Be Prepared

It Might Just Save Your Life

Planning your self-guided trek

The Buller Huts Trail is a challenging grade 5 trek for experienced, self-reliant adventurers with a good level of fitness and an understanding of the risks of remote alpine hiking. Weather conditions can change rapidly, even in summer, and people have been caught unprepared in cold, wet, and blizzard conditions. This is not a trek for beginners, so please be prepared.

Plan Your Hike

Fitness and Experience

Essential gear

The following is a suggested gear list. You may need to adjust it based on your individual needs and the specific conditions of the trail. Download my free checklists to make sure you’ve considered everything.

  • Map and compass, and know how to use them for navigation.

  • PLB or GPS device, and know how to use them.
  • Overnight hiking pack
  • 3 Season tent
  • Sleeping gear (sleeping bag, mat, pillow)
  • Carry sufficient food and pack extra in case of emergencies. Organise food dops if you prefer.

  • Carry sufficient water (2-3 litres) and know where you can access water. Treat or filter water from creeks and tanks.

  • Dress for the conditions, bring extra clothes and have wet weather gear available. Always consider the worst-case scenario.
  • Sun protection (hat, sunscreen, sunglasses)

  • Head torch, whistle and knife

  • First aid kit (including a snake bite kit)

  • Sturdy hiking boots

Camping on the Buller Huts Trail

Backcountry huts are for emergencies only, so please resist the temptation to sleep in them. Please follow hut etiquette and fire safety codes to keep these important resources available for everyone.

Dispersed camping is allowed throughout most of the Alpine National Park, so you can pitch your tent almost anywhere you like. There’s also a few designated campgrounds, but they can fill up quickly when the weather warms up. Some campgrounds, like Bluff and Craig’s Hut, have water tanks and toilets, but these are not guaranteed to be working, so it’s important to be self-reliant.

Check the weather conditions

  • Check current weather reports but do not rely on them. Plan for worst by carrying extra food, water, clothing and gear.

  • Consider aborting your trip if dangerous weather is forecast. This could include heatwaves, fires, floods, snow, extreme wind or extreme cold.

Route Maps

Total distance: 97938 m
Max elevation: 1775 m
Min elevation: 483 m
Total climbing: 5756 m

Main Route

The Buller Huts Trail (96km)

Download the full GPX file, including side trips and the King-Craigs shortcut.

My original GPX files have been simplified for use on this site, so they may not be accurate enough for navigation. I recommend purchasing the relevant topographic maps and using a map and compass to navigate in the field.

Snow Gum Buller Huts Trail

Side Trips

Side Trip – Ritchies Hut (12km)

Total distance: 11199 m
Max elevation: 661 m
Min elevation: 564 m
Total climbing: 375 m

Side Trip – King Billy 1&2 (3.6km)

Total distance: 3404 m
Max elevation: 1703 m
Min elevation: 1642 m
Total climbing: 143 m

Side Trip – Mount Cobbler (11km)

Total distance: 10178 m
Max elevation: 1592 m
Min elevation: 1353 m
Total climbing: 434 m

Alternate Route (Short Cut)

Total distance: 5885 m
Max elevation: 1437 m
Min elevation: 796 m
Total climbing: 694 m

Access and Evacuation Points

Determining evacuation points when planning a hike is essential for safety. If you become lost, injured, or encounter bad weather, knowing where to go, what to do, and where to direct search and rescue crews, can be life-saving. Evacuation points can also help you avoid rash decisions in an emergency, and communicate your plans clearly to others. If you’re hiking with a group, let everyone know where the evacuation points are so everyone is on the same page in an emergency.

Note the recommended evacuation points below, these can also serve as trailheads, food, and gear drop locations.

Buller Huts Trail Evacuation Points

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

I have marked the side trips on the main route map with orange dotted lines, and have included their descriptions under the notes for each day in the itinerary.

Dispersed camping is allowed throughout most of the Alpine National Park, so you can pitch your tent almost anywhere you like. There are also a few designated campgrounds, but they can fill up quickly when the weather warms up. Some campgrounds, like Bluff and Craig’s Hut, have water tanks and toilets, but these are not guaranteed to be working, so it’s important to be self-sufficient.

I have recommended campsite options for a seven-day itinerary. Particularly noteworthy campsites include: Mt Speculation, Vallejo Gantner, and Bluff Hut.

Backcountry huts are for emergencies only, so please resist the temptation to sleep in them. Please follow hut etiquette and fire safety codes to keep these important resources available for everyone.

The entire circuit follows recognised trails and 4WD tracks, except for McCormacks Trail between King Hut and Craig’s Hut, which may be overgrown.

No, huts are for emergency use only and may not be accessible. Be self-reliant and plan to camp nearby. Read the section on alpine huts and the Victorian High Country Huts Code of Conduct.

For alpine or multi-day hikes like this, always have a map and compass (and know how to use them). If you’re using an app for quick location reference, I recommend Memory Maps or Pocket Earth (iPhone only) because they allow you to import GPX files. Never use an app as your sole navigation tool. If you don’t know how to use a map and compass, learn before you go.

No, I did not create any of the trails along the Buller Huts Trail. The route I have plotted is based on my own experience and adventures as a hiker, and I created the website to make it easier for people to experience this trek and to promote it as an iconic Victorian trail.

No, you do not need to book campsites on the Buller Huts Trail. They are all on public land and are free to use.

Ensure your itinerary includes reliable water sources, bring more water than you anticipate needing, and leave no trace. Some campgrounds, like Bluff and Craig’s Hut, have water tanks and toilets, but these are not guaranteed to be working, so it’s important to be self-sufficient. I have detailed possible water procurement points under each day of the 7-day itinerary. Here’s a summary:

Day 1: Mount Buller to Eight Mile Flat
Water is available from the Howqua River at Eight Mile Flat.

Day 2: Eight Mile Flat to Bluff Hut
A rainwater tank adjacent to Bluff Hut provides water, but availability is uncertain. Rainfall and recent usage can affect water levels. It is wise to inquire on forums or contact Parks Victoria in Mansfield for information.

Day 3: Bluff Hut to Hells Window
Water is often available south of the campsite in the gully which is Hell Fire Creek. Descend along a faint foot pad from the saddle, turning right when you reach the creek to access the most reliable source in the area. It’s important to note that this creek is often dry during summer and should not be relied upon.

Day 4: Hells Window to Speculation Road
Water can be located at the head of the gully at Camp Creek which passes under Speculation Road. A signpost near the summit of Mt Speculation points to ‘Water 200m’ but nobody I’ve spoken to could locate that water source.

Day 5: Speculation Road to King Hut
Water is available from the King River.

Day 6: King Hut to Craigs Hut
A rainwater tank near to Craigs Hut provides water, but availability is uncertain. Rainfall and recent usage can affect water levels. It is wise to inquire on forums or contact Parks Victoria in Mansfield for information.

Day 7: Craigs Hut to Mount Buller
Water is available from the Mount Buller Resort.

Treating or filtering water from creeks, rivers and water tanks is essential to protect your health from harmful contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and chemicals. Boiling water is the simplest and most effective way to treat it, but you can also use a water filter that is certified to remove these contaminants.

Yes, 4WD access is possible to all campsites on the Buller Huts Trail except for one night on Day 3. I planned the circuit to be close to access points where possible for emergency exits and food and gear drops.

No, the Buller Huts Trail is a self-guided adventure. However, who knows what the future holds.

The Buller Huts Trail is a circuit trek, so you can walk it in either direction. However, I recommend following the suggested itinerary and heading down Four Mile Spur first, as this is a challenging climb early in the hike.

The best season for the Buller Huts Trail is late spring or autumn, when the weather is milder and there is more water along the route.

The Buller Huts Trail is a free, self-guided trek. The only costs you will incur are for transportation to and from the trailhead, food, gear, and any food or water drops you arrange.

I recommend the Buller-Howitt Alpine Area Outdoor Recreation Guide by Spatial Vision. It is a 1:50,000 scale map that covers Mt Buller, Mt Stirling, Mt Howitt, and Wonnangatta Station. It is ideal for bushwalking, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, and car touring.

Download the GPX file for the Buller Huts Trail, including side trips, from the planning page.

By downloading any GPX files from this site you agree that its use, and reliance upon, is entirely at your own risk. These files are for non-commercial, personal use only. I will endeavour to ensure the accuracy and currency of the data, but accept no responsibility in this regard, or the results of any actions taken, when using the digital route files.

The Buller Huts Trail commences in the Mount Buller Alpine Resort, near the junction of Athletes Walk and Summit Road. This is only a recommended trailhead, you you can start and finish the trek wherever you choose.