Charlotte Pass to Blue Lake
Snowy Mountains, NSW
A 5 km one-way alpine walk from Charlotte Pass to a Ramsar-listed glacial cirque lake.
About this place
NPWS Main Range notes give Charlotte Pass to Blue Lake Lookout as 5 km one-way, crossing the Snowy River then climbing alpine herbfield past Hedley Tarn. Blue Lake is one of only four mainland glacial cirque lakes, a Ramsar wetland (1996) with mountain pygmy-possum and alpine frog habitat. Stay on the lookout track; paths to the lake shore, creek and Hedley Tarn have been closed for recovery. Frozen in winter. Camping is not permitted in glacial-lake catchments. Return is about 10 km.
Access & getting there
Same summer road access as Main Range walk. Turn around at Blue Lake lookout unless continuing the full Main Range. Winter: snowbound, no poles, road closed from Perisher.
Charlotte Pass trackhead, Kosciuszko Road, Kosciuszko National Park
Safety notes
River crossing on stepping stones can be unsafe in melt or flood. Alpine weather. Keep off closed lakeshore tracks.
Gear notes
Warm layers, sun protection, water, sturdy shoes. Do not scramble to the water's edge.
On the map
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