Nestled in the Brindabella hills, just outside of Canberra, Pryors Hut is a great destination for a day hike of overnight camp. It’s accessible from the Stockyard Spur walking trail that begins at Corin Dam, or the Mount Gingera car park on Mount Franklin Road.
Pryors Hut was built in 1952 by Lindsay Pryor and a group that was working on the nearby Alpine Botanical Gardens and Arboretum. It’s a straightforward three room shelter with a large fireplace in the central room. There is a toilet nearby but there is no water available. From Corin Dam, it is a steep and challenging 6.5km hike, but the fire trail route from Mount Franklin Road is a much easier, undulating trail of 5km.
Camping Permit Required at Pryors Hut
If you want to camp near Pryors Hut, you’ll need to organise a permit from ACT Parks. This is pretty easy to get and I was able to secure a permit the day before hiking in by calling the Parks office in Namadgi. There is no cost for the permit and camping spots are limited to 24. Permits are needed as the hut is in the Bimberi Wilderness area and part of the Cotter catchment. It’s also worth noting that you cannot cycle to this hut, as bikes aren’t permitted before the locked gate 5km from the hut.
Hiking up nearby Mt Gingera
Just a short walk from Pryors Hut is the Mt Gingera summit trail. This is well worth adding to your trip as the views from the top are wide-reaching towards Canberra City and Northern Kosciuszko National Park. There are plenty of boulders around the summit to pique your interest, alongside many gnarled and wind blown snow gums.
