Beehive Falls (& Optional Briggs Bluff Hike) – The Complete Guide

Beehive Falls is a beautiful waterfall in the north of the Grampians National Park. Timed with heavy rainfall, Beehive Falls is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Victoria, Australia. Cascading down orange-tinged walls into a shallow pool below, the waterfall enjoys a serene and tranquil location. In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about visiting Beehive Falls, including adding on to your walk a return hike to Briggs Bluff.

Check out 12 Must-See Grampians Waterfalls: The Complete Guide

About Beehive Falls

Beehive Falls is a splendid cascade of around 25 metres high, located in the northern Grampians. The waterfall flows down Mud Hut Creek and below the towering mass of Briggs Bluff. A trip to Beehive Falls offers visitors one of the most picturesque walks and waterfalls in the area. Additionally, this part of the Grampians takes on quite a different feel to that of the south and central parts. Red sandy trails guide you to a lush enclosed cascade, perfect for a quick pit stop as you explore the Grampians National Park.

As a firm favourite amongst visitors to the Grampians, Beehive Falls can get quite busy. But, the continuing hike to Briggs Bluff is remarkably quiet, despite being one of the best walks we did in the Grampians. We definitely recommend extending your walk to the summit of Briggs Bluff, if you have the time. More on that below.

Where Is Beehive Falls?

Beehive Falls is located along Mud Hut Creek at Roses Gap in the northern Grampians. To help get your bearings, please click on the image below to access an interactive map of the area on Google Maps.

Beehive Falls Walk

• Type: Out & Back
• Distance: 2.8km
• Time: 1.5 hours
• Accumulated elevation gain: 50m
• Difficulty: Easy
• Trailhead: Beehive Falls Car Park
• Map: Wikiloc

The trail to the waterfall from the Beehive Falls Car Park follows a well-maintained, sand gravel track. It leads directly to the waterfall, passing along Mud Hut Creek and a trail of beautiful bushland flora. Although the majority of the trail is easy to walk on, once you arrive at Beehive Falls, there’s a tiny section of rock scrambling required to scale along the base of the falls. But, it’s nothing too difficult at all.

From the base of Beehive Falls, you can look up at this beautiful single-drop cascade and admire its rainbow spray, as the water almost pails into insignificance as it reaches the pool below. Beehive Falls sits perfectly within its orange sandy stone walls, weathered by thousands of years of existence. The cracks resemble scars or wrinkles, showing their age.

The surrounding vegetation is lush, with rock pools fringed by vibrant ferns. And, of course, there’s the soft hum of bees. Although, we’re unsure if this was just coincidental. Still, it’s a very tranquil place to be.

Once you’ve enjoyed Beehive Falls, simply return the way you came to complete the walk. Or, perhaps we can entice you to walk a little further…

Beehive Falls & Briggs Bluff Hike

• Type: Out & Back
• Distance: 10.6km
• Time: 3–4 hours
• Accumulated elevation gain: 500m
• Difficulty: Hard
• Trailhead: Beehive Falls Car Park
• Map: Wikiloc

Beehive Falls and Briggs Bluff is an awesome hike. In fact, it was perhaps one of the most satisfying hikes we completed in the whole of the Grampians National Park. It was high octane, a little off the beaten track in parts, hard work and ultimately hugely rewarding. If that sounds like something right up your street, read on.

From Beehive Falls, the trail to Briggs Bluff continues with a climb. There’s a little rock scrambling until you level off at the top opening and join back with the path. From here, there are two routes you can take to Briggs Bluff. A long and a short option. If you’ve plenty more to fit into the day, then we suggest taking the short route. But, the short route is also the harder route.

After reaching the top track beyond Beehive Falls, you’ll follow a route waymarked by yellow arrows, similar to those at Hollow Mountain. But, keep your eyes peeled as not far along this track there is a smaller off-shoot track that leads you off this main one. It’s not so obvious at first but, this smaller trail is the beginning of the shorter route. If you continue on the main trail, you’ll end up completing the longer route.

The Walk to Briggs Bluff, Grampians

Once you turn onto the smaller track on the left, you’ll notice the yellow arrows resume. Looking out ahead is rough terrain with practically vertical climbs over the exposed rock face. It can be a little technical in parts, so take the longer route if this isn’t for you, as the longer trail leads you around the back of this section, with a gentler climb.

There’s no two ways about it, the uphill climb is technically demanding, so take care. Luckily, we had a beautifully clear and dry day for the Beehive Falls and Briggs Bluff hike, so the rock underfoot felt secure enough. In wet weather, extra care would most certainly be needed, with a recommendation to take the longer track.

It’s a full-body workout to summit this section, but once at the top, the trail levels off and you have the opportunity to regain some feeling in your achy limbs. At this stage, you’re about halfway through the Beehive Falls and Briggs Bluff hike. The trail isn’t easy to follow along this next open section. There is vegetation all around and the path follows little rock mounds. A map is a very good idea, just to make sure you’re on track. We saw another couple up here, on their way back down, without GPS and they had to ask for directions.

Essentially, the track from here guides you in a big loop to the summit of Briggs Bluff. Initially, you’re heading away from the summit, before curving back around. There are some stepped sections, some path sections, and some open rock sections. Keep your eyes on the yellow markers and you’ll arrive at the top soon enough.

Briggs Bluff Summit

The summit of Briggs Bluff is exposed, with the final ascent a pure scramble. Take care at the top, it can be windy and, during winter, can soon feel cold. There is a wealth of fantastic vantage points, with sheer drops, amazing rock geology and a wide expanse of forest and rolling mountains to take in. From up here, Briggs Bluff felt like a fitting farewell to our Grampians trip. With the clear blue sky helping us to bask in the perfectly lit midday sun, we really could see the Grampians National Park in all its glory.

The return hike is much easier. Retracing your steps is much more straightforward than you might think. Although, the GPS was used fairly often, for peace of mind. Approaching the edge to begin the steep rock scramble back down I was feeling a little apprehensive. But, it wasn’t nearly as difficult as I thought it was going to be, given the effort and care needed to climb it initially. So, rest assured, this path is perfectly suitable to return along. Having said that, if it had been raining, we’re not sure we’d have felt quite so steady.

By the time we arrived back at Beehive Falls in the early afternoon, the waterfall trail had become extremely busy. The path is quite tight in this section of the walk and so it becomes quite congested as visitors head to Beehive Falls and back.

Still, what a hike!

Useful Things to Know Before You Go

Below, we’ll cover a few useful things to know before visiting Beehive Falls and Briggs Bluff in the Grampians.

How to Get to Beehive Falls, Grampians

Beehive Falls and Briggs Bluff are located in Roses Gap in the northern Grampians, around a 25 minute drive from Halls Gap. It’s a straightforward drive up Mount Zero Road, before turning left onto Roses Gap Road. You’ll find Beehive Falls Car Park shortly afterwards. The Beehive Falls Car Park is located here on Google Maps.

Of course, you’ll first need to get to the Grampians to visit Beehive Falls. The Grampians lie around 250km west of Melbourne and take around three hours to drive to. Although it’s possible to take public transport from Melbourne to the Grampians, you’re looking at an extremely long journey. Instead, it’s best to have access to your own set of wheels.

If you need a car, we recommend using DiscoverCars.com. It’s a fantastic search engine for finding the cheapest car hire. Search for cheap car hire in Melbourne today. A 2WD will suffice for this adventure.

Getting to Melbourne

If you’re visiting from abroad, you’ll first need to fly to Melbourne to visit the Grampians. We recommend using Skyscanner to search for the cheapest flights. When flying abroad, we always get the ball rolling with a Skyscanner search. Check out cheap flights to Melbourne today!

Facilities at Beehive Falls

The Beehive Falls Car Park is a decent size but does fill quickly. If you’re interested in doing the longer Beehive Falls and Briggs Bluff hike, then definitely arrive early to ensure you get a park. There are no toilet facilities or picnic areas at Beehive Falls or the car park. You should bring any food and drinks you need for the walk with you.

Best Time to Visit Beehive Falls

Undoubtedly, the best time to see Beehive Falls is after a heavy bout of rain. Many of the waterfalls in the Grampians are seasonal, and so if it’s been very dry, often the cascade is reduced to a bit of a trickle. Dan and I didn’t see Beehive Falls at its best. But, we still thoroughly enjoyed visiting the waterfall.

As mentioned, Beehive Falls is quite a popular place to visit in the Grampians. Even with it being located away from the main hub of the central Grampians. But, it can get busy. As such, to avoid crowds, try visiting early in the morning or later in the day.

More Grampians Waterfalls

Of course, just because many of the waterfalls in the Grampians are seasonal, doesn’t mean they’re not worth checking out, especially if you time it just right with the weather. Below, are a handful to consider.

• Mackenzie Falls: visit the biggest waterfall in the Grampians National Park. See Fish Falls too.
• Silverband Falls: a picturesque waterfall close to Lake Bellfield.
• Clematis Falls: an easy to reach waterfall from Halls Gap.
• Splitters Falls: visit this underrated waterfall on a walk to the Pinnacle.
• Turret Falls: a less-frequented waterfall found along Silverband Road.
• Burrong Falls: a hidden waterfall that at some times of year may require a 4WD to get to.
• Bridal Veil Falls: as seasonal as they come, keep your eyes peeled for this cascade on the Pinnacle Walk.
• Wannon Falls: just outside of the Grampians is this fantastic waterfall dropping into a cauldron-like basin.
• Nigretta Falls: next to Wannon Falls is this rugged and picturesque waterfall.

Read more: 15 Best Hikes In The Grampians: The Complete Guide

Where to Stay in the Grampians

Halls Gap is the main hub of the Grampians and makes for the best location to base yourself as you explore the national park. You’ll find plenty of accommodation options here, as well as general amenities and places to stock up on supplies. Below, we’ve put together the best budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation options to help plan your trip.

• Budget – Grampians Eco YHA: the main hostel in town is the Grampians Eco YHA. Enjoy the super clean facilities and spacious common rooms.
• Mid-range – Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park: relax in the pool and admire the brilliant mountain views at Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park.
• Luxury – Grampians Chalets: lake views, friendly kangaroos and a fantastic location are ready to be enjoyed at the Grampians Chalets. Also, try the Marwood Villas for more quality Grampians accommodation.

Beehive Falls Camping

The nearest campgrounds to Beehive Falls include Troopers Creek, Coppermine and Stapylton. Additionally, big groups and especially schools often choose to camp across from the Beehive Falls Car Park at Roses Gap Recreation Centre.

If you want to camp with a few more amenities in the Grampians, then head to Halls Gap. Here, you’ll find Halls Gap Caravan Park, Lake Fyans Holiday Park and Breeze Holiday Parks.

More Grampians Accommodation

• Camping in Halls Gap: 8 Epic Campgrounds In Central Grampians
• Camping In The Grampians: The Complete Guide
• Grampians Caravan Parks: 5 Best Caravan Parks in Halls Gap
• Halls Gap Accommodation: Best Hotel, Camping & Caravan Parks
• Grampians Accommodation: Where To Stay & What To Book

Five Gear Essentials For Beehive Falls (& Briggs Bluff Hike)

To find out more about all of the gear that we use and recommend, read our guides about our favourite hiking gear, travel gear and camera gear. Otherwise, read our comprehensive travel packing checklist.

Bookmark or save this post ready for your trip to Beehive Falls and the Grampians.