Unofficial guide · verify with Parks Victoria

Alpine National ParkUnofficial operator’s manual

7–9 hours walking + Hotham access

Razorback day (Feathertop)

Best for: Fit parties with a clear weather window

Guide updated · verify Parks Victoria the morning you go

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Diamantina Hut to Mount Feathertop and back on the Razorback. The weather decides. Do not squeeze this into a Melbourne day trip.

The Razorback ridge toward Mount Feathertop, Alpine National Park

The Razorback

Ed Dunens · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

If the ridge is in cloud at the carpark, this itinerary becomes Wallace’s Hut or a Bright rest day — not a “we’ll see.”

About 22 km return, mostly above treeline. Official site: The Razorback Walk on Parks Victoria.

Track status, weather and closures change — verify on Parks Victoria before you leave, then use the timeline below as a planning skeleton only.

Logistics hub: Plan your visit · Where to stay · Maps & downloads · All itineraries.

Timeline

  1. Night before

    Weather call

    If wind/snow/fog is in the alpine forecast, cancel. Sleep Harrietville, Bright or Hotham. Pack lamp, extra food, shell, insulating layer.

  2. Dawn

    Diamantina Hut trailhead

    Great Alpine Road, ~2.5 km Harrietville side of Hotham Village. Same car in, same car out. Resort rules in snow season.

  3. Day

    Ridge — turn around if you are running late

    Turn around if the ridge is knocking you around before the final climb. Descent is the same exposure in reverse.

Packing

  • Shell + mid-layer
  • Poles
  • Headlamp

Product searches: gear hub.

Parking & access tips

  • Signed Hotham-side trailhead parking only.
  • Take valuables — alpine car parks get broken into.

Skip if short on time / energy

  • Bungalow Spur the same day
  • A Melbourne return after the walk

Extra tips

Weather and turnaround

  • If the ridge is in cloud at Diamantina Hut, this itinerary is over. Wallace’s Hut (if High Plains Road is open) or Bright is Plan B.
  • Write a turnaround time before you leave the car. The descent is the same exposure in reverse.
  • Resort winter vehicle rules at Hotham are not a park fee. Check the resort, not Parks Victoria, for that permit.

Related trail guides

  • The Razorback to Mount FeathertopClassic high ridge from near Mt Hotham (Diamantina Hut / Great Alpine Road) to Mount Feathertop (1,922 m), Victoria’s second-highest peak. Mostly above treeline, extremely exposed. Weather window is the whole plan.
  • Bungalow Spur to Mount FeathertopThe valley-side climb to Mount Feathertop from Harrietville via Bungalow Spur. Forest, Federation Hut precinct, then exposed summit. Different day from the Razorback — do not mix start notes.

Map (orientation)

Pin may be approximate. Confirm trailheads and seasonal roads on Parks Victoria before you drive.

Interactive map — pin may be approximate. Confirm trailheads and road status before you drive.

Open in Google MapsGet directions

Official links to verify

Stays & tours for this plan

Optional next steps once your timeline is set. Kit searches live on the gear hub. Park fees and official Parks Victoria bookings are never affiliated.

Nearby stays

Bright · Mount Beauty · Falls Creek

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Guided tours

Optional — useful for High Country logistics, not a substitute for alpine judgement

A tour does not replace checking Parks Victoria alerts, alpine weather, or your own turnaround.

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