What are the best walks in Thredbo, New South Wales?

Australian ski resort Thredbo becomes a walking destination outside of ski season. The best walks in Thredbo include the Pipeline Path, Thredbo Valley Track and Mt Kosciuszko Summit Hike.

Thredbo in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales is best known as a ski resort. But come outside the ski season, and it can be delightfully quiet. More importantly, it can be great for walking. There are several Thredbo walks, including serious hiking trails. But if you’re not wanting anything strenuous, there are some easy trails too. Maps and brochures for these Thredbo walks are widely available in Thredbo accommodation.

Best walks in Thredbo: Pipeline Path

One of the best walks in Thredbo is the Pipeline Path. This starts from the Valley Terminal, and is 3km long. Expect it to take an hour or two, depending on how often you stop along the way.

Alpine scenery from the Pipeline Path, Thredbo — The Pipeline Path in Thredbo passes through gorgeous Alpine scenery. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

The Pipeline Path heads along the river and past the semi-dammed Snowmakers Ponds. It’s a rocky, gravelly track that’s not going to induce too much of a sweat, but this Thredbo walk showcases just how lovely summer in the mountains can be.

Thredbo walks: Thredbo Valley Track

The track is lined with curiously non-native plants – thistles and dandelions seem bizarrely out of place – and graceful, bare-trunked native trees. Ducks float around on the ponds, and the river winds through the alpine meadow.

This Thredbo walk loops around to join the Thredbo Valley Track, which as the name suggests, heads through the Thredbo Valley. It’s a full 17.5km one way to the Lake Crackenback Resort, but there are several intermediate points on the way, including the first bridge over the river around 1km in. Here, there’s a touch of wildness, as the Thredbo river speeds up, bouncing over the rocks and creating rapids. It’s the first sign of anything remotely challenging in this peaceful, crowd-free idyll.

Thredbo walks in the village

There are also several themed walks available around Thredbo village itself. Brochures for these walks are downloadable. The theming is quite loose, but there’s an ecology walk, heritage walk, environmental walk and art walk to enjoy.

Of course, the one walk that most people will come to Thredbo for is the ascent of Mt Kosciuszko. This is Australia’s highest mountain, and no specialist climbing skills are required. There’s a fair bit of cheating, too, as the Kosciuszko Express chairlift does the bulk of the work. From the top of the chairlift, it’s a 13km return walk to Kosciuszko’s summit. Budget four to six hours for this.

Alternatively, go for a walk in the Yarrangobilly section of the Kosciuszko National Park. A swim in the Yarrangobilly Caves Thermal Pool is the highlight here.