Tasmania’s signature highland destination, Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park is the go-to spot to see the island’s ancient rainforest and untouched mountain scenery. Trekking the 6-day Overland Track is the most extreme option for exploring this northern national park, but there are other more relaxed things to do at Cradle Mountain. Wildlife spotting tours—on which you can glimpse wombats and wallabies—and short nature hikes allow day-trippers and overnight visitors to experience the park’s pristine nature.
Weather is everything at Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park. Summer offers the best chance to see the regularly obscured Cradle Mountain summit, but brings with it larger crowds. Instead, visit in February or March after Australian schools go back, for views and warm weather without the company. This isn’t as important at Lake St. Clair though, as it’s rarely as busy.
No cars are allowed beyond the respective visitor centers at Cradle Mountain and Lake St. Clair, with one or two minor exceptions at Cradle Mountain. A bus service operates at Cradle Mountain from the visitor center to Dove Lake, while a ferry service runs across Lake St Clair. Beyond these services, your only option for getting about is to walk and hike the national park’s trails and boardwalks.
At both Cradle Mountain and Lake St. Clair, you will only find places to get food around the visitor centers. This may seem convenient, but not if you’re out in the park mid-hike. It’s best to either bring a packed lunch or buy food before you set out, as it saves you the need to go back to the busy visitor centers during the middle of the day or miss out entirely when they close in the mid-afternoon.
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Nature and outdoor activities are the main focus of things to do at Cradle Mountain. You can go on a range of walks and hikes, try to spot some of the local wildlife, and relax at the park’s lodge. Lake St. Clair also offers these activities, as well as the chance to go fishing and take a sightseeing ferry across the lake.
...MoreThe most popular way to spend a day at Cradle Mountain is to start off with a walk around the Dove Lake circuit, as it reveals views of the summit and the different natural habitats around the lake. Afterward, you can search for wombats and waterfalls on one of the park’s boardwalks.
...MoreOne day at Cradle Mountain is enough time to walk the Dove Lake circuit and see the Pencil Pines Falls. However, you’ll need more than one day to hike to the mountain’s summit or walk the Cradle Valley Boardwalk, and six days to complete the Overland Trek.
...MoreYes, you can see some of Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park without having to hike, and you can even see views of Cradle Mountain’s summit without walking. From each of Cradle Mountain’s bus stops you can do short walks to see waterfalls and the view across Dove Lake.
...MoreThe return hike to the Cradle Summit is 8 miles (13 kilometers) from the starting point at Dove Lake and generally takes eight hours to complete. It is graded at the highest level of difficulty due to its rough and steep route, meaning this hike is only meant for the most experienced and prepared of hikers.
...MoreYes, swimming in Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park is permitted by the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service. You can swim at Dove Lake at Cradle Mountain or at Lake St. Clair, but you should expect the water of these alpine lakes to be quite cold, even in summer.
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