1. Give me an overview of the trail
This is a two-night / three-day 36.6km circuit walk that can be shortened to an overnight walk by arranging transport from Borough Huts Campground back to Halls Gap.
(Note: the full length of the Grampians Peaks Trail, a 160km 13-day walk, is now open).
For the three-day walk, we carried 2 days’ food by having breakfast at a cafe the day we started and arrived back in Halls Gap for a late lunch on day 3. Fuel stoves must be used at Hiker camps. Water tanks are located at each camp. Parks recommends treating the water.
Day 1: Day 1: Halls Gap to Bugiga Hikers Camp: 8.6km. A well-made track that climbs nearly 500 mostly well-graded meters. It takes in some of the most popular sights in the Grampians including the Grand Canyon and the Pinnacle, so expect plenty of day-walkers in the Wonderland Carpark to Pinnacle section. The trail marking is very good but you’ll need to pay attention when leaving the Pinnacle as there are a few tracks and not every intersection is marked.
Bugiga Hikers Camp is, as the name suggests, a dedicated hiker-only campsite, with 12 wooden tent platforms (bring some cord to tie your tent down), a central shelter, toilets and water tanks (you also pass a toilet and water tank at Sundial Carpark a couple of kilometres before the camp).
Day 2: Bugiga Hikers Camp to Borough Huts Campground: 13.8km. Starts as a forestry track and becomes a narrower, rougher track as it climbs up to the Mt Rosea ridgeline, then it’s a long downward section to Borough Huts Campground. There are plenty of good views to be had along the ridgeline (be careful, there are few safety rails and very high cliffs) and there’s also a short side track to Lakeview Lookout and a longer track to Sundial Lookout which has fabulous views.
Borough Huts Campground is a group campsite that advertises grass and gravel sites. We booked a grass site but when we arrived there were three school groups in this area so we relocated to a gravel site. The campground has toilets and water tanks. Note: Now that the full trail is open there is a dedicated hiker camp (Barri Yalug ) 1.7 km further along the trail.
Day 3: Borough Huts Campground to Halls Gap: 14 km. The trail swings around Lake Bellfield on forestry tracks and has a few little surprises in the form of steep ups and downs as it passes the end of the lake.
2. Where is the Grampians Peaks Trail loop?
This walk starts and finishes at Halls Gap in the middle of Gariwerd/Grampians approximately 260 km west of Melbourne, Victoria.
Halls Gap can be reached by car in about 3 hours from Melbourne, 5.5 hours from Adelaide, or by public transport (train and bus) from Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station in 3.5 hours depending on the day and time you are travelling.
3. Why, when, and how should I walk the trail?
You’ll see some of the best of the Grampians in a long weekend and while the Pinnacle might be crowded, there are many equally spectacular views to be had all to yourself.
You can walk the Grampians at any time of year with the caveat that you really need the flexibility to change your dates or cancel in the height of summer and winter.
Summer can have extremely hot spells. Do not venture out in heatwave conditions or if there is a bushfire risk. Winter can be cool, wet (snow is possible) and have limited visibility (slippery, wet rocks and no views anyone?).
Late Summer/Autumn and Spring are more predictable seasons and while there will be some wildflowers out at any time of year, they’ll be at their peak in Spring.
Carrying your own gear is a great option on this walk. However, there are also companies that offer guided and supported trips. See the Grampians Visitor Information Centre for more information.
It is a great taster, or preparatory walk, for those considering the full 13-day Grampians Peaks Trail.
4. How do I plan my trip?
- Book overnight campsites on the Parks Victoria website.
- The Parks Victoria website also has information on safety and the full 160km 13-day Grampians Peaks Trail walk.
- The Visit Grampians website is useful.
- The Grampians Peaks Trail loop takes you into rough, rocky country. It’s never far from Halls Gap but is often out of mobile phone range. You need to carry a basic first aid kit, be able to treat water and we recommend carrying a Personal Locator Beacon or similar. The Aust Maritime Safety Authority has useful information on beacon types and models.
5. How do I find out what walking the Grampians Peaks Trail loop is like?
If you haven’t already read our story of walking the Grampians Peaks Trail loop, then click here. Hopefully, you’ll be inspired to start planning your own walk.
- You might also be interested in…
- The Surf Coast Walk: two days traversing the clifftops, beaches and Moonah woodlands of Victoria’s west coast.
- The Great Ocean Road by bike: we start in Halls Gap, ride to the coast, along the famous Great Ocean Road and finish at Geelong.
- The Tour du Mont Blanc: an epic 170-kilometre walk around the Mont Blanc massif, through a dazzling landscape of snow-capped peaks, ice-scarred mountains and tumbling glaciers.
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Disclosure
We do not receive payments, commissions, or freebies. If we mention a specific product/service or link to another website, it’s because we think it might be useful in planning your walk. There are likely to be alternatives to the products and services that we mention and we suggest that you assess the best options for your needs.
