Southwest National Park Archives

The Mount Anne Circuit is named for the 4,669 ft / 1,423 m Mount Anne - the highest peak in Tasmania's Southwest National Park. I would expect the Mount Anne Circuit to circumnavigate Mount Anne (hence the circuit bit), but this track does no such thing. A more appropriate name may be the "Mount Anne Adjacent Circuit". The circuit actually passes just south of Mount Anne, but you are definitely encouraged to detour to the summit (this is what most people come here to do - the entire circuit is much less popular than an out-and-back to the summit of Mount Anne). You're likely to see other hikers between Condominium Creek Car Park, Mount Anne, and Shelf Camp (one of the campsites along the circuit), but heading clockwise from Shelf Camp you'll probably find yourself mostly alone. If these names mean nothing to you, that's okay, keep reading. Mount Anne Circuit: Basics | Getting There | Notes | Itinerary | Trail | Map | Conclusion | Resources Mount Anne Circuit Basics Location: Southwest National Park, Tasmania Length: 20.94 mi / 33.7 km Type: Loop Officially Recommended Time: 4 to 5 days My Suggested Time: 2 days Possible Time: 1 day Booking Required: No Booking Cost: A$0 Permit Required: Tasmania Parks Pass (buy) Permit Cost: A$12-$60 (chart here) Mount Anne Summit Location: -43.271576, 146.474932 Trailhead Location: Condominium Creek Car Park on Scotts Peak Road: -42.958253, 146.361967 Alternate trailhead Location: Red Tape Creek on Scotts Peak Road: -43.019508, 146.365839 Elevation Gain*: High Point: Mount Anne - 4,669 ft / 1,423 m Difficulty: Strenuous *These numbers are approximates. How To Get To the Mount Anne Circuit The only way to reach the Mount Anne Circuit is by car. You can get part of the way via bus, but from there, you'll either be driving, hitchhiking, or walking a very long way to make it to the trailhead. The trailhead is located 12.3 mi / 19.8 km down the unpaved Scotts Peak Road from the (paved) Gordon River Road. Accessible via public transportation: No Trailhead parking: Yes (free, unmetered) Trailhead coordinates: -42.958253, 146.361967 BY CAR: The start of the Mount Anne Circuit (assuming you're starting at the side closer to Mount Anne and hiking clockwise) is 12.3 mi / 19.8 km south on the unpaved (or, as they say in Australia, unsealed) Scotts Peak Road from Gordon River Road (B61). From Hobart, it's an 83.26 mi / 134 km drive that takes upwards of three hours. It's quite remote. There's plenty of free, unmetered parking at the trailhead. BY TRAIN: Sorry, no trains. BY BUS: The closest you can get to the trailhead via bus is the town of Westerway ($13.30 AU from Hobart). From here it's another 31 mi / 50 km down Gordon River Road before the turnoff on Scotts Peak Road. BY PRIVATE TRANSPORT: There are a number of companies in Hobart and around Tasmania offering transport to/from trailheads. From what I can see, a one-way ride from Hobart to the start of the Mount Anne Circuit will probably cost you around $160 AU. HITCHHIKING: Hitchhiking to the start of the Mount Anne Circuit is possible, but it probably won't be easy. There are a number of other hikes down Scotts Peak Road (the unpaved road that takes you to the trailhead), including the Port Davey Track, the Creepy Crawly Trail, and the Western Arthurs Traverse. However, I would definitely suggest giving yourself extra time and bringing some extra food if you're going to go this route. That said, I picked up a hitchhiker and brought him all the way here shortly after he started hitchhiking, so you might get lucky. Notes On the Mount Anne Circuit The following are some notes to help you more easily understand exactly what I'm saying in this post, since when I was doing my research I found things to be a little confusing. There are no fires permitted anywhere along the Mount Anne Circuit. Tasmania is notorious for its unpredictable and quickly changing weather. Make good decisions. There is one unstaffed and unmaintained hut on the circuit - High Camp Memorial Hut. It's located on the way up to Mount Eliza (before reaching Mount Anne) and has room for maybe five or six people to sleep comfortably. The fungus, phytophthora cinnamomi, is rampant in Tasmania and kills native plants. Clean your shoes, gaiters, trowel beforehand (there's a shoe cleaning station thing at the start of the track). You may read reports of people bringing a rope for climbing and pack hauling on this track (particularly for a spot referred to as "The Notch"). This is not required, but don't let me stop you from bringing any if that's what you're into. Although this hike is a loop, the western side of the loop is along Scotts Peak Road (the unpaved road you'll come in on). This section is ~5.1 mi / 8.2 km long - you'll only find (official) parking at the northern junction with the road (where most people begin the Mount Anne Circuit). There are two named campsites on the Mount Anne Circuit, Shelf Camp and Lonely Tarns Camp. In case you're confused, "car park" means "parking lot". Mount Anne Circuit Itinerary The suggested the Mount Anne Circuit Traverse itinerary calls for three to five days. Five days is a bit absurd and I think the longest that you could reasonably expect to take (if you really were taking your time is four days. The entire circuit is only 20.94 mi / 33.7 km. That said, I've included a five day itinerary below. I completed the track in two days and I spent the night at Shelf Camp. A one day trip would be possible if you really wanted to go for it. Two or tree days will probably be comfortable for most people. Here are some example itineraries: Day 1: 2.24 mi / 3.6 km - Condominium Creek Car Park to High Camp/Memorial Hut Day 2: 1.93 mi / 3.1 km - High Camp/Memorial Hut to Shelf Camp via Mount Anne Day 3: 2.42 mi / 3.9 km - Shelf Camp to Lonely Tarns Camp Day 4: 4.66 mi / 7.5 km - Lonely Tarns Camp to Lake Judd via Lake Judd Track Day 5*: 9.51 mi / 15.3 km - Lake Judd to Condominium Creek Car Park Day 1: 2.24 mi / 3.6 km - Condominium Creek Car Park to High Camp/Memorial Hut Day 2: 1.93 mi / 3.1 km - High Camp/Memorial Hut to Shelf Camp via Mount Anne Day 3: 2.42 mi / 3.9 km - Shelf Camp to Lonely Tarns Camp Day 4*: 12.49 mi / 20.1 km - Lonely Tarns Camp to Condominium Creek Car Park Day 1: 6.03 mi / 9.7 km - Condominium Creek Car Park to Shelf Camp via Mount Anne Day 2: 2.42 mi / 3.9 km - Shelf Camp to Lonely Tarns Camp Day 3*: 12.49 mi / 20.1 km - Lonely Tarns Camp to Condominium Creek Car Park Here's what I did: Day 1: 4.17 mi / 6.71 km - Condominium Creek Car Park to Shelf Camp via Mount Anne Day 2*: 16.77 mi / 26.99 km - Shelf Camp to Condominium Creek Car Park *You can shorten the final day by ~5.1 mi / 8.2 km if you have transport waiting for you at Red Tape Creek Trailhead/Lake Judd Track trailhead where the circuit intersects with Scotts Peak Road in the south. Mount Anne Circuit Track You can start this trail at either the Condominium Creek Car Park (the trailhead for Mount Anne and Mount Eliza), 12.3 mi / 19.8 km south from Gordon River Road, or at the Red Tape Creek Trailhead (also the Lake Judd Trailhead), another 5.1 mi / 8.2 south on Scotts Peak Road from Condominium Creek. The loop can be hiked in either direction, but most people start at the Mount Anne/Mount Eliza trailhead and hike clockwise. This is what I did and is the route I will describe here. From the parking lot, the trail is easy to follow and begins with a short flat section before beginning to climb up the ridge. This climb is 3,080 ft / 939 m and there aren't many good spots to stop and rest before you reach High Camp Memorial Hut after 2,625 ft / 800 m of elevation gain. The hut was in okay shape when I was there - a little dirty, but habitable. It has an upstairs loft and room for maybe five or six people to sleep comfortably. I wouldn't recommend sleeping here unless the weather is garbage. From High Camp Memorial Hut it's another 785 ft / 239 m of mostly scrambling up a steep boulder field to the summit of Mount Eliza. The trail isn't always clear here, but as long as you're heading up, you're going the right way. At the summit of Mount Eliza (4,229 ft / 1,289 m), if the weather is clear, you'll have great views of Lake Pedder, Edgar Bay, and even the Western Arthurs to the south if you're lucky. From Mount Eliza the track levels out a bit as it heads north to a small saddle were you'll find a couple of tarns (don't know if these always have water, but there was plenty when I was there). You'll also have good views of Mount Anne directly ahead of you. After a small incline as you skirt around the western side of Eve Peak, the trail comes to a junction - straight for Mount Anne, right for Shelf Camp. If it's late in the day, if the weather is bad, or if you just want to extend your trip, you can spend the night at Shelf Camp and attempt Mount Anne the following day. However, if you have the time, weather, and energy, Mount Anne is easily doable on your first day. Continuing to Mount Anne, you keep to the ridge as the trail passes through another boulder field and past a high point before descending slightly and making the final approach to Mount Anne. The route up Mount Anne climbs up and then hooks around to the right. It's a bit of a scramble and you'll need to use your hands to get up and back down. It is a little exposed and falling at certain points could be a mistake, but it's nothing crazy. At the summit, you'll find a log book and great views of the hiking to come on the rest of the circuit looking toward Mount Lot to the southeast. Returning to the Shelf Camp junction, it's a short hike down to the campsite. There are a few tarns here and plenty of flat rocky spots for camping. If you don't have a freestanding shelter, you might have trouble pitching a tent here. There are great views of Mount Anne and I would definitely recommend camping here - it's a beautiful spot. If Shelf Camp is crowded, there are a few more suitable campsites a bit further east or just north down the mountain. Heading clockwise from Shelf Camp, the trail skirts around the northern side of the mountains with a bit of scrambling. The trail isn't always obvious here and I ended up doing a weird downclimb at one point, but if you just stick close to the mountain you'll find your way eventually. After a short climb and downclimb, you'll reach The Notch. This is a feature that some people like to make a big deal about, but it's really just a short scrabble down and then back up some semi-exposed rock (this is where you might read about people bringing a rope). If you were comfortable climbing up and down Mount Anne, you should be comfortable here. If not for me having previously read about The Notch, I would have found it fairly unremarkable (as far as the difficulty - the views of Lake Judd from here are great). After The Notch, you continue climbing to the summit of Mount Lot (4,140 ft / 1,262 m) before heading down a steep and somewhat overgrown trail along Lightning Ridge. Just as the ridge flattens out the trail takes a dive into the brush and descends east toward Lake Picone and Lonely Tarns Camp. This section is a bit overgrown, but once you reach the tarns the brush gives way to flat and easy walking. Lonely Tarns Camp is on the eastern side of the largest tarn. If you're taking your time with the circuit, this is a good place to camp. From here, the trail heads south and then west, completing a horseshoe around the large tarn before continuing south up a small climb. If you're feeling adventurous, it looks like you might be able to stay high and follow Lightning Ridge all the way to Mount Sarah Jane before meeting back up with the track, but I have no idea if this is doable and it will probably require some exposed scrambling. I will probably try it if I make it back to the Circuit. Heading south from the Lonely Tarns the trail passes to the east of Mount Sarah Jane before steeply descending almost 2,000 ft / 600 m. I found the trail here to be incredibly overgrown and a bit difficult to follow at points, so pay attention as you will have little visibility in the tall brush. At the bottom, you hit the Anne River which the trail follows to a turnoff for Lake Judd. The circuit continues west through the button grass plains now following the Lake Judd Track. Expect mud. The track isn't too difficult to follow and you'll even find the occasional boardwalk (especially after passing the turnoff for Lake Judd). That said, I did get turned around once in some trees and had to backtrack a bit (but I'm probably just dumb). Also, you probably won't see many people over here (I saw none) since the route heading up to Mount Anne is a far more popular option than slugging through the mud to Lake Judd. Eventually, you cross a bridge over the Anne River and end up back at Scotts Peak Road at Red Tape Creek Trailhead (this is also the trailhead for the Lake Judd Track). Just north of where you pop out of the brush at the road, on the other side of the road (the west side), there is space for parking (if you wanted to leave a car or start the track here). If you were smart (and you have two vehicles), you might have left a car waiting for you somewhere around here (there's not great parking like there is at Condominium Creek further north). You can now either walk or hitchhike the 5.1 mi / 8.2 km back up to Condominium Creek (walking while hitchhiking is probably your best option). Alternatively, if you aren't ready to end the adventure you can head south toward 5.34 / 8.6 mi to Huron Campground and the start of the Western Arthurs Traverse. Mount Anne Circuit Map This is a GPS track for the Mount Anne Circuit online. This track should be used for illustrative purposes only and should not be used for navigation. I've marked the peaks referenced in this post and the campsites that are marked on the TASMAP maps (links to these maps are at the end of this post). Mount Anne Circuit Conclusion I loved the Mount Anne Circuit and would definitely do it again. Sunrise on Mount Anne from Shelf Camp was awesome and the scrambling up to the summit and around The Notch and Mount Lot was lots of fun. That said, I had perfect weather and don't know if I would feel the same way if I had done this in the rain (I most certainly would not feel the same way). If you're in Tasmania, and especially if you're thinking about doing the Western Arthurs Traverse, definitely consider the Mount Anne Circuit. And if the entire circuit scares you, then you can do Mount Anne as a day hike or as an overnight and sleep at Shelf Camp (do this one). I'm always looking to improve this information, so if you have any suggestions to improve or update this information then please leave a comment below or get in touch. Mount Anne Circuit Resources Tasmania Parks Pass Australia Bureau of Meteorology Southern Region Rainfall and River Conditions Mountain Forecast: Mount Anne Southwest National Park TASMAP Mount Anne Walk Map TASMAP Anne 1:25000 Topographic/Cadastral Map

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