Walls of Jerusalem from Lake Ada carpark

Day: 1

We began this walk from the Lake Ada carpark. A decent track continues in a westerly direction around the lake and a 4WD could be used to start the walk closer to the Walls of Jerusalem NP. This track becomes traversable only by foot about 3km in though.

The path meanders around multiple lakes before arriving at a Junction just to the east of Talleh Lagoon and North of Teresa Lagoon. This Junction is quite obvious and is marked by multiple cairns. The track beyond this point can become indistinct at some points so if you find yourself bush-bashing just retrace your steps to regain the trail. The vegetation on the approach to hut 5 wad very thick so be prepared to move at a slow pace on this section of the track.

Upon leaving hut 5 it is best to cross the river immediately on the prominent track heading West from the hut. From here cut across the southern ridge of the Great Pine Tier and don't be too concerned about retaining the track as the vegetation is amenable to off-track walking at this point. After this continue to follow the Pine River upstream using the path of least resistance. Note that the vegetation on the western edges of the lagoons is very thick and will slow your walking pace substantially.

Ideally your party should aim to reach the Dixon's Kingdom campsite before nightfall. This would be a very long walk and my party didn't make it so we found set up camp on the edge of the Pine River. There are multiple suitable sites for camping along the Pine River so don't stress if you aren't going to make it to your desired campsite.

Day 2:

We continued up the Pine River before arriving at Lake Ball where there are excellent views of the Walls of Jerusalem. The track skirts the western edge of Lake Ball before heading north-east through a section of pine forest and arriving at Dixons Kingdom. There is a heritage listed hut here which people are asked to avoid staying overnight in. Running water is available from a small stream only a few metres to the east of the campsite. There is also limited flat ground available at Dixons Kingdom so be prepared to set up your tent on a slope or search further afield for a flatter spot.

Dixon's Kingdom offers excellent base to explore the surrounding peaks of the Walls of Jerusalem. Solomon's Throne and Mt Jerusalem are a must visit for incredible views and paved or boarded paths can be easily followed to the tops of these peaks in about an hour or two for each. My party also visited The Temple (30 mins return to the saddle below Solomon's Throne). An off-track route can also be taken to King David's Peak along the ridge-line if you have an extra few hours spare.

Day 3:

To return to the Lake Ada carpark our party chose to traverse the Great Pine Tier. This is best done by walking towards Mount Jerusalem and heading east off the track before the terrain steepens and becomes rocky below the summit. There are a myriad of tracks traversing the Great Pine Tier so it is best to take a compass bearing or use a gps to aim for the Northern end of Lake Fanny. This terrain is full of small lakes and patches of thick vegetation so don't expect to head in a straight line.

Ascend between two very small peaks on the eastern side of the Great Pine Tier then continue down the steep and heavily vegetated side of the Great Pine Tier. This section of the walk would be very difficult and time consuming to ascend.

Soon you should find a trail following the river down towards lake Fanny which can be followed round the eastern side of this lake to a more prominent trail on the opposite side of Lake Fanny. This trail continues on and passes between the the Talleh Lagoons before arriving back at the first trail junction. From here you can just retrace your steps back to the vehicle. This return route took around 4 hours less than the route taken on day 1 via hut 5 to Dixon's Kingdom.

I would definitely recommend using this route to access the Walls of Jerusalem National Park as it offers a decent physical and navigational challenge in contrast to the traditional paved access route (though it does take much longer).