Kosciuszko National Park (NSW) Guide

We drove down from Sydney in early September 2025, through Canberra and along the gravel road through Namadgi National Park, and spent a night camped at Denison before working our way north along the Snowy Mountains Highway. Our second night was at Jounama Creek, near Talbingo, and from there we drove back to Sydney. Below you’ll find every place we stopped at, with our scores and a link to the full write-up of each. For now this guide covers the north of the park. We’ve been to other parts as well, including the campgrounds around Thredbo, and we’ll add those as we write them up.

About Kosciuszko National Park

Kosciuszko National Park is run by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and is split into seven areas. This guide covers three of them in the north: the Selwyn area around Link Road, the Yarrangobilly area with its caves, and the edge of the Tumut area further up the highway.

The country changes quickly as you drive. Around Adaminaby and Kiandra it’s open, treeless high plains with creeks winding through the grass. Near Selwyn you’re among snow gums, and north of Yarrangobilly the road drops into steep, forested ranges.

Best time to go

We were there in early September, at the very end of the snow season. There were still patches of snow on the ground, the nights were quite cold, and it was quiet everywhere we went. Winter also brings closures: two of the four campgrounds below shut their gates from the June long weekend to the October long weekend.

• SummerBest timeDecember–FebruaryWarmest nightsEverything openFishing and walks
• AutumnGood timeMarch–MayCool days and cold nightsGood campfire weather
• WinterTake careJune–AugustSnow season at Selwyn; two campgrounds closed, carry snow chains
• SpringFairSeptember–NovemberQuiet, with snow patches early on; some gates stay closed until October

Getting There and Accessibility

From Sydney we drove to Canberra and then took the gravel road south through Namadgi National Park. It’s a beautiful drive, and you could definitely do it in a 2WD, but a 4WD is recommended. The road comes out near Adaminaby, where you join the Snowy Mountains Highway.

From there everything in this guide is on or just off the highway. Link Road, the turn-off to Three Mile Dam and Selwyn, is sealed. The roads into the campgrounds are short gravel or dirt roads, and the road down to Yarrangobilly Caves is narrow gravel that isn’t suitable for caravans.

Park entry fees apply: $29 per vehicle per day from the June to the October long weekend, and $17 per vehicle per day for the rest of the year. At Yarrangobilly Caves it’s $4 per vehicle per day. We paid at the meter outside Selwyn Snow Resort and at the Yarrangobilly visitor centre.

Campgrounds in Kosciuszko National Park

We camped one night at Denison and one at Jounama Creek, and looked at the other two during the day. All four are simple national park campgrounds with unpowered sites, toilets and fire rings, and each costs only a $6 booking fee. None has drinking water you can use untreated.

Things to See and Do

Yarrangobilly Caves and Selwyn Snow Resort are the two big stops in the area. At Yarrangobilly we walked through South Glory Cave and had a swim in the thermal pool. At Selwyn we only had a coffee, and we’ll come back to ski when we have more time.

Lookouts on the Drive

Both of these are quick stops right beside the road. Black Perry Lookout is on the Snowy Mountains Highway north of Yarrangobilly. Hospital Hill Lookout isn’t in Kosciuszko at all: it’s in Namadgi National Park in the ACT, on the gravel road down from Canberra, so you pass it on the way in.

Practical Tips before you hit the road

Book the campgrounds. All four need a booking through NSW National Parks, with a $6 booking fee. Check the winter closures first: Three Mile Dam and Bullocks Hill are closed from the June long weekend to the October long weekend.

Bring water and firewood. None of the campgrounds has drinking water, and you need your own firewood for the fire rings. The nearest fuel and supplies are in Adaminaby, Talbingo, Tumut or Cooma.

Pack for cold nights. It was quite cold overnight at Denison in early September. Jounama Creek was less cold, because it’s at a lower altitude. Bring warm sleeping gear outside summer, and carry snow chains in winter.

Don’t count on your phone. Reception was patchy at most of the campgrounds and in the valley at Yarrangobilly. We had reception at Jounama Creek, and it was OK at Selwyn Snow Resort. Download your maps before you leave Canberra or Cooma.

Leave the dog at home. Pets aren’t allowed in the national park.

Passing through Canberra?

There’s nothing you can book ahead in this part of the Snowy Mountains through Thrill Experiences. If you break the drive in Canberra, there are a few things you can book there: a hot air balloon flight over the city, a full-day kayak and oyster tour to the coast, and a brewery tour. We haven’t done these ourselves, so we don’t score them.

Summary: Is Kosciuszko National Park Worth It?

Yes. In two days we camped on an open plain with kangaroos around us and beside a creek under the gum trees, had a coffee at a snow resort, walked through a limestone cave and swam in a 27°C pool, and none of it was busy. The campgrounds are basic and the nights are cold, so come prepared with water, firewood and warm gear. If you want the Snowy Mountains without the crowds, the north of the park is the place to head for.

Recommended Gear for Kosciuszko National Park

Warm sleeping gear matters most up here. There’s no drinking water at the campgrounds, so bring a water container, and the open sites at Denison make a 4WD awning worth having. For the mornings, pack your coffee gear and a stove from our guide to the best camping stoves.