By Leanne Harrison
Sit back and enjoy the journey, especially if you are the passenger as the Snowy Mountains has driving adventures galore. You just need a map, a destination or perhaps embark on a private driving tour.
Whether it’s off the beaten track, a scenic long drive or even a river crossing and hut adventure, there are simply hundreds of great drives and day trips across the region.
One of my favourites is a Kosciuszko 4WD tour that captures a bit of everything in our region. The Alpine Way from Thredbo to Khancoban is a fantastic drive, and we have multiple stops on this day long trip.
Explore the Geehi area including history of the old stone Geehi hut, nature with kangaroos and the winding road is littered with towering trees and scenes that are fit for postcards. Pack the camera.
Crossing the Swampy Plain River adds something extra to this trip or the stunning scenery from Olsens Lookout with great mountain views.
On the northern end of Kosciuszko National Park, Long Plain Road offers diversity for all travellers. Stop by one of the many old huts and admire their craftmanship from all those years ago. Then at the end is the scenic Blue Waterholes. Long Plain Road is a dirt road but suitable for most vehicles.
If you are planning on camping, you can explore here for days including the 5km Clarke Gorge walking track following Cave Creek through the limestone gorge.
Yarrangobilly Caves is a popular day trip and one the family will remember with fondness. Book ahead for guided cave tours as they are limited numbers.
On your journey you will want to stop and capture the grandeur of your exploration, and there are simply endless photography opportunities. Allow for extra photo time when scheduling and be sure you have a fully charged battery and plenty of space on your camera’s card.
Some of the best locations do require accessing dirt roads and fire trails and on occasion these can be confronting to the inexperienced. So always plan ahead and tell friends or relatives where you are going and times you expect to return. It is essential you have good maps as often these locations don’t have a signal to access online maps.
No matter where you travel, everyday is a good day for a driving adventure, enjoy the summer and the Snowy Mountains.
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Leanne Harrison runs Snow Connect based in Jindabyne. They offer guided tours, shuttles and transfers in their comfortable vehicles. Customers can even follow in their own car or 4WD. See ad below for contacts.
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