Take a look at the video of the amazing views of the incredible Australian outdoors we saw along the way on our hike through the Grampians in Southwest Victoria – such a short distance from the big smoke. Plenty more details and photos to be updated here shortly!
Hiking from Troopers Creek Campsite, over Mount Difficult and then down to Beehive Falls in The Grampians, Victoria , Australia.
Five of us travelled in two cars for 2.5-3 hours from Melbourne to Beehive Falls carpark, about a 15 minute drive from Halls Gap in the heart of the Grampians.
We left one car at Beehive Falls and all piled into the other and drove to Troopers Creek Campsite – it seemed like a pretty easy trail from one carpark to the other, but we took the hard route, literrally hiking over a mountain range named “Mount Difficult”.
It was a two day hike – Day 1 was from Troopers Creek Campsite, up to Mount Diffiicult Summit then over to Briggs Bluff Campiste for the night. On the second day, we hiked mostly downhill past Briggs Bluff to Beehive Falls.
UPDATED BLOG POST COMING SOON – APOLOGIES ON THE QUALITY OF THIS CONTENT! in the meantime, take a look here at when we hiked around Halls Gap recently.
Beehive Falls
Distance: 2.8 km return
Time: 1 – 1½ hours
Elevation Change: 110 metres
Grade: Medium
Start: Beehive Falls Carpark, Roses Gap Road
Briggs Bluff
Distance: 10.6 km return
Time: 4½ – 5½ hours
Elevation Change: 419 metres
Grade: Hard
Start: Beehive Falls Carpark, Roses Gap Road
Mount Difficult
Distance: 8.8 km return Time: 4 – 5 hours
Elevation Change: 466 metres
Grade: Hard
Start: Troopers Creek Campground, Roses Gap Road
Day 1: From Troopers Creek Campground to Briggs Bluff Hikers Campsite via the Mount Difficult Summit
The track was closed due to a bush fire a few years ago – we faced an overgrown path and with-in about 5 minutes, we couldn’t see where to go.
We bumped into @andrewcowell, he was on his way down from his regular hike to the summit and pointed us in the right direction.
Stopping at Guy’s Ledge for a rest, then we came across a waterfall, giving us a chance to cool off.
From the waterfall to the Mount Difficult Campsite was a really hard hike – steep and heavy hauling our gear up and over rocks and boulders. From the campsite to Mount Difficult Summit is steep, although we left our bags and gear at the campsite and it made it seem super easy to get right to the top of the mountain, we practically ran to the rest of the way up. Three of us made it up to the top in about 10-15 minutes and the girls enjoyed looking around a bit more and taking their time, so they arrived 5-10 minutes after us.
The view of the Northern Grampians from the Mount Difficult Summit allows you to see right to the horrizon in some directions, then the cascading mountains in others.
We made it to the Brigs Bluff hikers campsite about an hour before the sun went down. It was quite an easy hike and mostly descending from Mount Difficult campsite – the views were amazing.
Day 2: Briggs Bluff hikers campsite to Beehive Falls
It’s a really nice and easy walk coming out of Briggs Bluff campsite. We walked past Briggs Bluff and then the next hour or so of hiking was an insanly sharp descent, almost down a cliff edge – it was spectacular dropping 18 inches or so per step and weaving between the cliffs and mountains, although it was a bit rough on the legs.
Slowly Hiking down to Beehive Falls.
Getting to Mount Difficult:
The Grampians are in west Victoria, Australia – roughly a three hour drive from Melbourne.
Coming from Melbourne turn left off the Western Highway on to Roses Gap Road. Beehive Falls car park is about 10km up the road on the left and Troopers Creek campsite is another 5km or so further.
I recently visited Troopers Creek Campsite. I took one look at the mountain range behind it & throught that there is no chance of climbing it ,In order to view Lake Wartook. I then drove a short distance to Chinamans track,intending to drive to the summit. but my ute took one look at the track condition and said”No”. Congratulations for climbing to the top. The view would have been terrific.
Hey Graeme, it’s a tough trail, only made worse by the fires years ago and it’s been closed since, of course. Good work for heading out there and taking a look. With the new Grampians Peaks Trail opening up, they’ve been making some other trails from Troopers Creek, so if you come back once it’s all finished, maybe you’ll have a better chance of making it up the ridge. If you do, let us know how you go!
Tommy (wrote this blog post) moved to Halls Gap in the Grampians and found some waterfalls just near Troopers Creek campsite a month or two ago.
Hey Guy. Nice report. Planning on doing this one again (it’s been years!). Was there water at the Briggs bluff campsite? Thanks
Hey Trina,
We went here in early September after a wet winter and there was still no water to be seen, although further down at Beehive Falls, there was plenty.
As you’d know, it’s a tough hike, but incredible! Although you’ve probably done parts of it multiple times, take a look at our hike around Halls Gap (we called it the ‘Halls Gap Loop’), it was a lot of fun and also quite challenging. Have you been to Hollow Mountain at the very northern tip of the Grampians? If not, that’s gotta be put high on your list!
Also, apologies on the poor quality of this blog post. We put it together years ago and haven’t come back to give it a tidy up.
Cheers, Guy.