Hiking in Australia – Blue Lake walk, Mt Kosciuszko National Park
Blue Lake, Snowy Mountains, is one of Australia’s few glacial lakes located in one of just three alpine areas in the country. Nestled among the craggy hills of Mt Kosciuszko National Park — including some of the 10 highest mountains in Australia — and with easy access and an excellent track, the walk to this sparkling jewel is among the best Australian hikes.
Distance: ∼10 km
Difficulty: Moderate
Highest point: 2,000 m (Blue Lake lookout)
Height gain: +500 m/-500 m
We did it: January 2018
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| ►Photos ►How to get there ►Hiking trail description ►Accommodation & food ►What to bring ►Dangers & annoyances ►Hiking trail map  |
The 10-km return hike passes through snow gums — an alpine eucalyptus with twisted, colorful trunks — as well as alpine meadows that in summer are carpeted in Australian native flowers. Summer also brings out a particularly pesky resident — flies — but if you’re lucky, you may also catch a glimpse of cuter animals like wombats and crimson rosellas.
The Snowy Mountains (also known as the Snowies) are the highest mountain range on the Australian mainland. Located in southern New South Wales on the border with Victoria, the mountains are part of the Australian Alps as well as the Great Dividing Range, which stretches down the entire east coast of Australia.
Blue Lake is located in Kosciuszko National Park near the town of Jindabyne. The trail described here is a return hike from the small ski resort of Charlotte Pass. You can alternatively walk a longer loop hike that also takes in Australia’s highest mountain, Mt Kosciuszko (pronunciation: Ko-zi-os-koe).
Photos from our hike to Blue Lake
How to get there
The Blue Lake walk starts and ends at Charlotte Pass (also incorrectly called Charlotte’s Pass) — Australia’s highest village, located at the end of Kosciuszko Road from Jinadabyne.
There’s no public transport to the village, so the easiest way to come is by car. You need to pay a fee to enter Kosciuszko National Park. Note that the road between Perisher and Charlotte Pass is closed in winter; you need to take oversnow transport from Perisher. Information on private transport options, including oversnow transport, can be found here.
The trail starts at the end of the road. Parking is along the side of the main road above the village; I recommend arriving early to avoid a long walk up the road to the trail head.
►Get directions on Google maps
Walk description
Three trails start from the end of the road at Charlotte Pass: the short Snow Gums Boardwalk to the right, the long Summit Walk to Mt Kosciuszko to the left, and the Main Range Track to Blue Lake in the middle. Take this middle trail, which descends through a grove of snow gums to the Snowy River. There’s a lovely view of Mt Kosciuszko on the left — though it’s not very imposing-looking for the highest mountain of the continent!
Rock hop across the Snowy River. The trail then climbs through alpine meadows and past tarns (small ponds), rising steadily all the way to a lookout above Blue Lake. There’s a T-intersection at the lookout: the trail to the left is the longer loop hike to Mount Kosciuszko (which returns to Charlotte Pass on the Summit Walk), and the one to the right takes you to the end of the lake.
The trail is very wide, mostly paved and virtually impossible to miss in summer. Although it’s not so high, you’re still in alpine country — so as always, you need to be prepared for mountain weather (see what to bring below, as well as dangers & annoyances). There is no shelter along the trail, and no toilets or shops either. The vegetation is very fragile so stay on the track — and being in a national park means no fires, dogs or picking the flowers.
The track is covered in snow in winter (June-October). You can do it with cross-country skis or snowshoes, but note that the route is not marked with snow poles.
Accommodation & food
Charlotte Pass looked fairly dead when we were there in January, although apparently the Kosciuszko Chalet Hotel is open after Christmas, and has a restaurant. You can camp in Kosciuszko National Park, but there are restrictions in some areas including around Blue Lake. More camping information here.
The closest large town is Jindabyne, which has many restaurants and accommodation options, as well as large supermarkets and other shops. In winter you can stay at Perisher (a ski resort between Jindabyne and Charlotte Pass).
What to bring
You don’t need any special equipment to do the hike in summer. Be aware that this is an alpine area, so you must be prepared for sudden changes in weather, whatever the season.
Essential:
- Good walking shoes
- Water- and windproof clothing
- Warm clothing, according to the season and forecast
- Water
- Food
- Sunscreen
- Hat
- Snowshoes/cross country skis (winter)
- Hiking poles
- Insect repellent
- Map, compass, GPS (essential in winter)
Dangers & annoyances
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- Death by snake or spider bite: KIDDING! Everyone thinks Australia is crawling with deadly creatures, but it’s very unlikely you’ll encounter anything dangerous. And even if you do, as long as you keep your distance it’s even more unlikely that you’ll be bitten. The rest of the risks in this list are real, however.
- Fires: Australia is prone to bushfires in summer — check the Fire Danger Rating at the Snowy Region Visitor Centre in Jindabyne before starting: +61 2 6450 5600
- Sunburn: The sun is dangerous everywhere in Australia! Apply plenty of sunscreen every two hours — and even better, cover up as much skin as possible.
- Heat stroke/dehydration: Australia is also prone to heat waves in summer, and you’re out in the sun the whole time on this hike. Wear a hat and make sure you bring enough water for the weather conditions.
- Hypothermia/exposure: The weather could also quickly turn cold — and windy. There may even be snow in summer. We did the hike during an exceptionally hot spell in summer, and we all wore fleeces and rain jackets due to the wind.
- Flood: It’s not recommended to cross the Snowy River if the stepping stones are not visible.
- Stomach bugs: It’s also not recommended to drink river, stream or lake water due to E. coli and other nasty bugs.
- Snow: As mentioned above, it can snow at any time of year — and under deep snow, you won’t be able to see the trail. Only very experienced cross-country (nordic) skiers or snow-shoers with good map-reading skills should attempt the trail in winder.
- Flies: Honestly, the flies weren’t as bad as I had feared. I still recommend taking insect repellent though.
Blue Lake, Snowy Mountains trail map
(gpx download under the map)
