Child friendly rating: 1 stars

Distance: 8km

Signposted time: 3-4 hours

Bookings Required? No

Suitable in Winter? Generally not

Camping Available? Very Limited

4wd required? No

Parking:

 Park at the Judah Track carpark off the main road into Glenorchy.

The Track:

 The track is very exposed the whole way, and is quite uphill. It's not very technical, and a large majority of the track is on an only 4WD road, but it is hard as you have to climb up from below 400m elevation up to over 1,300m elevation, so almost 1,000m of elevation gain. You are also exposed to wind and sun the whole way with no tree cover.

You start off on a 4WD road, and pass old historic mining huts and relics which are great fun for kids to explore.

Then you get to a sign titled The Junction. Here you need to continue straight as turning left takes you to McIntosh and McIntyre Huts and a major river crossing.

Once you get to the next junction, it doesn't matter if you go left or right - this is the loop with Heather Jock Hut on the loop. We went up via Bonnie Jean Hut, and down via Jean Hut to create the loop, and I do think this was the easier way to walk.

After this junction, in both directions the track is no longer a 4wd track, but it gets thinner. It's not technical, but thin and very uphill still. Generally you're walking on a grassy or small rocky track.

With a 5 year old who walked the whole way and carrying a 1 year old, it took us 6 hours 15 minutes to get to the hut including breaks and exploring the huts along the way.

Adults will likely keep dry boots the whole way but kids will need help to with the damp ground and creeks to cross.

Hut:

The hut is a tiny basic 3 bunk hut. The beds are individual bunks, and it is a very tight squeeze in the hut with more than one family. No fireplace. Tenting spots are limited, and best suited to tiny tents not larger family-sized tents.

The views from the hut are worth the slog for older kids but not so much for little ones.

Recommendations:

 This one is great for older kids, or kids who've done several other huts and are after more of a challenge. It is a popular hike for the views so best to visit mid-week or arrive early for this unbookable tiny hut.