Tasmania · Attraction
King Billy Track
Walk among thousand-year-old giants
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
The King Billy Track is a 1.9-kilometre boardwalk circuit behind Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge, offering a quiet and unhurried walk through cool temperate rainforest dominated by ancient King Billy pines. Taking around 45 minutes, the easy-grade trail is accessible without a national parks pass as it sits just outside the park boundary, making it an ideal introduction to Tasmania's highland wilderness.
King Billy pines are found only in Tasmania's cool, high-altitude ranges and are among the longest-lived trees on the continent, with some specimens estimated at over 1,000 years old and reaching heights of 40 metres. The boardwalk winds through a cathedral-like forest of these towering conifers, with the forest floor carpeted in moss and punctuated by fungi and ferns. A viewing deck at the halfway point offers a close-up view of the most impressive specimens.
The trail is moderately inclined for the first 15 minutes heading toward the lookout, then loops back along a different path through the rainforest. Wire-mesh sections of boardwalk provide grip in wet conditions, though a waterproof jacket and sturdy footwear are always recommended in this unpredictable alpine environment. Wombats, wallabies, and various bird species are often spotted along the route.
Because the walk begins from the lodge precinct and lies outside the national park gate, it can be completed at any time without purchasing a shuttle ticket or park pass. It is one of the few genuinely free wilderness experiences in the Cradle Mountain area.
Scenic views
