Lake Skinner

Starting outside the perimeter of the Southwest National Park, you’ll make your way up a well-marked trail through mossy rainforest dense with ferns.

From the moment you enter the forest at the start of the Lake Skinner walk, a lush green rainforest packed with teatree, myrtle, pandanis, and ferns welcomes you. Light filters through the dense canopy, fragmenting the forest in shadows.

At the right time of day, this dramatic effect is sustained for the next hour as the trail climbs 300m through the forest. Although the forest is rampant with life, the track is well-constructed and easily followed via boardwalks, stones, and buttress root steps.

Eventually the trail passes through a drier eucalypt forest before opening onto the sub-alpine base below Lake Skinner. From here, a short and gradual climb will find you at the lake’s edge. Just before the lake, a large rock hollow is also passed, providing emergency shelter in poor weather.

Lake Skinner’s brilliant blue waters, hemming by pencil and king billy pines, make a fantastic spot to enjoy before returning via the same route.

A National Parks Pass will be required to access the Southwest National Park. These can be obtained from the Huonville Parks Shop or online (https://passes.parks.tas.gov.au/).

For bushwalker reviews visit the following sites: www.alltrails.com/trail/australia/tasmania/lake-skinner-track–3 and www.tastrails.com/lake-skinner/

Distance: 6.5km return

Suggested Time: 4 hours

Difficulty: Grade 4. Bushwalking experience recommended. Users need to be self-reliant, particularly in regard to emergency first aid and possible weather hazards.

Facilities: For closest facilities see ‘Local Facilities Map‘

Access: 2WD access

Getting There:

From Ranelagh follow Agnes Street for 10.4km where the road changes to Lonnavale Road. Continue this for a further 6.5km before continuing onto Denison Road for 4.6km. Turn right, staying on Denison Road before turning right onto McDougalls Road after 6.3 km. Follow the signs to the carpark, turning left then right as you pass through the clear-felled forest section.

Note: It can get extremely windy and cold on the exposed sections around Lake Skinner, so be sure to pack appropriately.

Plan ahead

Tasmania’s remote areas are beautiful however weather and track conditions can change suddenly. Mobile reception in many of these areas can be limited or non existent. These tracks are not Council owned or maintained.

Be prepared for the walk or activity. Plan ahead, bring enough water, check the alerts, and make sure you are comfortable with the difficulty rating.

For more information, visit the following websites:

• TasALERT – for fire, floods and other emergencies
• Tasmanian Fire Service – for planned burns
• Bureau of Meteorology
• Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service – Safety in Parks

Leave No Trace is an internationally accepted way of minimising your impacts on the places we visit. Respect wildlife, be considerate of others, dispose of your waste properly.