A little over 45 miles from Hobart along the Maiden Road is Mount Field National Park, the proximity and beauty of which make it a popular destination for nature-loving tourists. A day trip from the state capital is accessible to many and introduces you to the diversity of vegetation and wildlife of Tasmania along well-maintained hiking trails.
The most popular walk is also the shortest: the ten-minute trail to Russell Falls starts directly from the entrance to the park through a temperate rain forest. The Lake Dobson Parking Lot is located 15 km (9.5 miles) from the entrance to the park, up a steep, gravel-strewn trail. This is the start of several other short walks and some more strenuous day trips.
A ten-kilometer (6 miles) walk to Tarn Shel will seem like a paradise for those who like to wander through the bush, especially in autumn, when glacial lakes, mountains and valleys are picturesquely painted with red-orange shades of beeches dropping leaves. Longer trails lead to the high peaks of Mount Field West, the main ski slopes of southern Tasmania.
