Rock Creek Snowshoe Trail

Download & Print Map and Notes

1 hr 30 mins

3 km Circuit

84 m

Moderate track

This well signposted, winter-only snowshoe walk is a great way to get into snowshoeing for the first time. Starting from Perisher Village, this walk soon leaves the main road to follow a series of snow poles up a gully and around a small hill. There are some interesting information signs to help you learn more about amazing battle for life under the snow. On a sunny day, the contrast between the rocks, sky and snow might mean you fill the memory card in your camera - allow some extra time to explore the area.

Rock Creek Snowshoe track information sign

Information signs on the Rock Creek pole line

Walking up the open valley on the Rock Creek Snowshoe walk

A carpet of wildflowers information sign

Boulder beside Rock Creek Snowshoe trail

Snowshoe trail leading through forest of snow gums

Winter only route

This walk follows an over-snow only route. During the warmer months, this walk crosses important and sensitive bogs that can be significantly damaged, even by light footed walkers. Please only walk this track when it is well covered with snow.

Share the Snow

Here are some tips to help you share the snow with skiers. Please avoid snowshoeing on ski trails, whether groomed or ungroomed - it is fine to walk right next to the ski trail. When crossing a ski trail, please do so in a single file and on a flat, more visible, section. These tips aim to minimise trail ruts and collisions. Visit Wilderness Sports for snowshoe hire.

(0km) Int Kosciuszko and Porcupine Rds → Rock Creek Ski Club intersection

180 m

3 mins

-2m Moderate track

From the intersection, this walk heads west along the main Kosciuszko Rd, away from the 'The Man from Snowy River Hotel'[1] and keeping the main valley to your right. The walk soon crosses Rock Creek, then continues beside the road to an intersection marked with a 'Rock Creek Snowshoe Track' sign[2] just after the 'Rock Creek Ski Club' hut[3](both on your left).

Rock Creek Ski Club

This building was first opened for use in 1948 then destroyed by a lighting strike in January the next year. In 1959, a few men drove down from Sydney most weekends over a few years to build the current lodge. Still owned by the builders' families, the lodge is available to the public for hire. The lodge has two bedrooms and sleeps 6 people. The lodge can be hired in winter or in summer and makes for a great base with its central location in Perisher Valley. rockcreek.org.au info@rockcreek.org.au More info.

(0km) Rock Creek Ski Club intersection → Perisher Reservoir intersection

500 m

9 mins

16m

-2m Moderate track

Turn left: From the intersection, this walk leaves the road and heads towards the Rock Creek Ski Club building[8][9]. Just before the building, the walk veers right to find the 'Rock Creek Snowshoe Track' information sign[10]. Here the walk follows the snow-pole line with the yellow signs[11]. The walk leads over a small rise then down into the valley, keeping the snow-poles and creek to your left[12]. Just past the second pole, the walk passes an intersection with a bridge (on your left[13]) - Here, the walk continues straight ahead, following the 'Via Porcupine' sign[14] and the series of snow-poles past a few lodges[15]. The walk rounds a small point[16] then leads left, gently up the side of the hill to pass a large green timber lodge[17]. The poles then lead up and over another rise, then gently down to an intersection of snow pole lines[18] - Here, the yellow-signed poles continue ahead (past the stone building in the valley) and the white snowshoe poles head right.

(1km) Perisher Reservoir intersection → Top of gully

700 m

15 mins

42m

-2m Moderate track

Veer right: From the intersection, this walk heads south-west up the valley away from Rock Creek, following the snow-poles with the black and white snowshoe symbols[19]. After about 70m, the walk passes a pole with a 'Where are all the Animals?' information sign[20]. The walk continues following the poles up the valley (with a view of some lodges up to your right[21]) for just over 200m to find a pole with an 'A carpet of Wildflowers' information sign[22]. A further 260m up the valley, following the poles, is another similar information sign titled 'Ancient Herb Garden'[23]. After another 150m, the walk comes to the top of the gully[24] (where the snow-poles lead sharply right). (There maybe a track leading left, from skiers & snowshoes taking an offtrack link to the porcupine track[25])

(1km) Top of gully → Int of Rock Creek snowshoe trail and Wheatley Rd

580 m

12 mins

14m

-33m Moderate track

Turn right: From the top of the gully, this walk follows the 'snowshoe trail' poles[26] north up the gentle hill. The poles lead up through a grove of dead snow gums[27] and past a scattering of granite boulders[28] for about 300m to find 'Snow-loving gums' information sign[29]. The walk continues to follow the pole line that leads into the lush snow gum forest[30] for about 100m, where it finds a 'Snow gum sanctuary' information sign[31]. About 50m further into the forest, the walk then turns left[32] at the 'Tracks in the snow' information sign[33] and continues following the 'snowshoe trail' poles downhill[34]. The poles soon lead to the right and come to an intersection with Wheatley Rd[35], just below the UAC Lodge[36]

(2km) Int of Rock Creek snowshoe trail and Wheatley Rd → Int Kosciuszko and Porcupine Rds

1.1 km

19 mins

12m

-46m Moderate track

Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk heads downhill following Wheatley Rd[38], keeping the bulk of the orange snow-poles to your left. This road is also used by over-snow transport in winter[39]. The road soon leads under some power lines[40] then runs parallel to Kosciuszko Rd (which is down to your left) and past a series of lodges[41][42][43] for about 600m, to find a large signpost[44] at the intersection with Pipit Pl. The walk turns left here and heads downhill along the road[45] for about 130m to an intersection with Kosciuszko Road[46], just in front of 'Corroboree Restaurant & Bar'[47].
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk follows Kosciuszko Rd gently downhill[48][49]. After about 60m, the walk continues along the road, passing a track (which leads to a bridge[50] over Perisher Creek, on your left) and continuing for about another 50m to another intersection in front of Rock Creek Ski Club[51][52], the stone building in the clearing on your right.
Continue straight: From this intersection near the 'Rock Creek Ski Club' hut[53], this walk follows the main road gently downhill[54] towards the resort centre, where the road soon crosses Rock Creek[55]. The walk crosses the creek[56] and passes a few buildings to come to an intersection with Porcupine Road[57] (on your right), just before 'The Man from Snowy River Hotel'[58] (and the ski tube station on your left[59]).

Maps for the Rock Creek Snowshoe Trail walk

You can download the PDF for this walk to print a map.
These maps below cover the walk and the wider area around the walk, they are worth carrying for safety reasons.

Perisher Valley	1:25 000 Map Series	85252S PERISHER VALLEY	NSW-85252S
Kosciuszko	1:100 000 Map Series	8525 KOSCIUSZKO	8525

Cross sectional view of the Rock Creek Snowshoe Trail bushwalking track

Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Rock Creek Snowshoe Trail

Altitude analysis for Rock Creek Snowshoe Trail

Overview of this walks grade – based on the AS 2156.1 – 2001

Under this standard, a walk is graded based on the most difficult section of the walk.

		Length	3 km
		Time	1 hr 30 mins
		.
Grade 3/6 Moderate track	AS 2156.1	Gradient	Short steep hills (3/6)
		Quality of track	Formed track, with some branches and other obstacles (3/6)
		Signs	Clearly signposted (1/6)
		Experience Required	Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6)
		Weather	Storms may impact on navigation and safety (3/6)
		Infrastructure	Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)

Some more details of this walks Grading

Here is a bit more details explaining grading looking at sections of the walk

Gradient

1.2km of this walk is flat with no steps and another 1.1km has short steep hills. The remaining (700m) has gentle hills with occasional steps.

Quality of track

1.2km of this walk follows a smooth and hardened path and another 1.2km follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles. The remaining (580m) follows a clear and well formed track or trail.

Signs

This whole walk, 3km is clearly signposted.

Experience Required

Around 1.8km of this walk requires some bushwalking experience, whilst the remaining 1.2km requires no previous bushwalking experience.

weather

Around 2.1km of this walk is affected by storms that may impact your navigation and safety, whilst the remaining 880m is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation).

Infrastructure

Around 2.4km of this walk is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats), whilst the remaining 580m has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced).

Similar walks

A list of walks that share part of the track with the Rock Creek Snowshoe Trail walk.

Wheatley Circuit

7.3 km Circuit, 3 hrs

This snowshoe walk follows a winter-only route. From Perisher Valley, you walk up along the Kosciuszko Rd to a gap, just past the last ski lift. Here you leave the road to follow the snow pole line up along the Wheatley Link among the snow gums and crossing some open plains. This link leads up to a

Total climbing: 251m

Hard track

Other Nearby walks

A list of walks that start near the Rock Creek Snowshoe Trail walk.

Porcupine Walk

5.6 km Return, 2 hrs 30 mins

Starting at the Perisher Valley Reservoir, this walk heads up through Rock Creek valley to the the panoramic views from Porcupine Rocks. On this walk, you will wander through button grass plains and among groves of snow gums whilst passing some granite tors. From the top of this walk, there are grea

Total climbing: 214m

Hard track

Mount Piper Trail

5.2 km One way, 2 hrs 45 mins

This winter-only snowshoe walk starts from the Smiggins Centre and follows a snow pole line and cross-country ski trail to Perisher Valley. Starting along the road, you soon follow a snow pole line up and behind Mt Piper. There are some wide vistas over Perisher Creek Valley along sections of this

Total climbing: 167m

Hard track

Guthega to Blue Lake via Little Twynam

17.4 km Return, 8 hrs

This great walk starts at Guthega and explores the area east of Blue Lake. The walk heads to the Illawong Lodge, via the Blue Cow Creek flying fox, and then crosses the famous Snowy River at the suspension bridge. The walk then winds up the long ridge to the top of Little Twynam and down to Blue La

Total climbing: 1120m

Experienced only

Guthega to Thredbo camping overnight at Wilkensons Creek

25.8 km One way, 2 Days

This great overnight walk explores the Kosciusko National Park between Guthega and Thredbo, visiting some fantastic sights along the way like the Snowy River, Blue Lake and Mt Twynam, Lake Albina and Mt Kosiuszko. The Wilkinsons Creek camping area is a nice place to stop and reflect as the sun sets.

Total climbing: 1364m

Experienced only

Guthega to Charlotte Pass

15.2 km One way, 6 hrs 30 mins

This walk explores the wonderful alpine country between Guthega village and Charlotte Pass at the end of Kosciuszko Rd. Starting with views of Guthega Dam, the walk visits Illawong Lodge and crosses the Snowy River suspension bridge before climbing up to Mt Twynam. Once on the Main Range track, you

Total climbing: 908m

Experienced only

Illawong Walk

6.4 km Return, 2 hrs 45 mins

From Guthega village, this walk leads you over Blue Cow Creek and alongside the Snowy River to Illawong Lodge and the suspension bridge. You will be using a narrow, unsignposted but generally clear track. A flying fox is in place over Blue Cow Creek, however a more modern bridge offers a safer path

Total climbing: 343m

Moderate track

Guthega to Mt Twynam

14.8 km Return, 6 hrs 45 mins

This walk starts from Guthega and makes its way along the Snowy River to the Illawong Lodge, via the Blue Cow Creek flying fox. From the lodge, the walk crosses the suspension bridge and begins the climb up the ridge past Pounds Creek Flats to the top of Mt Twynam. From here, there is an optional si

Total climbing: 913m

Experienced only

Guthega to Snowy River Suspension Bridge

6.4 km Return, 2 hrs 30 mins

This enjoyable walk starts from Guthega and mostly follows the famous Snowy River, to reach the cable suspension bridge. Before reaching the bridge, the walk crosses the Blue Cow Creek at the flying fox, and winds through the snow gums and the open plains.

Total climbing: 343m

Moderate track

Main Range Circuit from Guthega

45 km Circuit, 4 Days

This four day walk explores the Kosciuszko National Park, covering many of the key features of the park between Guthega and Rawson Pass. Some of the more popular sights you will visit are the Snowy River, Blue Lake and Lake Albina, a couple of great alpine huts and the two highest peaks in Australia

Total climbing: 2317m

Experienced only

Guthega River Snowshoe

3.3 km Return, 1 hr 30 mins

This pleasant snowshoe walk starts from the car park at Guthega. You will wander down the gently hill following a wide trail, then cross Guthega Dam wall. There are great views over the pondage as you continue along the snow covered trail past Guthega Shaft. The flat trail soon ends and the more cha

Total climbing: 115m

Hard track

Guthega Trig

6 km Return, 3 hrs

On this walk, you will visit the old Guthega Trig station and its wide views over the Guthega Dam, the township and surrounding country side. The walk initially leads along management trails and across the dam wall before following a narrow foot pad up the ridge between Guthega River and Falls Cree

Total climbing: 377m

Very experienced only

Bullock's track - via Bullock's Hut

5.2 km Circuit, 2 hrs

This walk explores some of the history and beauty along the Thredbo River around Bullocks Flat. Starting from the Thredbo Diggings campsite, you will follow the clearly signposted Bullocks Track though the scattering of snow gums and granite boulders to Bullocks Hut, before returning to the campsit

Total climbing: 110m

Moderate track