You could come here just to see the quintessential view — Cradle Mountain towering high above Dove Lake — and leave awestruck. But please scratch deeper to fully immerse yourself in the splendour of the glacier-sculpted landscape.
Bringing a picnic for the adventure is a great idea. On several occasions, we stopped at tables along the trails, eating, drinking and simply soaking it all in. Just a heads up: Buy food supplies before arriving, as the selection at the park is limited.
Here are the best things to do at Cradle Mountain, taking you from the mossy forests to the shimmering peaks and everything in between.
Note: Some activities are more challenging than others. To help you pick, we have added the difficulty level and time required for each one.
1. Gain a deeper understanding at Cradle Mountain Interpretation Centre
- Difficulty: Easy
- Time: 30 minutes
On your way into the national park, stop at the Cradle Mountain Interpretation Centre (not to be confused with the main hub, the Visitor Centre) to learn the essential facts. Like a mini-museum, it touches on the area’s unique flora and fauna, as well as its human history.
Behind the complex, the accessible, 10-minute Rainforest Walk is an excellent living introduction to the environment. Amid pencil pines and myrtle beeches, follow the soothing sound of Pencil Pine Falls, keeping an eye out for wildlife, including boardwalk-side wombats and surfacing platypuses.
2. Circle the definitive Dove Lake
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Time: 2.5 hours
If you only have time for one hike at Cradle Mountain, it should be the 6-km, 2.5-hour circuit (mostly boardwalk) around Dove Lake. With Cradle Mountain beckoning across the water, you’ll be rewarded from the very first step no matter how you do it. But to make the most of the setting, go clockwise around the lake.
Early on, allow some time to marvel at Cradle Mountain’s dolerite peaks from Glacier Rock. Soon after the halfway point, be spellbound by the Ballroom Forest, a pocket of moss-draped myrtles thriving among rippling streams. On the final stretch, turn around for our favourite photo opportunity: Quaint Dove Lake Boatshed contrasted by imposing Cradle Mountain.
3. Marvel at glacial lakes from Marion’s Lookout
- Difficulty: Hard
- Time: 3 hours
Use the metal chains bolted into the rocks to pull yourself the final way up. Then, BAM: It’s the captivating panorama of not one but three stunning glacial lakes — Dove Lake, Lake Lilla and Crater Lake (misleadingly, not a crater) — that make Marion’s Lookout stand out.
You can tackle the hike out and back or as a loop. The shortest passage is the super-steep Link Track from Dove Lake, while the longer, flatter route via the placid Wombat Pool is somewhat gentler on your knees.
4. Support an elusive legend at Devils@Cradle
- Difficulty: Easy
- Time: 2 hours
Even in the teeming wilderness of Cradle Mountain, chances are the iconic Tasmanian devil will elude you. That is, if you don’t make your way over to Devils@Cradle, a wildlife sanctuary dedicated to Tasmania’s three largest marsupials, most famously the Tasmanian devil but also the Eastern- and spotted-tail quolls, all of which are threatened.
The general entry price includes an informational day keeper tour (book ahead to secure your spot). For an extra thrill, consider a joey encounter, feeding tour or sunset experience — later slots typically mean more action as these animals are nocturnal.
Your visit keeps the conservation effort going.
5. Plant your flag at the Cradle Mountain Summit
- Difficulty: Very hard
- Time: 6-8 hours
Above sheltered Dove Lake, the heavily exposed 1,545-m Cradle Mountain Summit allures. Getting there is a cumbersome journey characterised by its final part: After Kitchen Hut, hikers face an adventurous but demanding twist — seriously steep boulder scrambling, with wind, ice and snow possibly adding to the challenge. And when you think you’ve finally made it, a false summit tests how mentally strong you really are.
Your prize for this massive body-and-brain workout? A fantastic bird’s-eye view of gaping gorges, reflecting glacial lakes and wild alpine moorlands, plus major bragging rights. Take your time to enjoy the moment, then prepare for the grueling scramble back down.
6. Spy chomping wombats at Ronny Creek
- Difficulty: Easy
- Time: 30 minutes
Jaw-dropping wildlife watching doesn’t have to be complicated. There’s no finer or more accessible spot than Ronny Creek to watch wombats graze. Within steps of the car park and shuttle bus stop, a wooden boardwalk winds through lush grasslands. It’s an irresistible buffet for the local wombats. They show up, often in large numbers, and feast for many hours at a time, and while they do, they won’t mind you and your camera one bit.
Tip: As these animals are nocturnal, visit late in the afternoon or early in the evening to improve your odds of sightings.
7. Recharge or keep going at Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge
- Difficulty: Easy
- Time: 20 minutes-overnight
Nature lovers come to beautifully rustic Peppers to restore their energy levels in various ways. Choose between the laid-back tavern or fancier restaurant for a hearty meal, warm yourself up by one of many roaring fires or go to bed in a cozy pine cabin nestled in the surrounding wilderness.
If more nature is what you really need, you’re covered, too: Just outside, the family-friendly Enchanted Walk traces Pencil Pine Creek for 10 minutes before it loops back. Framed by mossy forest and cutting through wombat- and pademelon territory, it’s a worthwhile experience in its own right.
8. Discover (a part of) the extensive Overland Track
- Difficulty: Easy-Very hard
- Time: 20 minutes-5 days
Linking Cradle Mountain with Lake St Clair, the Overland Track is a multi-day trek through the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. It involves 65 km of bushwalking (more with side trips) and sleeping in simple huts amid diverse alpine landscapes, not to mention a three-digit fee between October and May.
Those with less ambition, time or money can sample the splendid first section, beginning at the wombat hotspot of Ronny Creek. Follow the track via little Crater Falls up to the picturesque boat shed at Crater Lake; face the steep ascent to breathtaking Marion’s Lookout; and, if you made it this far, chit-chat with fellow adventurers at Kitchen Hut, where several trails intersect.
Advice: Make it a loop that suits you by returning via the Wombat Pool Track (at Crater Lake) or the Horse Track (near Kitchen Hut).
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