Cradle Mountain Tasmania – A Bush Walkers Paradise…
Tasmania is renown for stunning scenery, wilderness and superb walks. Cradle Mountain offers such a large variety of trails, including the 65km/7 day overland trail to Lake St Clair. The national park is one of the most famous and spectacular natural attractions in Tasmania and is protected by the Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair World Heritage National Park in recognition of its status as a wilderness area of truly outstanding world value.
Where is Cradle Mountain?
Cradle Mountain is in the World Heritage listed Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park in the pristine northwestern wilderness region of Tasmania.
Located 80 km from Devonport (1.25 hours drive) | 110km from Burnie (1.5 hours drive) | 141 km from Launceston (2.5 hours drive) | 375 km from Hobart (4.5 hours drive).
Accommodation at Cradle Mountain
Stay a few days in the Cradle Mountain National Park, with plenty of trails, wildlife and accommodation options…
Our favourite place to stay is the rustic Cradle Mountain Highlanders cabins. We just loved these self-contained cabins, secluded, yet only 200 metres from the main visitor centre with loads of walks from the doorstep.
“Each cabin at Cradle Mountain Highlanders Cottages is individually designed and hand built of natural timber to provide rustic mountain chalet style accommodation to complement the natural bushland setting and spectacular mountain and rainforest scenery”.
Peppers Lodge is another favourite from a stay here years ago, still very close to the hub of Cradle mountain with abundant wildlife and walks.
Find more accommodation options for Tasmania here.
Dove Lake Circuit Walk
A superb walk in the national park is the Dove Lake Circuit walk. A 2-hour walk of 5.7km, on a well-made track and boardwalk. This is one of our favourite short walks in Tasmania. It is fairly easy walking and takes in the spectacular views towards the peak of Cradle Mountain and covers a variety of terrain for such a relatively short hike.
The track passes through scrubby button grass, the sandy shoreline of Dove Lake and pretty streams gently cascading into the lake. The enchanting area is known as the ‘Ballroom Forest’ consists of moss-covered myrtle beech trees that invite walkers to stay a while and enjoy the atmosphere.
Allow plenty of time to do the walk, enjoy a picnic by the lake perhaps.We walked in a clockwise direction which was initially really busy but the number of other walkers soon reduced the further we went as many folks only have a very short time to enjoy the area.
TIP: Get there early in the day, especially in peak season!
Walking in a clockwise direction, this great little spot is about 30 minutes into the walk. An ideal spot for a picnic or snack.
The path is along gravel surfaces as well as elevated boardwalks. Nothing too strenuous.
A massive old tree trunk along the track.
Plenty of summertime flowers to see…
Tasmanian Devil – yes, they do exist! Night time walks at Cradle Mountain Park will provide close encounters! Do not feed or touch the little critters!
Stay in the National Park, enjoy the ‘nightlife’ with Tasmanian Devils…
“The Tasmanian devil cannot be mistaken for any other marsupial. It’s spine-chilling screeches, black colour, and reputed bad temper, led the early European settlers to call it The Devil. Although only the size of a small dog, it can sound and look incredibly fierce.”
No car or you prefer to join a tour to Cradle Mountain, perhaps?
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