Best trails in Alpine National Park
Alpine National Park is located in the Central Highlands and, as the name suggests, is the alpine region of Victoria. The park is the largest national park within Victoria and abuts Kosciuszko National Park in NSW. Much of the park is along the Great Dividing Range and includes the highest point in Victoria, Mount Bogong, which sits at 1,986m in elevation. Distinct terrain of high alpine woodland and grass set the Bogong High Plains apart and make for incredible landscapes and views you aren't likely to find elsewhere in Australia.
Top trails
Trail reviews for Alpine National Park
20/01/2025. An awesome yet challenging hike that can be split into a day hike, or like how we did, into an overnight hike. The track is very well established and it would be pretty hard to get lost, offering scenic views the whole way of the Alpine National Park. It took us around 4 hours with plenty of breaks to get from where we parked our car to Federation Hut. The hut itself offers really nice camping spots, with two drop toilets (which had seen better days), and a rainwater tank. We also saw one couple hike to the top of Feathertop and set up camp there. The tank was 2/3 full at the time of our hike, the water was pretty clear but do filter it just in case. The hike from Federation Hut to the top of Feathertop took us around 30 minutes for sunrise which was simple enough but an incline to the top which you may struggle to do if carrying a full pack. The hike back to the car park took the same amount of time around 4 hours due to a very hot day and as the trail is very exposed, it slowed progress quite a bit.
Very challenging uphill on 6 mile spur (unmarked no track) thick bush bashing until about 1400m then it turns into some fairly steep rock scrambling and a few sections of almost vertical rock climbing where a fall is deadly. Coming down 4 mile spur is somewhat of a steep descent but smooth sailing compared to the ascent of 6 mile spur. Enjoy amazing views on the ridge line after you pass the alpine national park border. 4 mile spur is a well marked track not too overgrown and some fallen trees to detour when I went. Overall very challenging and rewarding not for the faint of heart but definetly a must if your looking to push yourself on a tough hike with scrambling and rock climbing If you don’t have experience with rock climbing/bouldering or steep scrambling with exposure I’d reconsider as a fall on a couple sections would almost certainly result in serious injury
This trail was a fantastic alpine winter experience. We went on the weekend with the most precipitation of the season, and hit snow about 6km up the trail from Harrietville. Make sure if you're summiting Feathertop in winter than you have snowshoes (to get up to the saddle from the hut- its a short distance but insanely deep snow and a very steep slope). You'll also need ice axe, crampons/microspikes for the summit (feathertop gets very icy) and a gps to navigate. We summitted in a full blizzard/whiteout and couldn't have done it without navigating from my garmin watch on my wrist. Be sure to stay well back from the cornice too, as it extends quite far off the side of the mountain. I made a youtube video for anyone who wants to see the trail conditions in heavy snow: https://youtu.be/uF5jnacMkKQ?si=T1mdlErO64ilsvDJ
Ive do e this hike at my time at the alpine school for student leadership and it was one of the best experiences in my life, most of the walk felt pretty easy the whole track has ups and downs physically but uts just long and the last streach to the summit was hard for me. The walk back was hard to but i did it after only ever doing 1 hike in my life so go for it.
To be honest it was a bit of a blur, fitness wise I was punching well above my weight. The party I was with, experience mountain climbers, so I lagged back a bit. But once I found my own pace, it was something else. The loop takes you through some spectacular Alpine country, and during the summer months, it's kinda cool, starting at Hotham and seeing all the dormant ski equipment, imagining it bustling at the peak of the Ski season. But we had all this beauty to ourselves! Spectacular! Diamantina Spur was a killer. It just was like some optical illusion! The flora seemed to keep changing but, nope, it just went on, and on, and my thighs were choking! To get through it I started to swear out loud. ( I didn't really have to I suppose ), but it was a great strategy to get filthy at this spur. I mean, frick! Who make's em like this! Sorry, redaction necessary.... Respect mother nature folks, not saying get filthy at her, just was good therapy! What are we there for if we cant get some therapy! It was an awesome walk and I will do it again for sure! Thankfully the third day walk out was a bit more gentler on the legs, and with most of the food consumed by then, a pleasure to walk.