobson, the trail sets off in the same way as for Lake Seal Lookout but once you reach the ski lodges, you have a choice of visiting the lookout or wandering through the ‘ski resort’. 

We recommend walking through the ski resort to see what the Tasmanian version is like… 

Boardwalks lead you to a turn off for the Rodway Range trail or down to the Tarn Shelf. The Tarn Shelf is filled with small tarns formed by glacial scouring that shimmer in multiple shades of blue and green. 

The shelf looks out into the Broad River Valley and down to Lake Seal almost directly below. In Autumn, the Fagus (deciduous beech trees) leaves turn a vibrant gold, yellow and orange, igniting the Tarn Shelf in a blaze of colour. 

You can return the way you came from this point or continue on towards Lake Newdegate, Twisted Tarn, and Twilight Tarn before descending to Lake Webster and Lake Seal. 

A fascinating hut lies on the banks of Twilight Tarn, built in 1926 by the Tasmanian Ski Club  and is now filled with old relics of their skiing days. You’ll find wooden skis, old food tins and plenty of photos from the past. 

The circuit is well worth the extra few kilometres as it meanders through boggy moorlands and a thick forest of pencil pine and snow gums. 

Lake Belcher

11.9 km return | 4 – 5 hrs | 514 m elevation gain | 1,190 m highest elevation | Grade 3

Beginning approximately 2 km east of Lake Dobson, Lake Belcher takes you through Wombat Moor on a vast plateau before descending into the Humboldt Valley and on to Lake Belcher and Lake Belton. 

As you walk along the boardwalk, you’ll be gifted with uninterrupted views of the jagged dolerite peaks of the Rodway Range and, on a clear day, all the way out to the Mount Anne Circuit and the expansive Southwest National Park. 

The trail becomes a little more exciting as you begin to weave between the sub-alpine forest, scrambling over tree roots and through thick mud as you follow the Humboldt River to the lakes beneath the Rodway Range. 

Mount Field East

10 km loop | 4 – 5 hrs | 601 m elevation gain | 1,274 m highest elevation | Grade 4

The trailhead for Mount Field East is located 20 minutes west of the Mount Field visitors centre on Lake Dobson Road. 

Gradually climbing from the car park, the trail winds through a sub-alpine forest filled with twisted snow gums and onto Lake Nicholls, before reaching the open moorlands beneath Mount Field East’s bouldered peak. 

A fun scramble to the peak ensues and your efforts are rewarded with views of the sweeping Derwent Valley to the east and the imposing Rodway Range in the west. 

You can return the way you came which will shave off 2 km, or complete the circuit that takes you through Windy Moor before descending a giant boulder garden to Lake Fenton. You can also opt to include the side trip to Seagers Lookout on the circuit. 

A trail through the forest follows the road from Lake Fenton back to your car at the Mt Field East car park.

Rodway Range Circuit

15 km loop | 6 – 7 hrs | 712 m elevation gain | 1,377 m highest elevation | Grade 4

Beginning from Lake Dobson, the Rodway Range Circuit will start along the same route as the Tarn Shelf and Lake Seal Lookout walks. 

You will come back the same way which enables you to choose the Ski Fields one way and Lake Seal Lookout for the other. 

Once you reach the intersection with Tarn Shelf, the trail steps it up a notch. Giant dolerite boulders line the path and on a good day, the views are worth every ounce of effort it takes to scramble towards the Rodway Range’s highest peak. 

This section is aptly named the Lion’s Den and continues in this fashion until you reach the K Col track intersection. Breathtaking views of the deep gullies and giant dolerite columns of Mount Field West will meet you here. 

The K Col track continues north along a combination of boulders and boardwalk as you make your way towards The Watcher. The vast plateau is filled with bright green cushion plants and numerous wildflowers of varied bright colours. 

As the trail passes the base of The Watcher, it begins to descend within Newdegate Pass before arriving at Lake Newdegate. An old hut sits alongside the lake and offers a cosy spot for lunch. 

After Lake Newdegate, a mix of boardwalks and muddy singletrack gently climb to Tarn Shelf. The tarns sit beneath the sheer northern face of the Rodway Range that you just walked upon.

The trail takes you past the Rodway Hut and the Ski Tow before linking back with the intersection of Tarn Shelf and Rodway Range. From this point, return the way you came. 

Mount Field West

18 km return | 7 – 9 hrs | 908 m elevation gain | 1,434 m highest elevation | Grade 4

Mount Field West is the highest peak in Mount Field National Park and requires a full day of hiking to accomplish the mighty trek.

Beginning along the same route as the Rodway Range Circuit, you can expect a great deal of boulder scrambling as you make your way through the Lion’s Den before reaching the intersection of the K Col track and Mount Field West track. 

Crossing the high alpine moorland towards the dolerite columns of Mount Field West presents you with incredible views down into the southwest valley and over to Florentine Peak in the south. 

Once you reach the precipitous peak of Mount Field West, the extended southwest is revealed, making you feel as tiny as an ant. 

Due to the length of this hike and the difficulty in reaching the peak, it’s best to complete it in summer when you have enough daylight hours. 

Alternatively, you can choose to spend the night in the alpine, but in order to do this, you must be well aware and follow the 7 leave no trace principles.

There are no facilities along the Rodway Range or near Mount Field West except for an emergency shelter near the intersection. To camp out here in the alpine, it’s important to have sufficient knowledge of backcountry camping as the weather can turn ferocious at any given moment. 

Cross Country Skiing

Tasmanians have been cross country skiing in the Mount Field alpine since the 1920s – maybe even earlier! There are historic huts dotted throughout and current ski lodges closer to Lake Dobson. 

The plateau of Tarn Shelf and when there is enough snow, the Rodway Range are popular skiing destinations in winter. There are signposts to help guide you through the difficult terrain but good navigation and skiing skills are important for this remote area. 

You can also ski around Lake Dobson when the snow is deep enough, which is navigationally much simpler. 

Downhill Skiing and Snowboarding

Much to the surprise of many, Tasmania actually has two ski resorts! The other is Ben Lomond in the northeast, which is slightly more popular than Mount Field and receives more consistent conditions… sort of! 

Mount Field has no ski lifts, instead, it has three ski tows. These are operated by volunteers on weekends and holidays when there is enough snow. While you can’t expect anything like Thredbo or Falls Creek, the views are incredible and it’s still a fun day out! 

I must add, you do have to hike up to the ski resort which could turn some people off…

For more information, visit the Mt Mawson Ski & Board Club. 

Glow Worms

If you choose to stay at the base of Mount Field National Park, it’s worth walking to Russell Falls after dark. Along the trail, you’ll find a glow-worm grotto amongst fallen trees and mossy boulders. 

There is a handrail along the trail so that you can keep your torches turned off and continue walking with relative ease!  

Junee Caves

While the Junee Caves aren’t actually in Mount Field National Park, they are only a 25-minute drive southwest of the visitors centre and well worth a visit. 

From the viewing platform, you can witness the Junee River rising from the cave after having travelled 30 km underground through a vast network of almost 300 caves! The Junee Caves are accessible to the public but unfortunately, you cannot enter them.

There are some caves in the Junee State Reserve that you can enter, but it’s only possible for highly experienced cavers.

Final Thoughts On Mount Field National Park 

Mount Field National Park offers a diverse variety of outdoor adventures for all kinds of travellers. In our opinion, it is a must-visit destination even if you’ve only got a day spare.  

When you visit, don’t forget your hiking shoes and camera. The temperate rainforest in the national park is one of the best we have experienced in all of Tasmania. And you might even be lucky enough to spot a platypus in Tyenna River or Lake Dobson. 

You can visit Mount Field any time of the year, and each season you visit you’ll be rewarded with a brand new experience. Snow dusting the dolerite peak of Mount Field West and the Rodway Range is a magical sight, as is the blaze of gold and orange that the Fagus produce in Autumn. 

Just remember to bring your warm gear, as even in summer the temperatures are generally a little cooler than in Hobart. 

Have you been to Mount Field National Park? What was your favourite experience? We’d love to know in the comments below! And as always, please feel free to ask us any questions you still have. 

Happy Adventuring.