The original railway line from Moe to Walhalla was closed in sections between 1944 and 1954, although the section from Thomson to Walhalla has been rebuilt as the Walhalla Goldfields Railway.
The surface is compacted earth. It has been described as "rough, steep and inadequately signposted". It features tall forests and views of the Thomson River. The trail features side paths to the Horseshoe Bend tunnel, and to the small town of Coopers Creek, as well as connections to the Australian Alps Walking Track.
The Walhalla Goldfields Railway's long-term plans intend for the route of the rail trail to become an extension of the tourist railway to Erica.