I Ranked All 10 Side Trips of the Overland Track After Walking It Twice

There are many ways to walk the Overland Track and its ten side trips. Stu’s walked it twice, and has assessed and ranked each side trip, to help you figure out how long to make your trek.

We Are Explorers acknowledges that this adventure is located on the traditional Country of the Palawa people who have occupied and cared for the lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them as the Traditional Custodians and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

Tasmania’s Overland Track is a rite of passage for every Australian hiker. The 65km trek from Ronnie Creek to Lake St Clair traverses some of the most beautiful country in Tasmania, hiking across alpine moorlands and through ancient rainforests.

Read more: The Overland Track: A Guide to Hiking Hut-to-Hut on Tasmania’s Most Famous Hike

But what makes the Overland stand out above other Australian hikes are the side trips on offer. Most hikers factor in extra time for a few side trips, but which ones are the best? After completing the Overland Track twice, including all ten side trips, I decided to rank them.

Rather than listing the side trips from 1-10 or 10-1, I’ve listed them in the chronological order that they occur along the trail to assist with trip planning, with a ranking between 1st and 10th below.

Please note! When attempting the Overland side trips it’s best to go with others. The exposure and rocky summits of the peaks can be dangerous and it’s always good to have someone with you if something goes wrong.

Cradle Mountain

Ranking: 3rd 

Tasmania’s most recognisable peak, Cradle Mountain, is one of the highlights of the Overland Track. This is a good hike to tackle on day one, when your legs are fresh and spirits high.

The path to Cradle Mountain starts near Kitchen Hut, where you can leave your bags inside. The trail to the summit isn’t for the fainthearted, with some rock scrambling and boulder hopping along the way, and low visibility if the clouds roll in.

However, the views from the top are incredible – a panorama of Dove Lake, the faint outline of the Overland Track, and the next peak on our list, Barn Bluff.

Read more: Remember to leave no trace

Barn Bluff

Ranking: 2nd 

Barn Bluff is visible from the earliest hours on the Overland Track. The distinct rocky peak is as alluring as it is imposing, and is one of the most challenging of the Overland side trips.

Barn Bluff makes for a good option for the morning of day two, trekking the few kilometres back from Waterfall Valley Hut.

As with Cradle Mountain, there’s rock scrambling near the summit and along the top. It’s best attempted in clear weather and with others. The view from the top is a reflection of what’s seen from Cradle Mountain, and even more spectacular.

Lake Will

Ranking: 10th 

An easy detour on day two, between Waterfall Valley Hut and Lake Windemere, Lake Will is a pleasant spot for a morning snack or lunch break. The track is completed on a boardwalk and a trail through often overgrown shrubs.

The small sandy beach is a pleasant setting and offers an opportunity to dip your toes in the water, or go all in if the weather allows. With views of Barn Bluff, Lake Will is a nice addition to the Overland though not an essential side trip.

Read more: 6 Spots for an Alpine Swim Along Tasmania’s Overland Track

Old Pelion Hut

Ranking: 9th 

Built in 1917, Old Pelion Hut was constructed as accommodation for the manager of the now defunct Mount Pelion Mines Company. When the Overland Track was developed in the 1930s, Old Pelion was used as a shelter, and it’s now reserved as an emergency refuge.

Nearby Old Pelion is a waterhole for swimming and the hut also makes a nice spot to break for lunch or a snack. Hikers can visit the hut on their way to New Pelion Hut, or return in the morning via the boardwalk.

Mt Oakleigh

Ranking: 4th 

It’s worth staying two nights at New Pelion Hut to complete the side trip to Mt Oakleigh.

An 8km return trip, Mt Oakleigh is an easier climb than Cradle Mountain and Barn Bluff, and offers similarly spectacular views. The trail takes between 4-6 hours to complete and begins with a creek crossing (don’t worry, there’s a bridge), then a trek through boggy buttongrass moorlands.

Even in fair weather you should be prepared for damp feet. After the moorlands the trail leads up through the forest and eventually to the rocky peak. The stunning crimson of the Tasmanian waratahs add a splash of colour to the summit area.

Mt Ossa

Ranking: 1st 

The best side trip on the Overland Track is Tasmania’s highest peak, Mt Ossa. The starting point for Mt Ossa is at a junction 1.5km from New Pelion Hut and is typically completed as part of the day’s walk to Kia Ora Hut.

The beginning of the trail is an easy stroll along a boardwalk and a wide path flanked with colourful heaths and shrubs. Less-experienced hikers can walk most of the way to the summit and still feel a sense of wonder and achievement.

After the saddle, the Mt Ossa side trip becomes challenging, and at times treacherous. As with Cradle Mountain and Barn Bluff, the grass cover gives way to an exposed summit of scree, rocks, and boulders.

Keep an eye on the trail markers, as it’s easy to lose the track, and there are some sheer drops in between boulders that can be dangerous. While Mt Ossa is the most challenging of the side trips, it’s also the most rewarding, with stunning views from the highest point in Tasmania.

Mt Pelion East

Ranking: 6th 

A relatively easy side trip compared to the other ascents on the Overland Track. Starting from the same junction as Mt Ossa, Mt Pelion East is either a warm up for tackling Mt Ossa, or a gleeful jaunt after tackling Tasmania’s highest peak.

The trail is well-marked and cairns will guide you to the summit. There’s some rock scrambling near the top though nothing as challenging as the other peaks. Views from Mt Ossa at the top make this a worthy addition to your Overland trek.

D’Alton & Fergusson Falls

Ranking: 5th 

This pair of waterfalls are my favourite on the Overland Track and are an easy detour between Kia Ora and Bert Nicholls Hut.

The paths leading down to the viewpoints can be slippery in wet weather, and there are sheer drops at the waterfalls, so take care with cameras, phones, bags, and yourself.

Following rainfall, Fergusson Falls is a raging, relentless torrent, while D’Alton Falls is the most picturesque, with whitewater gushing from the Mersey River, pouring over rock faces and splashing onto overhanging bracken leaves. The forest canopies around this area are a nice spot for a morning tea break.

Hartnett Falls

Ranking: 7th

Further along the trail, on the way to Bert Nicholls Hut, is the turn off to Hartnett Falls. An easily navigable track leads to the top of Hartnett Falls and another trail from there leads to the bottom. Less spectacular than D’Alton and Fergusson, what Hartnett Falls does have is swimming pools.

While the Overland Track rarely reaches temperatures that entice a dip in its frigid swimming holes, it’s sometimes possible. The bottom of the falls is the more popular and safer place for a dip, though if the river is calm the top of the falls is another option. Recommended in fair weather.

Pine Valley Hut

Ranking: 8th 

Pine Valley Hut is best used for hikes to the Acropolis and Labyrinth, destinations that are incredible in their own right, though not officially part of the Overland Track. As a side trip on the Overland, Pine Valley Hut doesn’t offer anything different, with more boardwalks, suspension bridges, and a creek near the hut. The hut itself is small and basic with only a coal stove available, so in colder weather most people would prefer to push on to Narcissus Hut.

Pine Valley makes for a nice detour if you want to escape the crowds for a night, or have fallen in love with the Tasmanian wilderness and want to extend your journey. Otherwise, it’s more of the same and best saved for when you want to tackle the Acropolis and Labyrinth.

Read more: Pine Valley Hut – Is This the Overland Track’s Best Side Trip?

So there you have it, your complete guide to the Overland side trips. This list is compiled of the official side trips as listed by Parks Tasmania.

There are other peaks along the trail that experienced hikers may want to consider including Mt Pelion West, Mt Geryon, and Mt Ida, while The Acropolis and Labyrinth, accessed via Pine Valley Hut, are also well worth a return or extended trip.

All the mountain side trips on the Overland Track are best summited during warmer and drier weather, while the waterfalls are at their roaring best throughout winter and spring. 

Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

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