Hiking in Thredbo // Charlotte Pass to Blue Lake (with a side trip to Carruthers Peak and Lake Albina)
Starting at Charlotte Pass, and passing by Blue Lake, Carruthers Peak and Lake Albina, this return hike allows you to take in many of the iconic views from the Main Range walk, a 22km loop that many choose to tackle in two days, with an overnight campout. By heading out for a day walk though, you’ll be able to carry less and even hike off-trail down to the pristine Lake Albina for a picnic.
Photo credit: @ellielouhere
Key Facts for Your Hike
Drive duration from The Eastern
About an hour to Charlotte Pass
Distance of hike
To Blue Lake 5km, then an extra about 10km return if you head to Lake Albina and return to Charlotte Pass back the way you came.
Duration of hike
Leave around 6 hours
Start/ Finish
Charlotte Pass
Photo credit: @ellielouhere
Trip Notes: Charlotte Pass to Blue Lake (with a side trip to Carruthers Peak and Lake Albina)
Charlotte Pass Trailhead
Park your car and set off from Charlotte Pass, where you’ll take the Main Range Track to Blue Lake. Other tracks that set off from this location are the Snow Gums Boardwalk to the right, the Summit Walk to Mount Kosciuszko on the left. Head down the middle one and your way to Blue Lake.
Blue Lake Lookout to Blue Lake
After about 5km of walking, you’ll get to Blue Lake lookout, where you can choose to either turn right for a side trip to check out the lake a little closer, or left to head towards Carruthers Peak.
Side Trip to Carruthers Peak and Lake Albina
Continue on over Carruthers Peak by following the Main Range Trail towards Lake Albina. You’ll know when you see Lake Albina—it’s a big lake on your right hand side, and there is a steep drop down to it.
If you’re up for it, I’d highly recommend hiking down to the lake to check out the tarn ecosystem, but if you’re wrecked, viewing it from above is a perfectly fine option.
Photo credit: @ellielouhere Photo credit: @hikingrat for Macpac
Other Important Info
Route Options
You can shorten this by not walking all the way to Lake Albina and simply checking out Blue Lake and heading back to Charlotte Pass, but if you have the time and energy, it is well worth it! Also, make sure your car has enough petrol and remember top up in Jindy if you need to.
Leave No Trace Trail Etiquette
Walking off-trail comes with some rules and responsibilities. Firstly, if you’re not walking on a padded path (and obviously worn path), make sure that you and your hiking companions don’t make your own new path. You can prevent making a new path by ‘fanning out’, that is, all choosing your own path rather than following one person. The grass you’re treading on will recover much more quickly this way.
Secondly, be careful around water sources. Don’t wash your food containers in them, don’t go to the toilet near them (stay at least 100m away), and make sure you know the rules for swimming in them before you take the plunge.
Thirdly, if you’ve brought a stove to cook your lunch or make a cuppa, make sure to find a rocky spot to light it, rather than directly on the grass. Campfires are also prohibited in the alpine backcountry, so in case that was part of your plan, hold off until you’re somewhere safer.
Fourthly, I feel like this one should be quite obvious, but I’ll mention it anyway—pack a rubbish bag and pack out all of your rubbish. This means banana and orange peels, toilet paper, nutshells, muesli bar wrappers, bandaids… everything.
Gear to Bring
Day hiking gear (shoes or sneakers, 2L water bottle, substantial snacks or lunch, basic first aid kit, rainjacket, sun protection including hat, sunglasses, long sleeves and sunscreen, and a mobile phone with the Emergency+ app installed); plus some cash for a beer at Eagles Nest and to buy a lift ticket.
More Information from Trusted Sources
Photo credit: @hikingrat for Macpac