Mt Hotham's free guided walks are back again this season!
Curious about Hotham's local history, flora and fauna? Always wanted to try hiking at Hotham but not confident to do it alone?
Discover Hotham's diverse and extensive trail network and take part in our free guided walks this season led by our experienced and knowledgable Hotham guide. Family-friendly and full of interesting facts and stunning views, these walks are a great way to spend a couple of hours in an amazing environment high above the clouds.
January Hiking Program
Lace up your boots, breathe in the crisp mountain air, and make the most of your Saturdays this January with our free guided hikes! RSVP to either our shorter morning hike, or our longer afternoon hike (or both!)
Weekend 1: Saturday 6 January, 2024 - AM and PM Hike option
Weekend 2: Saturday 13 January, 2024 - AM and PM Hike option
Weekend 3 Saturday 20 January, 2024 - AM and PM Hike option
Weekend 4: Saturday 27 January, 2024 - AM and PM Hike option
Hotham Huts Walk
Join our small-group hiking adventure taking in 3 of Hotham's famous huts and some of our most popular trails where you'll enjoy significant natural and historic landscapes, with plenty of interesting facts shared along the way by our experienced local guide.
Saturday 10 February, 2024 - The Hotham Huts Walk
+ New dates added!
Due to popular demand, we are extending our Free Guided Walks program to include 3 new events in March!
Saturday 2 March, 2024 - AM Summit Hike and PM Brandy Creek Mine Hike
Easter Long Weekend: Saturday 30 March, 2024 – Cobungra Ditch Hike
Find out more about each walk and what to bring below.
Don't miss out! Numbers are limited to a small group size and registration is required.
To secure your spot, email info@mthotham.com.au or call (03) 5759 3550.
Walk details
Please note: Advertised hikes are weather dependant and the program will be adjusted to best suit the conditions.
January Program - AM Summit Morning Walk
Date: Every Saturday in January + New date Saturday 2 March
Time: 9am to 11.30am (2.5 hours)
Meeting point: Hotham Resort Management office.
Distance: Approx 3.5km (Total expected ascent: 140m, total expected descent: 140m)
Difficulty: Suitable for Beginners.
Join us on this great introductory hike this season at Hotham. While seemingly short in distance, this walk packs a punch in terms of rewards as you’ll soon find yourself enjoying Hotham’s famous 360degree views!
Our goal for the morning is to hike to the Mt Hotham summit, where atop sits the Hotham fire lookout tower and some of the most photogenic views to be found in the region.
En route, our experienced guide will also detour past the historic Baldy Gold Mine, sharing knowledge about the history of Mt Hotham from the golden era through to the resort we know today.
January Program - PM Afternoon Walk
Date: Every Saturday in January
Time: 1.30pm to 5.30pm (4 hours)
Meeting point: Hotham Resort Management visitor services office.
Distance: Approx 9km (Total expected ascent: 190m, total expected descent: 190m)
Difficulty: Suitable for Beginners.
Our afternoon hike is the perfect activity for those who are seeking a longer adventure, but is still suited for the whole family and those new to hiking to join in (Note, There is an opportunity for guests to shorten their hike by joining us from The General Store. Please let us know when booking).
Exploring the southern end of the resort we will leaving from the Mt Hotham Resort Management office and head to The General Store, via Mt Higginbotham where participants will be able to take in the stunning views looking back over the resort and beyond at the High Country’s vista.
With lookouts aplenty, this hike features a more lush and sheltered adventure than our morning activity, perfect for a hot summer’s escape at Mt Hotham. After wandering through the quaint Davenport Village, we will continue on to Christmas Hill trail (Christmas might be done and dusted come January, but Christmas Hill is a treat all-year-round!), and pick up Big Spur and Brandy Creek, before turning around and making our way back to the starting point.
Our experienced guide invites you to hike at a comfortable ‘chat pace’, often stopping to talk about the diverse alpine flora and fauna of the region, as well as it’s fascinating gold mining history and beyond.
New Date - March PM Brandy Creek Hike
Date: Saturday 2 March
Time: 1.30pm to 5.30pm (4 hours)
Meeting point: Wire Plain Carpark
Distance: Approx 9km (Total expected ascent: 190m, total expected descent: 190m)
Difficulty: Suitable for more experienced walkers
Our special March afternoon hike extends further into the southern end of the Hotham resort, join us for a free guided walking experience as we explore the twin rewards of this interesting trail: lovely natural environment and rich gold history!
Heading out from Wire Plain carpark, we will soon be upon the long-abandoned Brandy Creek gold mine and down to the delightful flats of the Cobungra River. Enjoy the diverse landscape of Hotham as we explore light Snow Gum woodlands and fields of native daisies and alpine grasses to the river flats.
The Hotham Huts Walk
Date: Saturday 10 February
Time: 9am to 2.30pm (5.5 hours)
Distance: Approx 15km to 18km (Total expected ascent: 300m, total expected descent: 320m)
Difficulty: Some bushwalking experience and a reasonable level of fitness required.
Join us as we explore 3 of Hotham's famous huts and some of our most popular trails where you'll enjoy significant natural and historic landscapes. The walk takes you through a range of natural landscapes from shady and sparsely open bushland, exposused summits and to damp gullies.
Itinerary:
Section 1: Heading off from our meeting point outside the Hotham Resort Management visitor services office, we'll first head up to Mt Hotham Summit before picking up the Mt Loch trail and out to Mt Loch which arguably provides the best perspective to view Mt Feathertop (approximately 1 hour 30 mins)
Section 2: From Mt Loch, we join the Australian Alps Walking Track for a short section (have your Hotham flora guide books at the ready for this section!) before we arrive at the trailhead of the Mt Hotham Huts Walk.
Following the Huts Walk trail, we will pass Derricks Hut. Then continue to the state heritage registered Spargo’s Hut. (approximately 1hr 30 mins)
Section 3: Making our way down into Swindlers Creek Valley, we will follow the trail and begin the climb to join the Cobungra Ditch Trail and onto the West Access Trail to Christmas Hill Picnic Area.
Making our way down into Swindlers Creek Valley, we will follow the trail and begin the climb up to join the Cobungra Ditch Trail making our way to the Silver Brumby Hut (famous as the prop for the 1992 movie, 'Silver Brumby') (approximately 2hr 30 mins)
From Silver Brumby Hut, guests have an option of walking or being transported back to the meeting point, with the option of a stop at the General Hotel for a well earned drink after a great day of walking!
The Cobungra Ditch Walking Trail via Brabralung Trail Hike
Date: Saturday 30 March
Time: 9am to 2.30pm (5.5 hours)
Distance: Approx 17km to 18km (Total expected ascent: 150m, total expected descent: 200m)
Meeting point: The General Store
Difficulty: Some bushwalking experience and a reasonable level of fitness required.
Due to popular demand, we're celebrating the end of Hotham's hiking season with the return of one of our most popular longer walks - The Cobungra Ditch Trail, via Brabralung Trail.
Join this special hike with our experienced local guide as we explore The Cobungra Ditch. Leaving from the General Store we will begin our day walking the well-sheltered Brabralung Trail, meandering through Snow Gum Woodland and open snow grass plains - be sure to keep your eyes out for some of Hotham's late wildflowers peeking through! The Brabralung trail also features interpretive signs highlighting the Indigenous association with the high country which we'll take pause to read along the way.
From the Brabralung trail, we will cross over to the Cobungra Ditch which carves its way through Hotham’s lower ranges, the Cobungra Ditch offers bushwalkers a unique opportunity to experience significant natural and historic landscapes as it follows the course of an abandoned water race, a ruin from the gold mining era of the district. Join this walk with a curious mind and discover Hotham's diverse alpine flora and fauna of the region, as well as it’s fascinating gold mining history and beyond.