Perfect Your One Day in Cradle Mountain National Park, Tasmania

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Like so many travellers, Cradle Mountain National Park was the first place I wanted to visit in Tasmania, Australia’s southern island. My anticipation stemmed from stunning photos I’d seen, and regular recommendations when people heard I was visiting Tasmania. Over the years, that one day in Cradle Mountain has inspired me to return again and again; I can’t get enough!

Before my first day trip to Cradle Mountain, I only had a basic idea of what there was to do there. I think that’s pretty common and despite that, we were still able to touch on the main things to do at Cradle Mountain. But make no mistake, one of the reasons this is one of Tasmania’s premier national parks is its depths of activities.

A day in Cradle Mountain can take many forms, depending on which hikes you do and whether you go independently or go with a guided tour for the day. But I think this one day itinerary will serve you best if it’s your first time and you want to cover the basics.

Cradle Mountain National Park

Cradle Mountain National Park is one of Tasmania’s best and most important national parks. It also forms part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area listed by UNESCO. The national park spans 1,600 km² and centres around the distinctive peaks of Cradle Mountain, Tasmania’s 6th highest mountain. The park covers a huge variety of terrains, including mountain ridges, lakes, rainforest and scrub land.

The main activity for visitors to the national park is the chance to explore its numerous hiking trails, varying in both distance and difficulty. These options mean you can comfortably do a day trip to Cradle Mountain or spend longer there tackling more challenging trails. Hiking to the summit of Cradle Mountain is among the most challenging options here, after the 65 km, 6-day hike along the Overland Trail to Lake St. Clair, that is. I hope to do both one day!

Planning Your Cradle Mountain Trip

The drive to Cradle Mountain National Park takes a little over an hour from Devonport in north west Tasmania. Launceston is even farther away, and is closer to 2 hours, making it a long day if you’re driving there and back. No matter your plans, the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre is where you visit is going to start. A large parking lot, as well as the most popular accommodation options, are found right nearby.

The Visitor Centre serves several purposes: the first is obviously that it provides information on the national park, the difficulty and location of the various hiking trails and their starting points; secondly it houses a store that sells both souvenirs and hiking clothes; most importantly, it’s the ticket desk for park passes and hub for the park’s shuttle buses.

To enter Cradle Mountain, you’ll need to purchase a pass, which includes use of the park shuttle bus. Options range from a day pass specifically for Cradle Mountain to an annual pass you can use right across the state.

Cars aren’t normally allowed in the park beyond the visitor centre, so to get about Cradle Mountain you’ll take the shuttle bus to Snake Hill, Ronny Creek and lastly Dove Lake. Shuttles are very regular and if the bus is full and you’re at an intermediate stop, the driver will often radio in to save you a space.

Walk the Dove Lake Circuit

The Dove Lake Circuit is most visitors’ introduction to Cradle Mountain. Step off the shuttle bus and you’re soon met with a pretty special view out over the lake and up to the unique peaks of Cradle Mountain itself. Clouds love to cling to the edge of the mountain’s peaks, so you’re pretty lucky if you get a clear view, even in summer.

That view, whether obscured or not, does a great job at inspiring you to set out on the lake’s 6km trail circuit. You’re supposed to walk the circuit in a clockwise direction, but expect there to be foot traffic both ways. On my first visit, the driver of the shuttle bus suggested walking the loop counter clockwise to tackle the largest hill at the start rather than at the end. While well-meaning, this did mean we went against the tide the entire way which was occasionally a nuisance.

Sights Around Dove Lake

Walking the correct way around Dove Lake, you’ll quickly reach Glacier Rock. This sheer rock looks over the lake and offers excellent views of the area, especially with its safe new manmade platform. The view from here used to be much more precarious and only guarded by a childproof gate.

Heading down from Glacier Rock, you’ll start to pass through a variety of habitats and terrains. It’s amazing how much things change around just one lake. One moment you’re on a narrow boardwalk through scrubby trees, the next you’re deep in lush, mossy, primeval forest. Even in summer, places like the Ballroom Forest feel cool, dank, and separate from the world outside.

At the far end of Dove Lake you’ll come across your first glimpses of waterfalls. Even in summer these waterfalls can be rushing with water thanks to Tasmania’s temperate climate. There are paths that lead up to these waterfalls; I’ve still yet to actually head up.

Coming around the far side of the lake, past several cute pebble beaches, you’ll reach the hardest hill of the walk. While there are quite a few stairs involved, this walk shouldn’t be too challenging if you have a general level of fitness. The hill will provide yet another great viewpoint of the lake – those are never too far apart.

At the bottom you’ll reach one of the more iconic spots of Cradle Mountain, the Boatshed. This old wooden shed was built by the park’s first ranger in 1940, when boats were still allowed on the lake. It may no longer serve its original purpose but it has become quite the fixture on the lake.

A Short Walk at Ronnie Creek

Ronnie Creek is a small area midway along the shuttle bus route into Cradle Mountain National Park. It’s main purpose is that the Overland Track passes through from the visitor centre to Dove Lake. But what I’ve learned over my multiple trips to Cradle Mountain is that it’s an awesome spot for finding wombats.

Unlike the most popular parts of Cradle Mountain, Ronnie Creek is mostly lumpy open field. Boardwalks have been added to the area for easy access for overland hikers, allowing them to safely get across the uneven ground. Minor wandering creeks and wombat burrows are the cause of the bumpy terrain. Casual visitors benefit from the boardwalk as you can easily walk for 5 to 10 minutes and have a fair to decent chance of spotting one or several local wombats.

Pencil Pine Falls Walk

Waterfalls are another highlight of Cradle Mountain and there are several shorter walks to see them that are a good way to fill your afternoon. Head for the Ranger Station and Interpretation Centre and you can set off for the Pencil Pine Falls. The track to the falls quickly transitions away from scrub vegetation to a denser, timeless forest setting. Not before too long you’ll be standing at the viewing platform by Pencil Pine Falls, admiring the beautiful formation of its small falls.

The trail to the falls is a loop, so you’ll pass back through the rather mystical forest that surrounds the falls. It’s nice to know that even if you haven’t got time to do the hour and a half long walk around Dove Lake, you can still see some staggeringly beautiful nature at places like Pencil Pine Falls in 20 or 30 minutes.

Knyvet Falls Walk

Your next option for waterfall viewing is just across the river – the trail to Knyvet Falls. The trail to Knyvet was a big longer than the one to the Pencil Pine Falls. Interestingly, just as the trail starts down into the forest, there is a path leading to another view of the Pencil Pines Falls upon the opposite bank. In fact, I think I actually prefer the view of the falls from this side.

Heading back to the trail towards the Knyvet Falls, you’ll venture back down into another primeval forest. To me, this may be the most impressive forest area, as the ground is covered in what almost looks like a carpet of moss. There’s something special about unbelievably green surroundings like this that feels otherworldly.

This forest is home to a number of the local wombats and you could spot a number of their burrows. Sometimes the burrows even work their way into fallen logs or the roots of trees. On a later trip, my group were lucky enough to see a wombat here that came so close, it almost walked into one of us.

At the end of the trail you’ll reach the top of Knyvet Falls, a small waterfall similar to the Pencil Pine Falls above. While the view of the waterfall isn’t too special, it does highlight the fascinating colour of water in Tasmania. While actually being quite clean and pure, tannins from the native vegetation leach into the water. That’s what gives Tassie’s water such an unusual dark brown colour, one that almost looks the colour of tea or coca cola.

Spotting Wildlife in Cradle Mountain

Perhaps one of the surprising things about visiting Cradle Mountain National Park the first time was that we actually didn’t see much wildlife. Turns out, we were extremely unlucky, as every other visit has involved close surprise encounters with local Australian wildlife.

On that first visit, the best we managed was to spot several wombats as we were driving about. In fact, the above shot of the wombats was my hurried effort to capture them after spying them out the car window, reversing back to them and almost holding up a shuttle bus behind us. I was over the moon that I did manage to get a shot though.

If you’re interested in wildlife, Tasmania is a great place to visit. Cradle Mountain would be my go-to for wombats, but for other animals, I actually think Narawntapu National Park closer to Launceston would be my recommendation.

Have More Than One Day in Cradle Mountain?

Even though I’ve been to Cradle Mountain several times now, my days there have generally looked like the above. Visit with new people and you generally see the same things each time.

But once you get past the basics, you can really change things up. If you’ve done the Dove Lake Circuit, next time I recommend doing the walk up to Marions Lookout. Unlike the Dove Lake walk, this involves a pretty steep hike up the hillside to the ridge overlooking Dove Lake. But the workout is worth it for the fantastic views from Marions Lookout, the best I’ve seen yet of Cradle Mountain.

From Marions Lookout you can then explore some of the other tracks on this side of the lake. Head down to the Wombat Pools Track and you’ll have the chance to visit several smaller lakes in the area. That track also connects back to the Lake Lilla Track which brings you down to the Ronny Creek boardwalk. It’s a much quieter walk, lets you see a waterfall and smaller boat shed, and just shows you some fresh scenery.

Of course, there’s plenty I’ve yet to do personally. I’d love to check out the Lake Rodway Track up to the hidden areas east of Dove Lake. And there’s always the summit hike if you’re feeling bold. Something a little gentler is the Cradle Valley Boardwalk which runs from Ronnie Creek back to the interpretation centre.

Travel Tips for Visiting Cradle Mountain

With so much to do at Cradle Mountain, you don’t want to waste time deciding what to do when you arrive. Plan in advance and you’ll have more time to explore. I also recommend organizing your food and snacks either before leaving for the park or before starting your hikes. There is a cafe at the visitor centre, but it can get busy and is a hassle to get back to between walks.

Cradle Mountain is without question one of Tasmania’s most popular destinations. Bookings for the Overland Track sell out exceptionally quickly. So prepare for it to be relatively busy during summer, the main tourist season for Tasmania. Surprisingly, even in early winter it wasn’t too quiet. All this is to say, get there early to avoid lines for the shuttle buses and book in advance if you plan on staying nearby.

For more information, take a look at the Tasmania Parks & Wildlife Service website.

Before You Go

If you’re planning to visit Cradle Mountain, you may want to know what other places you can go to in Tasmania. Below you’ll find advice for other fun natural attractions around the state that I highly recommend seeking out:

• Best Waterfalls in North Tasmania to Seek Out
• Finally Hiking Mount Roland in Tasmania 
• How to Visit Montezuma Falls in Tasmania 
• Best Places to Visit on The Bay of Fires, Tasmania 
• Don’t Miss These Beaches in North Tasmania

Have you visited Cradle Mountain National Park before and what did you do there? If not, where would you head first on your day trip? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.