Mount Field walks & trails
Guide updated · grades and open status change — verify Parks Tasmania
Start with a clear waterfall vs alpine decision. Russell Falls + optional Three Falls Circuit covers most first Hobart day trips. Distances, grades and times below are planning ranges — always confirm on Parks Tasmania and park alerts. Weather, closures and stair status change.
Decide before you lace up
- Easy walks: Russell Falls, Tall Trees, Pandani Grove — high reward, still real rainforest weather and alpine cold at the lake.
- Moderate days: Three Falls Circuit (steps) and Tarn Shelf (alpine weather) — not interchangeable.
- Hard alpine days: Mount Field East, Lakes Belton & Belcher, Mount Field West — experienced walkers, early start, PLB, exit plan.
Doing two long alpine walks plus Russell Falls on a first visit is how people run out of daylight. Pick the row that matches how the group feels, then open the full walk page for getting-there detail.
Russell Falls
JJ Harrison · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Quick comparison (planning only)
| Walk | Effort | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russell Falls | easy | About 25 minutes | First visit, families, photography, limited mobility with assistance |
| Tall Trees | easy | About 30 minutes | Giant swamp gums, short add-on after the falls |
| Three Falls Circuit | moderate | 2–2.5 hours | The main full walk for most first visits |
| Pandani Grove | easy | 30–40 minutes | Alpine shoreline when Tarn Shelf weather is too wild |
| Tarn Shelf | moderate | 5–6 hours (full circuit) | The signature alpine day — glacial tarns, fagus, Twilight Tarn Hut |
| Mount Field East | hard | 4–5 hours | Experienced walkers wanting a quieter alpine peak |
| Lakes Belton & Belcher | hard | 5–6 hours | Experienced walkers only |
| Mount Field West | hard | 8–9 hours | Long alpine day for experienced walkers |
Easy
Russell Falls
easyThe park’s postcard waterfall: a short sealed walk from the Visitor Centre to a three-tiered drop in fern gully. It is a proper rainforest stop, not just a photo from the car park. Most first visits start here, then add more if there is time.
- Grade
- Grade 1 — sealed path, wheelchair-accessible with assistance (loop return not fully accessible)
- Time
- About 25 minutes
- Distance
- 1.4 km return
View guide →
Tall Trees
easyA short circuit among towering Eucalyptus regnans — some of the tallest flowering plants on earth. Easy to pair with Russell Falls or as a mid-point on Three Falls Circuit.
- Grade
- Grade 2 — formed track, some uneven ground
- Time
- About 30 minutes
- Distance
- 1 km circuit
View guide →
Pandani Grove
easyA short circuit around Lake Dobson among giant pandani (Richea pandanifolia) and sub-alpine forest. Only exists if Lake Dobson Road is open.
- Grade
- Grade 2 — formed circuit around the lake
- Time
- 30–40 minutes
- Distance
- 1.5 km circuit
View guide →
Moderate
Three Falls Circuit
moderateThe usual first full walk: Russell Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Tall Trees and Lady Barron Falls on a 6 km circuit with 200+ steps. Start behind the Visitor Centre; typical direction is anticlockwise.
- Grade
- Grade 3 — many steps, formed track
- Time
- 2–2.5 hours
- Distance
- 6 km circuit
View guide →
Tarn Shelf
moderateMount Field’s alpine classic: a 12 km circuit from Lake Dobson across a shelf of glacial tarns, past Lake Newdegate and historic Twilight Tarn Hut, returning via the lower lakes. You need a weather window and an open Lake Dobson Road.
- Grade
- Grade 3 — alpine circuit, weather-exposed
- Time
- 5–6 hours (full circuit)
- Distance
- 12 km circuit (shorter ski-field option ~3 h return)
View guide →
Hard
Mount Field East
hardA 10 km Grade 4 circuit via Lake Nicholls to Mount Field East. Official figures only — verify live. Not a first-visit walk.
- Grade
- Grade 4 — rougher alpine walking
- Time
- 4–5 hours
- Distance
- 10 km circuit
View guide →
Lakes Belton & Belcher
hardA long Grade 5 alpine day to Lakes Belton and Belcher. Published as 13 km, 5–6 hours — verify live. Not a first Mount Field walk.
- Grade
- Grade 5 — experienced alpine walkers
- Time
- 5–6 hours
- Distance
- 13 km
View guide →
Mount Field West
hardThe park high point (1434 m): 17 km return, 8–9 hours, Grade 5. A long day or overnight subject to wild-camping rules (verify). Not a waterfall add-on.
- Grade
- Grade 5 — highest point 1434 m
- Time
- 8–9 hours
- Distance
- 17 km return
View guide →
Walks FAQ
Tap a question to expand the answer.
What is the best first walk in Mount Field?
Most first-timers start at Russell Falls from the Visitor Centre, then add Three Falls Circuit (6 km, Grade 3, many steps) if energy allows. Tarn Shelf is a second decision that depends on Lake Dobson Road. Always verify track status with Parks Tasmania.
How hard is Three Falls Circuit compared with Tarn Shelf?
Three Falls is a Grade 3 walk with lots of steps and a café at the start. Tarn Shelf is also Grade 3 on paper, but it is alpine: weather, ice, poor coverage and a gravel access road. They are not the same kind of day.
Can I do Three Falls Circuit and Tarn Shelf on the same day from Hobart?
Usually too much for a first visit. Three Falls Circuit already fills a day. Adding a 5–6 hour alpine loop plus the gravel drive often means a dark trip home among wildlife. Stay overnight, or pick one walk.