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Scotts Shelter

Accommodation option

Shelter
Campsite
Water Tank
Back to Accommodation

Accommodation

  • Shelter (medium)
  • 'Walk-in' site
  • Water Tank

Water tank level

View latest tank level

Report the tank level

Location

Mt Crawford Forest

Maps

Mapsheet: 2C

View on interactive map

Coordinates

Grid ref: 084 516

Latitude: -34.759902
Longitude: 138.906659

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Download KML file

Facilities

Shelter, tank.

Scotts is a ‘walk in’ campsite reserved for hikers, including those walking the Heysen Trail.

Notes

Please note that in addition to fire bans applicable to the Mount Lofty Ranges Region, special fire restrictions apply to ForestrySA accommodation and campsites. Provided that a Total Fire Ban has not been imposed by the Country Fire Service (CFS): Wood fires are permitted within the forest from 1 May to 31 October each year. Gas fires are permitted from 1 April to 30 November. Fireplaces should be cleared of all flammable material for a distance of 4 metres. Someone must be always present and ensure that the fire is fully extinguished before leaving. Forests are very sensitive to fire, so please ensure all restrictions are followed. Occasionally access to Forest Reserves may be restricted. Refer to https://www.forestrysa.com.au/before-you-visit/forest-closures-and-alerts/ for forest closure information.

Photos

Bookings

Hikers need to book this site for an overnight stop. Book via the ForestrySA Walk-In booking form at https://forms.office.com/r/YULTxqMMjb .
For urgent afterhours issues requiring a ranger, please call (08) 8391 8800 / (+61 8) 8391 8800 / (+61 8) 8391 8800 and press # 2.
Camping is permitted from 1 April to 30 November annually, outside of the fire danger season.

Fees

No

Interactive map

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What visitors have to say…

  1. Mark Darter

    Camped here 10/9/22. Shelter and facilities in good condition. Water tank is full. Toilet is getting close to being uncomfortably full.

    Reply
  2. Jon Holbrook

    Water tank is full. Hut is great as the rain comes down. Nice and clean and well maintained. Thanks

    Reply
  3. Paul Bond

    Visited on 4th August 2019. Noted that a screen has been erected in front of the opening to give more protection from the elements, plus privacy. There was a broom in the shelter, which was clean and tidy. Tank was full, water clean and in good condition.

    Reply
  4. Toby

    I have planned a hike for my scouts next week and was wondering if the site is accessible by vehicle so that we have a more convenient method of carrying out everything we bring in. I have hiked to the shelter in 2010 however we did not have the need for a vehicle and so I do not remember about its accessability.

    Reply
    1. Friends of the Heysen Trail

      Hi Toby, you can’t get a vehicle in as the gates are locked. The people to talk to see if you can (you might be able to) is Forestry SA at Mt Crawford office.

      https://www.forestrysa.com.au/contact/

      Reply
      1. Toby

        Thank you for the info. I will get in contact with them again.

        Reply
  5. Elise

    I’m planning a 30km hike with scouts for the near future. Just need to clarify, is the water drinkable at this campsite or does it need to be treated first?
    Also, am i able to use a trangia stove in the campsite? I know that there are some restrictions regarding fires so it’s probably best that i follow them.
    Thanks 🙂
    ps. will be sleeping in tents, so no problem with the shelter having leaks

    Reply
    1. Friends of the Heysen Trail

      Hi Elise, water in all the tanks along the trail is drinkable. As with all such water tanks, we recommend as best practice that the water be treated by yourself prior to consumption.

      There are no restrictions on the use of trangia stoves during the non-fire danger season. During the fire danger season, from December to April, trangia stoves aren’t permitted on fire ban days – however much of the Heysen Trail is closed during this time anyway.

      Reply
  6. Paula Stephenson

    I slept here night of 12/11/15. Warm day, cool night, very cold morning. I slept in back platform with my head under the left side platform. Stowed my gear on left hand tip platform, between joists.
    Lots of condensation when I woke up. Dripping off the joists. All my stuff was dry, but had I slept in any other spot I would have got wet. The whole ceiling had drops on it.
    So I guess the atmospheric conditions there are to blame. Maybe some sort if roof lining would help.

    Reply
  7. julie

    HI, has anyone done the trail in early summer? I know it is officially closed, but we have bikes and were thinking of doing one or two nights at these huts for something completely different. ps I am from WA, used to hiking and biking in the summer heat!

    Reply
    1. Friends of the Heysen Trail

      Certainly have done some mtn biking through the forests here in December. It’s warm, but cycling still works 🙂
      The Heysen Trail is officially closed during the summer Fire Danger Season, however, sections through forest remain open (except on days of Total Fire Ban). So your plan sounds a go-er. The Heysen Trail huts are open to anyone, this would be a good one to camp at whilst mtn biking.

      Reply
  8. Julian

    Hi Photohiker,
    This is most useful information which I will pass on to the relevant Section Leader and the maintenance coordinator
    Cheers

    Reply
  9. photohiker

    Visited Scotts on an overnight hike on Friday.

    Facilities are good and there is currently plenty of water in the tank. The overflow pipe from the tank is missing past the elbow at the top of the tank.
    Don’t know if that is intentional or not, but I imagine birds might enter the tank through the elbow..

    We didn’t stay in the shelter, instead we camped in the pines you can see in the background. The weather was cool with light breezes. In the morning there was mist running over the ridge from the east. I’m guessing this would be a common occurrence there.

    The result is that there was a lot of condensation on the underside of the roof which then runs down the joists and drips on the sleeping areas and floor.

    I doubt this is easily resolved but I suggest anyone sleeping in the shelter note the drip marks and protect their sleeping gear from the drips with a groundsheet or whatever to avoid waking up with a wet sleeping bag.

    Reply
  10. Julian

    Matthew,

    You are correct, since the previous correspondence on the forum, a wall has been built to try and stop wind eddies etc which we found caused some of the problems

    Reply
  11. mattycat

    Visited this one in May 2010 with some Angle Vale Scouts/Venturers, nice convenient shelter – appears to have had a wall added in front since the photos on the site here. We had no problems with water/condensation, but previous campers had logged this in the book there. We only left gear in the shelter and used tents, but our gear stayed safe. Thanks to those who volunteer their time to maintain this and other facilities 🙂 matthew

    Reply

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