Walls of Jerusalem

The national park area spreads out with the various peaks, lakes and highlights dotted throughout. This provides walkers with a range of itinerary options, from longer, more challenging, walks of six days that venture into more remote areas and camping spots (best suited to more experienced hikers), to a shorter classic circuit hike of four days where you camp one night at Wild Dog Creek, one night at Dixons Kingdom and one night at Lake Adelaide.

There is also the possibility of just doing Mt Jerusalem peak on either a day or overnight hike. The most popular circuit is outlined below.

A rewarding first day’s hike into pure Tasmanian wilderness. A challenging ascent through eucalyptus dominated forest and via the historic 20th Century Trappers Hut sees you reach the edge of the plateau and from here the grandeur of this magnificent alpine region starts to emerge. Discover the stunning, sparkling mountain tarns of Solomon’s Jewels and encounter ancient conifer forest, snow gum and pencil pines, cleverly adapted to the harsh alpine conditions and replace eucalyptus. Exquisite views of King David’s Peak from your camp for the night at Wild Dog Creek.

Delve deeper into the national park as you hike into the central Walls of Jerusalem basin area. Entering through Herods Gate, with the dolerite peaks of Mt Ophel and King Davids Peak flanking each side, be wowed by the vastness and sheer beauty of this UNESCO world Heritage area. Skirt around Lake Salome then the Pool of Bethesda to reach the imposing Damascus Gate, set between Solomons Throne and The Temple. Decent through beautiful pencil pine forest to the green inviting grasslands of Dixons Kingdom – your base for the night.

A challenging descent today and a greater feeling of remoteness as you head off trail on an unmarked route through the valley of Jaffa Vale headed for Lake Ball. Pass through large pencil pine forest before reaching the lake’s shores. The historically significant Lake Ball Hut, originally built in 1968, pays homage as a place of peace for bushman and returned POW soldier Ray Miles. Following the shores of Lake Ball, the track descends through eucalyptus forest then low lying shrubland including brightly coloured cushion plants and small streams to the shores of Lake Adelaide. On the northern shores of Lake Adelaide is your rest point for the night.

A last chance to wake up to the pristine fresh alpine air and incredible landscapes of the national park before it’s time to head back to civilization. Heading north, through a wet and swampy valley scattered with pretty lakes and small tarns, pass Stretcher Lake, Lake Loane and Howells Bluff before travelling through eucalyptus forest back to the Trappers Hut. The track descends steeply back to the starting point, completing your circuit walk.

• Our detailed guide to hiking the Walls of Jerusalem – contains all the essential information you need to know in advance
• 4 days worth of food for your adventure; breakfast, lunch and dinner each day – delivered straight to your home
• Our own range of Lightweight, highly nutritious meals that are locally sourced, delicious and easy to carry & cook ( freeze dried and dehydrated)
• Our ‘state of the art’ Navigation app to guide you on the track; showing huts, campsites and all points of Interest along the way
• Delivery to your door* of our ‘Adventure in a box’ food parcel
• Our ‘Get fit for hiking’ e-guide for backpacking adventures
• 10% GST included

* Additional $35 food delivery charge for any locations in NT, WA and Northern Queensland

• Trailhead transfers or transport to Walls of Jerusalem National park
• Any equipment required
• National Parks Pass (required)
• Bookings for your campsites  (pre-requisite)

The Walls of Jerusalem is rated by us as a moderate-challenging walk and best suited to hikers of reasonably good fitness and experience, who are confident walking in remote locations. You should be able to carry a full pack for up to 4-5 hours. At least 1 person in your party should have experience in off-track walking and navigation. RAW Travel has a detailed guide specifically for multi-day walk training, you will receive this as part of your booking.

There are a number of outdoor gear hire companies in Tasmania that can help outfit you with
equipment for this trip and full details are given in our information guide.

Independent adventures place you at the centre of the experience, giving you the confidence to be a self-reliant walker on the trail. We take care of the research needed and give you all the essential information relating to the trip ( a task that seasoned walkers can tell you often takes many hours to get the correct information) so you can be thoroughly prepared and confident that you have  everything you need for your adventure. We give you all the contacts &  details to nearby transportation, accommodation and hire services,  highlight any risks to be aware of and how to mitigate them.

The food prep is a major hassle of many hikers trips and we solve that for you. We prepare all the food that you need for your trip, all pre-measured and dehydrated / freeze dried to take away the weight but keep the freshness. Our meals are reviewed by Nutritionists to provide the right daily nutrition and energy for your demands of the walk. And our ingredients are prepared from the best local ingredients here on the Mornington Peninsula, cooked to order and freeze dried fresh – not sitting on a shelf for years at a time!

Once you arrive at the trail it’s all over to you the adventure begins!  You are free and independent to create your own experience the way you want it. We provide you with an app to help you navigate in real time on the trail and give you the campsite locations and points of interest but you are completely autonomous & self – supporting on the walk.  These trips are best suited to people who relish that sense of liberation and freedom that comes with being self-reliant and don’t need the back up of a leader or group travel. Independent Adventures are different from our other self – guided walking trips as there are no briefings, transfers or local support from RAW Travel staff. It’s just you and nature out on the trail!

Unless you are an experienced walker then it is not recommended to walk this solo due to the isolation of this area and the unpredictable weather that Tasmania’s highlands are known for. The weather is notoriously unpredictable in this exposed alpine area and walkers have to be fully prepared for conditions that can seem ‘unseasonal’ and very changeable. You should carry an EPRIRB / PLB for safety. The trail is well marked though and there are communal campsites to head to each evening.

Along the track, you’ll find three designated campsites located at Wild Dog Creek, Dixons Kingdom and Lake Adelaide.

Wild Dog Creek, near Herod’s Gate, is located 6km from the main carpark and offers tent platforms, a toilet and rainwater tank.

Note: tent platforms are not pre-bookable and all campgrounds work on a first-come, first-served basis.

Dixons Kingdom is located 3.7km (1.5–2 hour walk) from Wild Dog Creek campsite (and 10km from the carpark/3.5–5 hour walk). It has a toilet and water is available from a nearby creek (east of walking track). There are no tent platforms here, however there is a grassy area (east of the toilet and hut area) where you can pitch a tent. Do not pitch your tent near the historical hut (it may ruin it for other hikers) or camp underneath the pencil pine trees. This avoids destruction to their environment and also avoids injury to you from falling branches.

The Lake Adelaide campsite is located on the northern shore of the lake. It is an informal campsite which simply offers an open grass area to pitch your tent. There are no toilet facilities here or tent platforms. This campsite is 5km from Dixons Kingdom campsite (2 hour walk).

When pitching tents at Dixons Kingdom and Lake Adelaide campsite please take care to avoid unnecessary destruction of the sensitive plant life of the area.

Wild camping is discouraged; always use designated campsites. If, due to an emergency situation, you need to camp away from the campsites, avoid camping near waterways where soil erosion can have environmental impact and always adhere to the ‘Leave no Trace’ principles.

You will encounter three historical wooden huts at Trappers Hut, Dixons Kingdom and Lake Ball. Please treat these simple huts with respect. Camping in (or directly next to) these huts is not allowed unless in an emergency situation.

The cost for camping in the national park is covered as part of your park’s pass. 

In Tasmania, snow, rain, wind and sun are all possible at any time of the year, and bushfires can occur between October and March. Hiking from December to April will give you longer days and warmer weather. 

Whichever season you choose, to make the most of your time here you must be well prepared with your clothing, equipment and supplies as you venture into this remote area. 

The terrain over the course of the walk is varied including uneven rocky trails; untracked rough bush sections; marshy shrubland; rocky sections and climbing over rocky scree, with scrambling required. There will also be exposed tree roots which are often slippery.  Always walk with extreme care and be aware of your footing. Summits on the walk are quite exposed. Don’t climb up Solomons Throne or onto the West Wall by any route other than the track and for your safety don’t attempt to climb any of the summits during adverse weather conditions.