Cradle Mountain Walks and Hiking Trails
The Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is a world heritage wilderness area in Tasmania, Australia where there are many hiking and bushwalking trails. From your cabin accommodation at Cradle Mountain Highlanders Cottages, you have an ideal base to set out on a day of bushwalking that will suit all levels, from relaxing to totally invigorating.
Below are some of the Day Bushwalking Trails around the Cradle Mountain National Park.
dove lake circuit
Duration: 2 hours
A beautiful walk for all ages and fitness levels, focusing on Cradle Mountain, temperate rainforest, quartzite beaches, and sub alpine plant life.
This Cradle Mountain walk begins from Dove Lake car park and continues along the left side of the lake. The boardwalk weaves its way through rainforest and past quartzite beaches, to the Ballroom forest, then to the boat shed and back to the car park.
Marion’s lookout
Duration: 2.5 hours
The scenic route to Marion’s Lookout is via Lake Lilla and Wombat Pool. The most direct route is past the boat shed and straight up the steep side - and it is steep.
Hansons Peak
Duration: 3.5 hours return
Take the left side of Dove Lake up to Hansons Peak, along the Face Track down to Lake Wilks, and then return via the Ballroom Forest and along the right hand side of Dove Lake. It is quite steep up Hansons peak and down past Lake Wilks.
Crater peak
Duration: 2.5 hours return
From Ronny Creek car park, follow the Overland Track onto the Horse Track and return.
You can also continue to the junction before Kitchen Hut and come back via Marion’s Lookout down past Crater Lake, Crater Falls, and back to the Ronny Creek car park. This will take about 4.5 hours.
dove canyon track
Duration: 3 hours
Leave from near the Cradle Mountain Lodge along the Pencil Pine River past Knyvet Falls, then up the deep gorge of the canyon, past myrtle rainforest areas, up onto the button grass plains open forest, past Quailes Hill, and back to the Cradle Mountain Road. Then there is a 700 metre walk to the end of this track at the Interpretation Centre/Ranger Station.
cradle mountain summit
Duration: 6-8 hours return
The quickest route is up the steep side to Marion’s Lookout from Dove Lake, and back via Wombat Pool. The track is steep, but offers little difficulty for the experienced walker. It should not be attempted in poor weather as it can become icy and exposed.
From Kitchen Hut, the return trip from the summit is about 2 hours via a route marked by cairns and red paint marks on the rocks. There is a considerable amount of scrambling over huge, dolorite boulders.
The summit is marked by a direction table which identifies major features in the magnificent views over much of northern Tasmania.
An easier route is leaving from Ronny Creek along the Overland Track, onto the Horse Track past Crater Peak, and back the same way. This will add about an hour to the walk.
other short walks
Pencil Pine Falls and Rainforest Walk: A 20 minute circuit walk around the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre.
Enchanted Walk: A 20 minute circuit walk starting from the bridge at the entrance to the National Park.
Knyvet Falls Walk: A 40 minute return walk starting across the road from the Lodge.
King Billy Walk: Starts from Cradle Mountain Lodge car park. Ancient King Billy pine trees are encountered on this walk.
Waldheim and Weindorfers Forest Walk: A 20 minute circuit starting from the historic Waldheim Chalet. A glimpse into Gustav Weindorfers's pioneering life at Cradle Mountain can be seen at Waldheim Chalet.
Lake Lilla Walk: A 30 minutes return walk from the Dove Lake car park.
Cradle Valley Board Walk: From the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre to Dove Lake, this walk is about 2.75 hours in total. The walk can be divided into three sections - The Visitor Centre to Snake Hill (1 hour), Snake Hill to Ronny Creek (45 minutes), and Ronny Creek to Dove Lake via Lake Lilla (1 hour).