Snapshot
| Where | Snowy Mountains, southern New South Wales — Australia's highest country, with Mount Kosciuszko at 2,228m · About 2.5 hours' drive from Canberra to Jindabyne, the park's main gateway town · Jindabyne to Perisher Valley is 33km on Kosciuszko Road, and 41km to Charlotte Pass · Jindabyne to Thredbo Village is 33km via Kosciuszko Road and the Alpine Way · Snowy Mountains Airport near Cooma is about 1 hour from the ski resorts |
|---|---|
| Getting there | Sealed from Canberra via the Monaro Highway through Cooma to Jindabyne and up Kosciuszko Road; 2WD is enough on the main roads year-round · Kosciuszko Road closes between Perisher and Charlotte Pass between the June and October long weekends, and the Cabramurra–Khancoban road and Kings Cross Road close over winter in the Selwyn area, along with Swampy Plains Creek Road · 2WD vehicles must carry snow chains between the June and October long weekends on Kosciuszko Road, Guthega Road and the Alpine Way between Thredbo and Tom Groggin, and the Roads Service recommends all vehicles carry them · The Barry Way into the Lower Snowy River area is unsealed, steep and narrow for most of its length and is no place for a caravan |
| Best time | December to March — the alpine walking season, with subalpine maximums around 15–20°C, up to 14.6 hours of daylight in December and alpine wildflowers peaking in January after the snow melts |
| Worst time | May to early June — too early for settled snow sports and too cold and changeable for comfortable high walking; November is nearly as awkward, with meltwater and soft, boggy tracks across the high country |
| Time needed | Two to three days for a summit walk plus the Main Range or Yarrangobilly; a single day from Jindabyne fits the 13km Thredbo summit walk |
| Cost | $29 per vehicle per day in the winter peak, from the Friday of the June long weekend to the Monday of the October long weekend, and $17 per vehicle per day the rest of the year · $4 per vehicle per day at Yarrangobilly Caves unless general park entry is already paid · Motorcycles $12 per day in the winter peak and $7 the rest of the year · All Parks Pass $190 for one year or $335 for two |
| Facilities | Drinking water at Charlotte Pass (Kosciuszko Chalet), Creel Bay, Creel Lodge, Currango Homestead, Daffodil Cottage and Yarrangobilly Caves House · Toilets and picnic areas at the main trailheads and campgrounds, and boat ramps at Creel Bay, Creel Lodge and O'Hares · Fuel, supermarkets and ATMs in Jindabyne, Cooma, Tumut, Tumbarumba and Khancoban · Mobile reception is limited, and free personal locator beacon hire is available at the Snowy Region Visitor Centre in Jindabyne and at the Tumut Visitor Centre and the Perisher Valley NPWS office |
| Best for | Summit walkers after Australia's highest point, multi-day walkers on the Main Range, and families chasing snow in winter and wildflowers in summer |
| Difficulty |
3 of 5 — Challenging
Both summit walks are Grade 3 on formed, signposted track, but the Main Range loop is Grade 4 — very steep with many steps and some obstacles — and the alpine weather turns fast. Snow can fall on the Main Range in any month, and no snow poles mark the Thredbo route. |
Driving there? Car hire and what to check →
Kosciuszko National Park holds Australia's only true alpine environment and the highest part of the Great Dividing Range, with Mount Kosciuszko rising to 2,228m, mainland Australia's highest point. Ice carved the granite tors and glacial lakes here between 35,000 and 10,000 years ago, and Blue Lake, a cirque lake on the Main Range, is listed as a Ramsar wetland for its rare and threatened species. More than 350,000 hectares — over half the park — is declared wilderness across the Jagungal, Western Fall and Indi areas. Over 200 species of alpine flowering plants grow in the park, including the anemone buttercup, which is found nowhere else. This is the Country of the Wiradjuri, Wolgalu, Ngunnawal and Monaro Ngarigo people, whose use of these mountains runs back more than 9,000 years and is recorded in over 1,000 archaeological sites: stone arrangements, bora rings, scar trees and axe-grinding grooves. The mountains were a gathering place for trade and ceremony.
Most walkers come for the summit — 13km return from Thredbo or 18.6km return from Charlotte Pass — while the 22km Main Range loop is the harder, wilder day across the high tops.
Go if…
- You want to stand on the highest point on the continent without technical gear — both summit walks are Grade 3 on formed, signposted tracks
- You want a genuine alpine challenge alongside the easy day — the Main Range loop is Grade 4, and backcountry camping among the glacial lakes is allowed under clear rules
- You are travelling with mixed abilities — there are short Grade 3 walks at Perisher and Yarrangobilly, a thermal pool to finish at, and a sealed scenic drive across the park
- You want a park that works in every season — snow from June, wildflowers in January, and quieter Main Range walking with fewer flies in autumn
Skip it if…
- You want a hot, lazy holiday — midsummer maximums on the tops average 15–20°C and snow can fall on the Main Range in any month
- You are not ready for alpine exposure — weather changes quickly above the treeline, there are no snow poles on the Thredbo route and there is no shelter on the high tops
- You need phone reception or services inside the park — coverage is limited and fuel, food and ATMs are in Jindabyne, Cooma, Tumut, Tumbarumba and Khancoban
- You plan to drive to Charlotte Pass in winter — Kosciuszko Road closes between Perisher and Charlotte Pass from the June to the October long weekends
What to expect
Reviewed
You notice the walking surface first: steel boardwalk and raised metal track laid across the alpine heath, then formed gravel on the higher slopes. NPWS keeps you on this infrastructure because vegetation above the treeline recovers slowly from trampling, so the rule is simple — stay on the track. From Thredbo you can walk to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko as a 13km return Grade 3 day, starting at the top of the Kosciuszko Express chairlift, a 15-minute ride above the village, or on the Merritts Nature Track, a difficult 4km climb of 2 to 3 hours from Thredbo Village. The route takes you past the headwaters of the Snowy River, Lake Cootapatamba and Rawson Pass before the final rise to the 2,228m summit, and NPWS allows 4 to 5 hours for the return. The track is formed and clearly signposted, with short steep hills and occasional steps, but no snow poles mark it and it is generally snowbound from June to October.
At Charlotte Pass, 41km from Jindabyne and 8km beyond Perisher, the same summit is a longer day. The Mount Kosciuszko Summit walk is 18.6km return, 6 to 8 hours, Grade 3, with parking near the trackhead and bus parking available, and NPWS warns that weekends can be busy. Kosciuszko Road closes between Perisher and Charlotte Pass between the June and October long weekends, so in winter you reach Charlotte Pass only by oversnow transport from Perisher Village, and park entry fees still apply to whatever you drive.
The Main Range walk is the serious day: a 22km loop from Charlotte Pass, 7 to 9 hours, Grade 4, with very steep sections, many steps and some obstacles, and NPWS recommends some bushwalking experience before you attempt it. You park outside the 20-minute-only area at the turning circle. Guided operators run this track as a full day that crosses the Snowy River and passes glacial lakes and historic huts, which tells you what you are in for — river crossings, exposed tops and long rough descents. Weather changes faster than the altitude suggests, and snow can fall on the Main Range in any month of the year, so carry the layers even on a January start.
Between the high tops you drop into valleys of snow gums and granite, and this is where the park's rare wildlife lives. Watch the mountain plum pine on the ridge crests: some of these low, dense plants are more than 500 years old, and the mountain pygmy-possum shelters in them. The southern corroboree frog and the broad-toothed rat are both nationally endangered and both live in this park. In summer the walking is lined with wildflowers — golden-stemmed billy buttons, silver daisies and marsh marigolds, with snow daisies opening in the weeks after the melt across more than 200 species of alpine flowering plants. If you head north to Yarrangobilly you can add the smoky mouse, sugar gliders, forest bats and the endangered sooty owl at night, plus eastern banjo frogs — pobblebonks — breeding in the thermal pool.
Where to stay
Almost everyone bases in Jindabyne on Lake Jindabyne, the gateway town at the foot of the range, with Thredbo Village and Sawpit Creek for closer starts and Cooma, Tumut and Khancoban as the park's other gateways.
When bookings open: Park campgrounds must be booked through NPWS. NPWS publishes no booking window; The Pines campground has no camping fee but a $6 booking fee, stays are capped at 14 days there and 21 days in the park, and backcountry groups should be under eight people with a trip intention form highly recommended. Official booking page. Checked 6 November 2026. Booking dates for every state.
| Stay | Guest rating | Best for | Distance | Style | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kosciuszko Tourist Park | 4.3 / 5 (437 reviews, Google) | Walkers who want to sleep inside the park between Jindabyne and Perisher | Sawpit Creek on Kosciuszko Road, inside the park · 14km to Perisher Valley | Chalets, cabins and caravan, motorhome and tent sites · kiosk, hot showers, laundry, drying room, camp kitchen and playground · vehicle entry fees apply | Check rates |
| Creel Bay cottages (NPWS) | Not rated | Self-contained groups who want Lake Jindabyne views without leaving the park | Thredbo-Perisher area, above Lake Jindabyne | Three-bedroom self-contained cottage sleeping 6 · drinking water and power connected · park entry fees apply | Book now |
| Yarrangobilly Caves House (NPWS) | Not rated | Cave tours, the thermal pool and the quieter northern end of the park | Yarrangobilly area, northern Kosciuszko | Heritage guest house from the early 1900s, self-catered, with wings sleeping 14 and guest rooms sleeping 24 · drinking water and power · park entry fees apply | Book now |
| Discovery Parks – Jindabyne | 8.6 / 10 (2,165 reviews, Booking.com) | Families and caravanners based on Lake Jindabyne | Jindabyne, 33km from Perisher Valley | Holiday park with self-contained deluxe cabins, powered sites, heating and guest laundry | Check rates |
| NRMA Jindabyne Holiday Park | 8.4 / 10 (434 reviews, Booking.com) | Budget cabins and easy access to both Thredbo and Perisher | Jindabyne, at the foot of the range | Villas and cabins with a holiday-park setup a few minutes from town | Check rates |
| Thredbo Alpine Hotel | 8.2 / 10 (1,948 ratings, trivago) | Walkers riding the Kosciuszko Express chairlift first thing | Thredbo Village, 33km from Jindabyne | Historic alpine lodge in the village at the base of the lifts | Check rates |
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What to do here
7 walks & sights
Kosciuszko walk, Thredbo to the summit
The classic summit day: 13km return at Grade 3 from the top of the Kosciuszko Express chairlift, with NPWS allowing 4 to 5 hours. The chairlift ride from Thredbo Village takes 15 minutes and puts you most of the way up; if you would rather walk from the valley floor, the Merritts Nature Track climbs 4km in 2 to 3 hours and NPWS calls it difficult. The formed, signposted track crosses the headwaters of the Snowy River, passes Lake Cootapatamba and reaches Rawson Pass before the last rise to the 2,228m summit, the highest point in Australia. Short steep hills and occasional steps are the only technical content and no experience is required. No snow poles mark the route and it is generally snowbound from June to October, so treat this as a summer and autumn walk.
Mount Kosciuszko Summit walk from Charlotte Pass
The longer approach to the same summit, starting at Charlotte Pass on Kosciuszko Road about 30 minutes' drive from Jindabyne. Parking sits near the trackhead with bus parking available, and NPWS notes that weekends can be busy, so an early start earns you quiet track. The grade is the same as the Thredbo route — short steep hills, occasional steps, formed and signposted — but you walk nearly 6km further each way.
Main Range walk
The park's hardest graded day walk, looping over the Main Range from Charlotte Pass with very steep sections, many steps and some obstacles along the way. NPWS recommends some bushwalking experience, and you park outside the 20-minute-only area at the turning circle. Guided operators run the same track as a full day that crosses the Snowy River and passes glacial lakes and historic huts, so expect river crossings, exposed tops and long rough descents rather than a boardwalk stroll.
Dead Horse Gap walking track
A steep, step-heavy descent or climb between the Crackenback chairlift area at Thredbo Village and Dead Horse Gap on the Alpine Way, 32km from Jindabyne. It is Grade 4 and one-way, so plan the transport at the far end before you start. The track drops out of the snow gum belt into the Thredbo Valley and gives one of the best cross-sections of the park's vegetation zones in a short distance.
Alpine Way drive and the Geehi huts
The Alpine Way is the park's great drive: 108km of sealed road between Khancoban and Jindabyne, climbing past lookouts, campgrounds and picnic areas and opening onto the Geehi Plains country 1,600m below Mount Townsend and Abbot Peak. It is steep, narrow and winding between Khancoban and Thredbo, rockfalls can follow rain and NPWS does not recommend it for large caravans — the 76km from Khancoban to Thredbo alone can take around 3 hours 30 minutes. Stop at the Scammells Ridge lookout, a picnic spot just off the road with views over the Western Fall, then walk to the Geehi huts: 8km return to Geehi, Keeble's and Old Geehi huts, all built of river rock and among the best-known high-country shelters in the park. The walk involves several river crossings, so plan for wet feet and rising water after rain. The Khancoban Visitor Centre sells park passes and carries maps.
Porcupine Walk, Perisher Valley
The family-friendly option in the Perisher area: a Grade 3 loop of 5.7km return from the gravel carpark at Perisher Valley Reservoir, 33km from Jindabyne on Kosciuszko Road. Extra parking sits at the main Perisher carpark near the NPWS office, a 700m walk to the trackhead. Short steep hills and occasional steps are the only obstacles, and the granite outcrops give big Main Range views for modest effort.
Yarrangobilly Caves, thermal pool and river walk
The northern end of the park is limestone country: a belt of rock laid down about 440 million years ago, dissolved into caves hung with stalactites, straws, helictites and flowstone. Jillabenan and Jersey caves run as guided tours, and South Glory Cave is open for self-guided visits. Combine a tour with the Yarrangobilly River walk, a 3km loop of 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 at Grade 3 from either carpark, and a swim in the thermal pool where eastern banjo frogs breed. The access road is about 6km of unsealed one-way road, so take it slowly.
Kosciuszko National Park itineraries: 1, 2 or 3 days
3 plans
One day: the summit from Thredbo
- Morning. Drive from Jindabyne to Thredbo Village — 33km on Kosciuszko Road and the Alpine Way — and ride the Kosciuszko Express chairlift to the top station, a 15-minute trip. From there the Kosciuszko walk is a Grade 3 track of 13km return, and NPWS allows 4 to 5 hours for it.
- Midday. The track crosses the headwaters of the Snowy River, passes Lake Cootapatamba and reaches Rawson Pass before the last rise to the 2,228m summit. Eat at Rawson Pass or on top, and turn back early if cloud is building over the range.
- Afternoon. Walk back to the chairlift on the same track, then drop into Thredbo Village or drive back to Jindabyne along the Alpine Way with the afternoon light on the Thredbo Valley.
13km of walking and no nights. Base in Jindabyne, 33km from Thredbo Village, or stay in Thredbo itself. Entry is $29 per vehicle per day in the winter peak and $17 per vehicle per day the rest of the year. Fuel and food are in Jindabyne and Cooma, and there is no drinking water on the track, so carry what you need. The walk is generally snowbound from June to October.
Two days: the summit, then the Main Range
- Day 1. The Thredbo summit walk as above — 13km return, 4 to 5 hours, Grade 3, from the top of the Kosciuszko Express chairlift — with the night in Jindabyne or Thredbo.
- Day 2, morning. Drive 41km from Jindabyne to Charlotte Pass and start the Main Range walk, a 22km loop of 7 to 9 hours at Grade 4. Park outside the 20-minute-only area at the turning circle and get away early.
- Day 2, afternoon. The loop crosses the high tops past glacial lakes and historic huts, with very steep sections and many steps, so keep the whole afternoon for it and finish before the light goes.
About 35km of walking (13km and 22km) and one night. Base in Jindabyne or at Sawpit Creek inside the park; entry is $29 per vehicle per day in the winter peak and $17 the rest of the year. Fuel is in Jindabyne and Cooma, and neither walk has drinking water on it. If you camp, book through NPWS: The Pines campground has no camping fee but a $6 booking fee, and it sits in the Tumut area at the northern end of the park. Kosciuszko Road closes between Perisher and Charlotte Pass between the June and October long weekends.
Three days: two summit routes and the caves at Yarrangobilly
- Day 1. The Thredbo summit walk — 13km return, 4 to 5 hours, Grade 3 — with a night in Jindabyne or Thredbo.
- Day 2. The Main Range loop from Charlotte Pass, 22km in 7 to 9 hours at Grade 4, as the long day of the trip. Two big days in a row, so this plan suits walkers who are already fit.
- Day 3, morning. Drive to the Yarrangobilly area in the park's north and walk the Yarrangobilly River walk, a 3km loop of 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 at Grade 3, starting from either the Glory Hole or the Thermal Pool carpark.
- Day 3, afternoon. Soak in the thermal pool, then take a cave tour: Jillabenan and Jersey caves run as guided tours and South Glory Cave is open for self-guided visits.
About 38km of walking (13km, 22km and 3km) across three days and two nights, with the hardest day in the middle. Base in Jindabyne or Thredbo for the first two nights; entry is $29 per vehicle per day in the winter peak and $17 the rest of the year, plus $4 per vehicle at Yarrangobilly unless general entry is already paid. Fuel is in Jindabyne and Cooma, water is at the park lodges rather than on the tracks, and camping in the park needs a booking through NPWS — The Pines campground has no camping fee but a $6 booking fee.
Experiences worth booking
Tours run by independent operators and booked on Viator. Booking links go to Viator, and we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices are "from" figures in AUD, checked 2026-11-09.
Suggested gear for Kosciuszko National Park
18 items
- Water bottles or a hydration bladder Carry at least 2 litres per person on the walks.
- Water treatment tablets or a filter Treat creek and camping-area water before drinking.
- Sun hat, sunscreen (SPF 50+) and sunglasses
- Sturdy, broken-in walking shoes or boots
- Day pack (20–30 L)
- First aid kit, including blister care
- Insect repellent
- Head torch with spare batteries
- Lightweight rain jacket
- Personal locator beacon Mobile coverage is unreliable in remote parks.
- Snow chains, and knowing how to fit them Carrying chains is compulsory for 2WD vehicles between the June and October long weekends on Kosciuszko Road, Guthega Road and the Alpine Way between Thredbo and Tom Groggin, and the Roads Service recommends them for every vehicle in winter.
- A warm mid-layer, beanie and gloves Midsummer maximums on the tops average 15–20°C and midwinter maximums sit below 0°C, with frosts possible up to 250 days a year at higher elevations.
- A waterproof and windproof shell Snow can fall on the Main Range in any month and the high tops carry most of the park's precipitation, which above 1,800m averages around 2,800mm a year, much of it as snow.
- Trekking poles The Main Range loop is Grade 4 with very steep sections and many steps, and both summit walks run 13km to 18.6km return on rough gravel.
- More water capacity than a single bottle Drinking water is at Charlotte Pass, Creel Bay, Creel Lodge, Currango Homestead, Daffodil Cottage and Yarrangobilly Caves House — none of it is on the walking tracks.
- Offline maps and a power bank Mobile reception is limited across the park, phones double as maps, and the park's own advice is to download the Emergency Plus app before you leave coverage.
- Gaiters or waterproof boots The Geehi huts walk has several river crossings, meltwater runs over track in spring, and snow patches linger on the Main Range well into November.
- A filed trip intention form and printed route notes NPWS asks that backcountry groups stay under eight people and recommends a trip intention form, because patchy reception means nobody notices you are overdue unless you have said where you are going.
How this compares
Kosciuszko National Park vs Mount Buffalo National Park
Mount Buffalo National Park, the granite plateau in Victoria's High Country, gives you big views, waterfalls and cliff-edge walking at lower altitude and with shorter approaches than the Snowies. It is the pick for a first taste of high country without alpine weather on the summit day. Choose Mount Buffalo for granite gorge walks and a gentler climb; choose Kosciuszko for Australia's highest peak, glacial lakes and genuine alpine exposure.
- Difficulty
- 3 of 5 — Challenging
- Access
- Sealed roads to the plateau from the Great Alpine Road; 2WD access to the main lookouts and trailheads
- Best for
- Day walkers · families · photographers after granite and waterfall country
Kosciuszko National Park vs Snowy River National Park
Snowy River National Park follows the lower Snowy River through deep granite gorges in East Gippsland, downstream from the alpine country this guide covers. Fewer formed tracks, more self-sufficiency and warmer, drier conditions than the tops. Choose the Snowy River for gorge wilderness and river travel; choose Kosciuszko for graded summit walks, track infrastructure and village bases.
- Difficulty
- 4 of 5 — Demanding
- Access
- Remote unsealed approaches and steep gorge access; some sections suited to 4WD
- Best for
- Wilderness walkers · paddlers · self-sufficient groups
Kosciuszko National Park vs Blue Mountains National Park
Blue Mountains National Park is NSW's other headline walking park: sandstone escarpment, waterfall valleys and more than 140km of tracks an hour and a half from Sydney, with trains and villages behind the lookouts. It is the easier trip to reach and the more forgiving seasonally. Choose the Blue Mountains for cliff-top walks and village beds; choose Kosciuszko for altitude, snow and the highest ground in the country.
- Difficulty
- 3 of 5 — Challenging
- Access
- Sealed highways and train access to the ridge villages; some unsealed roads to outer trailheads
- Best for
- Day walkers · Sydney day-trippers · multi-day cliff-top walkers
Before you go
- Entry is $29 per vehicle per day in the winter peak, from the Friday of the June long weekend to the Monday of the October long weekend, and $17 per vehicle per day the rest of the year; Yarrangobilly Caves is $4 per vehicle per day unless general entry is already paid. Day passes come from entry stations, pay machines, the Thredbo Visitor Centre and the NPWS Perisher Valley Office, with Park'nPay available for the Thredbo-Perisher, Khancoban and Selwyn areas
- Annual passes are bought online or at NPWS visitor centres and cannot be bought at a vehicle entry station — the All Parks Pass is $190 for one year or $335 for two
- Snow chains are compulsory to carry in 2WD vehicles between the June and October long weekends on Kosciuszko Road to Perisher, Guthega Road and the Alpine Way between Thredbo and Tom Groggin; the Roads Service recommends every vehicle, including 4WD and AWD, carries chains in winter
- Winter changes the map: Kosciuszko Road closes between Perisher and Charlotte Pass, the Cabramurra–Khancoban road and Kings Cross Road close in the Selwyn area, and some Selwyn campgrounds shut. In winter you reach Charlotte Pass only by oversnow transport from Perisher Village or by Skitube from Bullocks Flat on the Alpine Way, where overnight parking is free below the snow line and outside the park
- Fill up before you drive up: the official route pages name Cooma, Adaminaby, Tumut, Tumbarumba, Khancoban and Cabramurra as the route towns, and prices rise closer to the resorts
- Mobile reception is limited, so download the Emergency Plus app before you leave coverage, tell someone your route and fill in a trip intention form for anything backcountry (NPWS highly recommends it); personal locator beacons are hired free at the Snowy Region Visitor Centre in Jindabyne and at the Tumut Visitor Centre and the Perisher Valley NPWS office
- Backcountry camping has hard rules: no camping in the catchments of Lake Albina, Blue Lake, Club Lake, Lake Cootapatamba or Hedley Tarn and the listed creeks, none within 30m of rivers, streams and lakes, and none within 200m of the Charlotte Pass, Crackenback Chairlift, Guthega Village and Guthega Power Station trackheads, the Crackenback chairlift walkway, the summit and Rawson Pass, the Snowy River crossing below Charlotte Pass or any road open to vehicles. Groups should be under eight people
- No pets, no open or wood fires above the treeline except in hut fireplaces, and nothing is to be damaged or removed. NPWS closes parts of the park from time to time for pest-control operations against feral deer and pigs, for fire and for weather, so check the park's alerts page the day before you go; the declared bush fire danger period runs from 1 October to 31 March
When to go
seasons & the hard months
December to March is the walking season: subalpine maximums of 15–20°C, up to 14.6 hours of daylight in December, alpine wildflowers peaking in January and snow daisies opening in the weeks after the melt. Autumn is the quiet secret — NPWS names it as the time for Main Range and Ramshead Range walking with fewer flies, and Lake Jindabyne is at its best for boating and fishing — but by May the walking season is closing and the snow has usually not arrived in earnest.
Winter, from the June long weekend to the October long weekend, is snow season: Kosciuszko Road closes between Perisher and Charlotte Pass, 2WDs must carry chains and the summit walks are generally snowbound, so this is a ski and snowshoe trip rather than a walking one. November is the hardest month to love, with meltwater and soft tracks across the high country, though the lower valleys start flowering and rivers run full with snowmelt. Summer is also fire season: extreme fire danger days occur from December to February, dry lightning can light up remote country in late spring and summer, and the Lower Snowy River area can be very hot and dry.
Questions
6 answers
Two ways, both Grade 3 on formed and signposted track. From Thredbo it is 13km return from the top of the Kosciuszko Express chairlift, 4 to 5 hours; from Charlotte Pass it is 18.6km return, 6 to 8 hours. Both reach the 2,228m summit via Rawson Pass, and both are generally snowbound from June to October.
$29 per vehicle per day in the winter peak, from the Friday of the June long weekend to the Monday of the October long weekend, and $17 per vehicle per day the rest of the year. Motorcycles are $12 and $7, Yarrangobilly Caves is $4 per vehicle per day unless general entry is paid, and walking or cycling in is free. The All Parks Pass is $190 for one year or $335 for two.
If you drive a 2WD between the June and October long weekends, yes: it is compulsory to carry chains on Kosciuszko Road to Perisher, Guthega Road and the Alpine Way between Thredbo and Tom Groggin. The Roads Service recommends all vehicles, including 4WD and AWD, carry chains in winter, because roads can close in extreme weather.
In summer, yes — it is 41km from Jindabyne and 8km beyond Perisher on Kosciuszko Road, though you must park outside the 20-minute-only area if you are walking the Main Range. In winter the road closes between Perisher and Charlotte Pass from the June to the October long weekends and the pass is reached only by oversnow transport from Perisher Village or by Skitube from Bullocks Flat.
In a booked NPWS campground — The Pines campground has no camping fee but a $6 booking fee, with a 14-day maximum stay and 21 days allowed across the park — or in the backcountry, where groups should be under eight people and a trip intention form is recommended. Camping is banned in the Blue Lake, Club Lake, Lake Albina, Lake Cootapatamba and Hedley Tarn catchments and the listed creeks, within 30m of water and within 200m of Charlotte Pass, Rawson Pass, huts, trackheads and open roads.
Mobile reception is limited and you need it to call Triple Zero, so download the Emergency Plus app before you leave coverage. Personal locator beacons are hired free at the Snowy Region Visitor Centre in Jindabyne and at the Tumut Visitor Centre and the Perisher Valley NPWS office, and telling someone your route is the simplest safety measure you can take.
Nearby & next
Official information
Always check current alerts before you travel.