Written by Callum Taylor, Camille Laurent, Marika Maslanka
21/08/2025
Jörn Brauns, Wikimedia Commons
Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, a central part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, offers an immersive natural experience with its dramatic peaks, ancient rainforests, and glacial lakes. Visitors are drawn to the park for its diverse walking tracks, ranging from leisurely lakeside strolls to challenging multi-day hikes, and for abundant opportunities to observe unique Australian wildlife.
Opportunities for social interaction primarily occur within visitor facilities and accommodation lodges, which offer dining and common areas. Ranger-led interpretive walks and wildlife tours provide structured group experiences, fostering shared appreciation of the park's natural and cultural heritage.
Top 6 Things to do in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park
The Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park offers a variety of immersive experiences, from tranquil lakeside walks and wildlife encounters to challenging mountain hikes and scenic cruises.
1. Walk the Dove Lake Circuit
This iconic 6-kilometre circuit offers breathtaking views of Cradle Mountain reflected in Dove Lake. The path meanders through ancient rainforest, past quartzite beaches, and includes the picturesque Boatshed. It is an accessible walk for most fitness levels and provides excellent photo opportunities, especially during sunrise or sunset.
Cost: Access is included with a valid National Parks Pass ($25 AUD for a Cradle Mountain Icon daily pass, including shuttle, or $40 AUD for a 2-month holiday pass for all parks per person). A shuttle bus ticket from the visitor centre to Dove Lake is $15 AUD for adults if not included in a pass.
Transport: The Cradle Mountain shuttle bus provides mandatory transport from the Visitor Centre to Dove Lake during operating hours. The shuttle runs frequently, typically every 10-20 minutes, depending on the season.
2. Discover the Enchanted Walk
A delightful and easy 1.1-kilometre circuit, the Enchanted Walk takes you through a magical, moss-covered temperate rainforest alongside Pencil Pine Creek. This interpretive trail is suitable for all ages and offers a chance to see small waterfalls and look for wombat burrows. It is a perfect short stroll to experience the park's unique flora.
Cost: Access is included with a valid National Parks Pass.
Transport: Located near the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre, this walk is easily accessible on foot.
3. Visit Devils@Cradle
Experience close encounters with Tasmanian devils and quolls at this conservation facility. Day Keeper Tours allow observation of their daytime habits, while After Dark Feeding Tours provide a unique opportunity to witness their nocturnal feeding behaviours. These tours offer valuable insights into these unique carnivorous marsupials and the conservation efforts to protect them.
Cost: Day Keeper Tour: Adult $25 AUD, Child (4-15 yrs) $15 AUD. After Dark Feeding Tour: Adult $37.50 AUD, Child (4-15 yrs) $20 AUD. Family passes are also available. General entry to the sanctuary is included with any tour ticket.
Transport: Devils@Cradle is located near the entrance to Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, a short distance from the Visitor Centre. It can be accessed by car or by tour buses that often include pick-up from local accommodation.
4. Hike to Cradle Mountain Summit
For adventurous hikers, the challenging 12.5-kilometre return hike to Cradle Mountain Summit offers panoramic views across the national park. This Grade 4 walk involves steep ascents and rock scrambling, requiring a good level of fitness and a head for heights. The trail often passes through stunning alpine vegetation and past glacial features.
Cost: Access is included with a valid National Parks Pass.
Transport: The hike typically starts from the Dove Lake Carpark, which is accessed via the Cradle Mountain shuttle bus from the Visitor Centre.
5. Spot Nocturnal Wildlife on a Night Tour
Join a guided night spotting tour to observe Tasmania's nocturnal wildlife in their natural habitat. Using spotlights, guides lead walks along boardwalks and through forest edges, providing opportunities to see wombats, pademelons, wallabies, possums, and occasionally even quolls or Tasmanian devils. This offers a unique perspective of the park after dark.
Cost: Tour costs vary by operator, but generally range from approximately $40 to $70 AUD per adult. For example, some tours are around $42.54 AUD.
Transport: Tours typically operate from the Cradle Mountain area, with pick-up and drop-off services often available from local accommodation.
6. Take a Lake St Clair Scenic Cruise
At the southern end of the park, a scenic cruise on Lake St Clair (Ida Clair ferry) provides a unique perspective of Australia's deepest freshwater lake and the surrounding dolerite mountain ranges. This 30-minute to 1.5-hour journey reveals stunning natural beauty, including views of Mt Hugel and Mt Olympus. It's also used by Overland Track hikers for a section of their journey.
Cost: A one-way trip from Cynthia Bay to Narcissus Bay is approximately $55 AUD for adults and $27.50 AUD for children. A scenic cruise option is also available, with adult tickets around $75 AUD. A minimum charge of $300 AUD may apply for sailings with fewer than six passengers during off-peak times.
Transport: The ferry departs from Cynthia Bay at the Lake St Clair Visitor Centre, located at the southern end of the National Park. This requires separate transport from the Cradle Mountain area.
Check out our other pages on Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park
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