Mt Field National Park Bushwalks

Mount Field National Park is Tasmania’s oldest national park, and it’s still one of the best places in the state to pack a lot of walking into a single day. Down low, tall wet forest and tumbling waterfalls are only minutes from the car; drive further up the mountain road and you’re suddenly in sub-alpine country around Lake Dobson, with pandanis, tarns and views back over the Derwent Valley. It’s about an hour and a bit from Hobart, which makes it an easy day trip or a good first or last stop on a longer east-to-west itinerary.

Here are five of the best short walks, plus where to camp nearby.

1. Russell Falls Walk — Mount Field National Park

The park’s signature walk and one of the most accessible waterfall views in Tasmania. A wide, flat, partly boardwalked path through tall eucalypt and tree fern forest leads to a viewing platform at the base of a tiered, horseshoe-shaped falls. Easily done in runners with kids or a pram, and busy for good reason.

Distance: 1.4 km return • Time: 20–25 minutes • Difficulty: Grade 1, flat and wheelchair accessible • Dogs: Not permitted

Nearest campground: Mount Field Campground, a few minutes’ walk from the Visitor Centre and track start.

2. Horseshoe Falls Walk — Mount Field National Park

Continue past Russell Falls and the track narrows into a short, steeper bushwalk with a set of stairs climbing to a second, smaller falls tucked into a narrow gorge. It’s a natural extension for anyone who’s already done Russell Falls and wants a bit more forest and a quieter spot.

Distance: 2.5–2.7 km return (from the Visitor Centre, including Russell Falls) • Time: 45 minutes – 1 hour • Difficulty: Grade 3, some steps and steeper sections • Dogs: Not permitted

Nearest campground: Mount Field Campground.

3. Tall Trees Walk — Mount Field National Park

A gentle loop through a stand of Eucalyptus regnans, the tallest flowering plants on Earth — some of the swamp gums here are among the tallest trees in the world. The track is well formed with only a couple of easy grades, and it’s a good stop partway up Lake Dobson Road if you’re heading further into the park.

Distance: 1 km loop • Time: 30–45 minutes • Difficulty: Grade 2, easy • Dogs: Not permitted

Nearest campground: Mount Field Campground, about a 5-minute drive back down Lake Dobson Road.

4. Lady Barron Falls Circuit (Three Falls Circuit) — Mount Field National Park

The best option if you want to see everything the lower park has to offer in one outing. This loop strings together Russell Falls, Horseshoe Falls, the Tall Trees Walk and Lady Barron Falls before returning through tall forest to the Visitor Centre. There are a lot of steps, particularly the climb away from Russell Falls and again near the end, so it’s a genuine half-day walk rather than a stroll.

Distance: 6 km loop • Time: Just under 2 hours • Difficulty: Grade 3, easy grade underfoot but with many steps • Dogs: Not permitted

Nearest campground: Mount Field Campground, at the trailhead.

5. Pandani Grove Nature Walk — Lake Dobson

Up at the end of Lake Dobson Road, about 16 km and a good 30 minutes’ drive above the Visitor Centre, this easy loop circles Lake Dobson through a striking patch of pandani and pencil pine — a completely different landscape to the wet forest down below. Keep an eye on the lake for platypus, especially early or late in the day, and note the road up can be gravel and occasionally icy in winter.

Distance: 1.5 km loop • Time: 30–45 minutes • Difficulty: Grade 2, easy with gentle inclines • Dogs: Not permitted

Nearest campground: Mount Field Campground, back down near the Visitor Centre (roughly a 30-minute drive from Lake Dobson).

Planning Your Trip

Mount Field is a fee-paying national park, so you’ll need a valid Tasmanian Parks Pass (daily, holiday or annual) — buy online before you arrive or at the Visitor Centre, which also sells passes on-site if you haven’t organised one in advance. Dogs are not permitted on any of the walking tracks within the park, including all five walks above; Mount Field Campground itself is dog-friendly on a lead, so it’s fine to bring one along for the camping side of a visit, just plan on leaving them at the campsite for the walks. On the safety side, the Lake Dobson road climbs well over 500 m in elevation and can ice over or close after snow in winter, so check current conditions before heading up for Pandani Grove, and pack layers year-round — the upper park is noticeably colder and windier than the valley floor even on a mild Hobart day.