Overland Track
The Overland Track is an Australian bushwalking track, traversing Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. It's walked by more than nine thousand people each year, with numbers limited in the warmer months. Officially the track runs for 65 kilometres (40 mi) from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair however many choose to extend it by walking along Lake St Clair for an extra day, bringing it to 82 kilometres (51 mi). It winds through terrain ranging from glacial mountains, temperate rainforest, wild rivers and alpine plains.
| The Overland Track | |
|---|---|
Track passing by Kitchen Hut west of Cradle Mountain | |
| Length | 65 km (40 mi) |
| Location | Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, Tasmania, Australia |
| Established | 1931–1935 |
| Designation | |
| Trailheads |
|
| Use | Hiking |
| Highest point | Alpine plateau between Marions Lookout and Kitchen Hut, 1,250 m (4,100 ft) |
| Lowest point | Forth River crossing, 720 m (2,360 ft) |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Season | All |
| Sights | Mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, wildlife |
| Hazards | Hypothermia, snakebites, cliffs |
| Map of The Overland Track | |
The Overland Track, marked in red, with Cradle Mountain in the north and Lake St Clair in the south. | |
There are several well known side tracks, including walks to the summits of Cradle Mountain and Mount Ossa, the tallest mountain in Tasmania and a group of tarns called The Labyrinth. Known for its pristine environment and beauty, the Overland Track is listed by Lonely Planet as one of the best treks in the world.
The walk can be done independently, with six main public huts maintained by Tasmania Parks and Wildlife and five private huts for commercial groups only. Bushwalkers usually complete the track in five or six days, usually from north to south. The record time is seven hours and 25 minutes, achieved by Andy Kromar during the Cradle Mountain Run.