Walls of Jerusalem Hike
5 days – Medium / Hard Grade – $2250
The Walls of Jerusalem National Park in Tasmania was proclaimed in 1981 and it is an alpine wilderness made up of mountain tarns, lakes and dominant peaks. This part of Tasmania is known as the Central Plateau. It has been formed by the process of uplifting and glaciation.
You’ll be amazed by the grandeur of the dolerite peaks, such as Mount Jerusalem and Solomons Throne as well as the serene mountain tarns and the unique alpine vegetation.
Wildlife commonly seen includes the Bennett’s Wallaby, Pademelon, Wombat and Brush tailed Possum.
Our 5 day hike departs in the warmer summer months of November through to April but within these months the weather can be changeable. The walking requires a good level of fitness as the terrain is varied.
Book this 5 day circuit tour, if you would like to visit and camp in the more remote areas of the National Park.
Grade: Medium / Hard
Our Itinerary
After driving from Launceston your walk starts at the Mersey Forest Road car park and climbs steadily for 2 km to Trappers Hut; a small shelter used by possum trappers in the early 1900’s. From Trappers Hut the track winds its way past pristine mountain tarns known as the “Solomon’s Jewels” and through woodlands of Pencil Pines, Snow Gums and Yellow Gums. Your first night’s camp is on comfortable tent platforms at Wild Dog Creek, named by surveyor James Scott in 1848.
A short climb up and through Herrod’s Gate brings you into the Walls of Jerusalem. The dominant West Wall with King David’s Peak is on our right as you pass Lake Salome and the Pools of Bethesda are on your left. Most of the names of the peaks, lakes and tarns have a similar theme and were named by the early surveyor James Scott and also by an enthusiast of the area, Reg Hall. We stop at the Pools of Bethesda and rest amongst the ancient Pencil Pines and marvel at the grandeur of the West Wall. We then climb to the saddle of Damascus Gate, stow our packs and head for the summit of Solomon’s Throne. In the afternoon, we head for the summit of Mount Jerusalem (1459m). The walk to its summit is easy and straight – forward. You’ll be rewarded by commanding views over the Central Plateau and the distant peaks of Frenchman’s Cap and Cradle Mountain.
This morning you’ll walk through the stands of Pencil Pines of Jaffa Vale on your way down to Lake Ball. Lake Ball is the highest of three, tiered lakes that we camp beside on your walk. At Lake Ball sits a restored trappers hut (for emergency use only), a reminder of the early European explorer, bushrangers and trappers. We walk along the northern shoreline of Lake Ball then across a small saddle to the northern end of Lake Adelaide for lunch. Lake Adelaide lies at an altitude of 1055m and is the largest of the lakes on your walk. After lunch you’ll walk through medium timber beside Lake Adelaide for much of the afternoon. The vegetation is a mix of stunted woodlands gradually tending towards eucalypt woodlands. The highland lakes contain fish known as Galaxiids (slender, scale less fish) with one dorsal fin. The platypus also occupies the lakes and tarns of the park and feeds on the small crustaceans in the lakes. We camp at the picturesque northern end of Lake Meston, which provides a fantastic view of the Traveller Range which shields the Overland Track beyond.
From our camp at the Northern end of Lake Meston, we walk along half way along the western shoreline to Lake Meston Hut. At this junction we then head north west passing below Mt Ragoona to Lake Myrtle for lunch. After lunch it is a short 2 hour walk down a river valley to our camp at Lake Bill.
It is a short walk today back to the Mersey Valley Road. The walk along Blizzard Plains is followed by a steep descent to the valley floor. Our drive back stops at the Mole Creek Hotel for lunch and then onto Launceston, arriving by 3pm.
How To Book
To make a booking, select the departure date from the calendar, click on the BOOK NOW button, fill out your details, and submit.
Our booking platform is 100% secure. You can choose to pay for your tour in full when you book, or pay a deposit. Deposits are $500 per guest.
Final payments are due 8 weeks before the departure date.
Please note: If any of our tours are showing “sold out” or if there is not enough availability on your preferred departure date from our calendar, please get in touch, as there maybe cancellations being processed.
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Absolutely brilliant. Our guides were truly wonderful. The scenery took our breath away!
– Kate (Walls of Jerusalem)
Frequently Asked Questions
In our Vehicles – Free face-masks and hand sanitiser are available for all guests. Temperature checks will be conducted as guests enter the bus and the Check in App must be scanned. Masks will be carried on the tour and used if required. Group Sizes – Our maximum group size is 10 and on average the group size is 8. These small group sizes carry less inherent risk of COVID 19 Social Distancing – Our groups camps are well away from the general public campsites and we follow the recommended 1.5m distancing rule whist in camp and on the walk. Vaccinations – Currently most of the Leaders / Guides in our employ are fully vaccinated, or have had at least 1 jab. Sharing Tents – Our hikes are based on twin share. Should there be a high percentage of couples or family members that can share a twin tent on any given tour, we will supply a single person tent to the remaining independent travellers. Campsite sizes and single person tent availability may impact this offer. Self Isolating – We are able to receive COVID 19 updates / alerts via our satellite phones and local networks. If a guest on a tour has originated or visited a LGA of concern, and is required to isolate, we can accommodate that guest at a safe distance away from our camp. This guest will walk independently from the main group for the remainder of the tour, accompanied by a guide. Evacuation – Should a guest develop COVID 19 symptoms on tour, that guest will be evacuated via the nearest evacuation route by a guide, and then taken to the nearest hospital or testing clinic.
Guests will be collected @ 0800am from their accommodation provider in Launceston on day 1. Please be ready outside your Hotel at this time.
Expect the weight of your pack to be up to 16kg. Guests are required to carry a share of the groups food which may weigh around 3kg.
Yes! A gear check will be conducted at Macpac, Launceston @ 3pm the day before the walk.
Yes, we can cater for most diets including, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Coeliac. Other diets, for example: Keto may attract a surcharge. Please contact us about your dietary needs.
Yes, we hire out Sleeping Bags – 1.157kg & Liners – 392 grams @ $50 per tour, Backpacks – 2.410kg @ $50 per tour, Sleeping Mats – 512 grams @ $30 per tour & Raincoats – 895 grams @ $50 per tour These items can be selected on the booking form when you book.
Most of the walk is done as a through walk, but we visit the following on day 2: Mount Jerusalem, Solomons Throne and the Pools of Bethesda.
If your Hotel cannot store your luggage for you, we can. We will bring your luggage to the end of the track when we pick you up.
Included in the tour price is: 2 x Mountain Guides, transfers to the start and from the finish of the tour back to your Hotel in Launceston, all food plus lunch at the Mole Creek Hotel, emergency communication equipment and 1st aid kits, group gear [tents, pots and pans, cutlery, bowls, stove fuel and stoves], National Park fees.
No, with the exception on the summits of Mount Jerusalem and Solomons Throne.
Typically we arrive back in Launceston @ 3pm. We recommend that you do not book flights home on this evening as delays are possible.
Single tents are available only if there is an odd number of guests or genders in the group. You may request a single tent but this may not be guaranteed or we may be limited to space on the platforms / campsites.
