Cradle Mountain took my breath away! Despite the pretty chilly weather and the downpours of heavy rain, we could not resist but to simply immerse ourselves into this incredible and unique alpine landscape with it’s majestic rugged peaks. I had truly never seen vegetation and landscape like this before, and it kept amazing me with its beauty around every bend!
Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair happens to be one of the most visited national parks in Tasmania and there is no surprise as to why this Wilderness World Heritage Area can been seen on the front of magazines, books, postcards and tourism pamphlets about Tasmania.
Situated within this park, you will find over 20 different self-guided walks; you will see beautiful and unique vegetation and you will get to see an abundance of Australian wildlife.
On our trip we found ourselves a bit unprepared for the inconsistent weather you find here in this alpine region, and as a result, whilst we had plans of completing a multitude of tracks, we ended up sticking to two of the most popular trails. Finishing our day by drying off in front of our fireplace at our little hut where we were staying appealed to us a bit more than a full day of walking in our wet clothes. We decided to tackle the Dove Lake Circuit and the shorter but beautiful Enchanted Walk, both of which is listed as one of Tasmania’s 60 Great Short Walks.
Dove Lake Circuit:
The Dove Lake Circuit (around 6km) is a fairly easy 2-3 hour circuit that starts from the Dove Lake carpark. Here at this carpark you will also find some toilets, together with a walker log book where you should record your trip intentions.
When we arrived to the carpark, we had an absolute downpour of heavy rain. Pair that with a really strong blustering wind and you will find yourself in an environment that begs you to stay in your warm car. People were braving the weather and we watched them from the safety of our rental car; watching as their raincoats were blown about crazily, and while people were holding on to various bits and pieces to keep it from blowing away into nature. Most of these people had a super quick peek at Dove Lake itself, which is fairly close to the carpark and then made a run back towards their car. Understandably we were having second thoughts of our own regarding this walk. We had purchased some paper thin plastic ponchos from the Discovery Hut (forgot our own quality ones at home!), but we could see that they would provide us with little to no protection with the combination of the rain and wind outside.
Being brave, we decided to give the walk a go. We could always turn back when we had had enough. So off we went, tackling a walk that within a few minutes had us shivering in our wet cold clothes. Point to note, jeans like to hold onto water REALLY well!! Don’t wear jeans!! But regardless we kept walking and within about 15 min, the weather started clearing up, the wind settled down a notch and we started to enjoy ourselves.
You see that is the thing about alpine regions. The weather is incredibly unpredictable, it changes rapidly and frequently. So be prepared for a 2-3 hour hike here, to contain an all-sorts box full of different weather patterns and make sure to go walking regardless! I guess we should be thankful for our dodgy weather as we had the hike around the lake to ourselves, only spotting a few other brave hikers along the way. I’ve read online that during peak season this lake can receive up to 9,000 visits PER DAY!! YIKES! Now I know our hike would have had a different feel if we had to ‘compete’ with that many other people!
The walk itself is for the major part fairly easy and flat. There are some pretty incredible viewpoints along the walk and a large section of the walk has been boardwalked and covered with a metal mesh for anti-slip purposes. The walk is therefore suitable to all fitness levels and would be perfect for those wishing to bring their kids along as well. We started the walk from the left pathway and made our way clockwise around Dove Lake.
The walk will take you through varied vegetation from sub alpine plant communities to moss covered temperate rainforests. I think the misty covered peaks of Cradle Mountain created its own mystique and dramatic elegance. The silence and isolated walkways allowed you to breathe out years of pent up stress and anxieties. I truly fell in love with this region and plan on one day going back to complete the 6 day Overland Track! I simply want more and more!
We love nature and we spent longer on this track than most as we had to keep stopping to observe some of the miracles of the natural world around us! I loved the moss-covered trees and railings so much that Andrzej promised to make me one at home! Now trust me when I say that attempting that in Queensland climate might be task impossible and I guess that is why 2 months later I am still waiting for my moss covered tree! Regardless we stopped to take more photos than we could ever possibly share with you and recorded some video trying to capture the magic we found here!
From every angle the scenery here will truly astonish you! Every way a photo opportunity. From the mountains we could spot waterfalls cascading from the distant heights, from the ‘beach’ areas surrounding the lake you can simply enjoy some peace and serenity. Every moment, one to scribe on your mind and on your soul.
There are also plenty of spots to enjoy a picnic. We had our lunch packed and ready to go. Unfortunately all the picnic tables were soaking wet from the rain, so we simply enjoyed a stand-up meal whilst observing our location! The incredibly popular Boat Shed on the northwestern shore is another great spot to plonk yourself down for a breather and to enjoy the views from one of the most photographed areas at Cradle Mountain.
Despite the fact that we had to keep layering up and down and popping on raincoats during our walk; with the weather constantly changing; we had an incredibly delightful hike. One which I will remember and treasure for ever after! And one I hope you will be able to enjoy one day soon as well!
The Enchanted Walk
Our second walk we chose for the day was the delightful sweet and short Enchanted Walk (only 1km). This walk is really easy and perfect for families with young children! The walk starts from Cradle Mountain Lodge and will only take you around 15-20 minutes to complete. We spent much longer here, because this was were we spotted most of the wildlife out and about.
There is a carpark at Cradle Mountain Lodge and signs around the main building will point you in the right direction for this walk. This trail bends and weaves along the Pencil Pine River and takes you through a large variety of vegetation typical of the area; from buttongrass plains to teatree thickets, eucalypt woodlands and mossy myrtle forests.
My favourite memory from this walk was the wildlife we got to see, as they were having their late afternoon feeding session! Remember, that the best time to see the animals here are at dawn or dusk, so make sure to pop outside around those times to observe a delightful scene of wildlife moving about! There are also some nocturnal tours you can take, perfect for the kids to try and spot them at nighttime!
–
Purchase a National Park Entry Ticket:
You have to purchase Park Passes for all National Parks in Tasmania. At Cradle Mountain, park passes can be purchased at the Visitor Centre.
If you plan on only visiting the Cradle Mountain Lake St.Clair National Park, entry tickets are:
$16.50 adult (18+)
$8.25 child (5-17, under 5 no charge)
$41.25 family (2 adults, 3 children)
However if you are planning on visiting more National Parks, such as Freycinet where the Wineglass Bay is located, it might be more cost effective to invest in a Holiday Pass. This Pass allows entry into ALL the parks within Tasmania (Within a 2 month period). This one costs $60 (Per Vehicle, max 8 people) or $30 Per Person.
You can find more information on National Park Passes here.
–
How to get around the Area:
- By Private Car: If you have a car, you might choose to use the car and park at the Dove Lake carpark. Be aware though that this carpark fills up pretty quickly! A boom gate at the entrance to the park will tell you whether there is parking inside (by indication of green or red light). If the light is red, you might want to stick around waiting for someone to exit, or alternatively head back up the road and park at the Visitor Centre and take the free shuttle bus in to the park.
- By Shuttle Bus: The easiest way to move about the park is by free shuttle bus. Once you have purchased your Park Pass, you simply have to show this to the bus driver at the Visitor Centre in order to be shuttled back and forth between the locations you wish to visit. The shuttle runs on a regular schedule. It’s stops at the following Park points: Visitors Centre, Interpretation Centre, Snake Hill, Ronny Creek and Dove Lake.
- By Foot: If you are staying in the area, you might choose to start hiking from the Interpretation Centre. There is a beautiful boardwalk that meanders alongside the Dove River which takes you all the way to Dove Lake. Be aware though that the walk will take you approx 3 hours, so make sure to include the time in your daily planning!
Other walks to take:
As our weather was really inconsistent, we only completed the Enchanted and Dove Lake Circuit walks (two of the more popular walks). Below you can find a list of the walks available, together with approx timeframes to help you with your planning!
- Enchanted Walk (from Cradle Mountain Lodge) – Allow approx 20 min
- King Billy Walk (from Cradle Mountain Lodge) – Allow approx 30 min
- Knyvet Falls (opposite Cradle Mountain Lodge) – Allow Approx 45 min
- Dove Canyon Cicuit (via Knyvet Falls) – (opposite Cradle Mountain Lodge) – Allow Approx 2-3 hours
- Pencil Pine Falls and Rainforest Walk – (from Interpretation Centre) – Allow approx 10 min.
- Cradle Valley Boardwalk – (from Interpretation Centre) – Allow approx 2 hours one way to Ronny Creek or 3 hours one way to Dove Lake
- Weindorfers Forest Walk – (from Waldheim Chalet) – Allow approx 20 min
- Ronny Creek to Dove Lake (via Lake Lilla) – (from Ronny Creek Carpark) – Allow approx 1 hour one way
- Ronny Creek to Dove Lake (via Crater Lake, Wombat Pool and Lake Lilla) – (from Ronny Creek Carpark) – Allow approx 1.5-2 hours one way
- Dove Lake Circuit – (from Dove Lake Carpark) – Allow approx 2-3 hours
- Marions Lookout (via Crater Lake) – (From Ronny Carpark or Dover Lake Carpark) – Allow approx 3 hours
This is also the starting point for the world famous Overland Track. This track will take 6 days to complete and will take you across some incredibly beautiful and unique Tassie terrain!
–
Where to Stay:
Cradle Mountain Highlanders Cottages
We absolutely totally loved our little wood cabin at Cradle Mountain Highlanders Cottages. We chose to stay in one of the cheaper cottages, but loved our adorable Buttongrass hut! The inside of the hut is equipped with a massive stash of wood for your fireplace, the cozy bed has electric blankets to keep you warm. It has a kitchen and a lovely bathroom. What more could you want!! Waking up to the sound of nature while the fire is still burning away – perfect!!! We highly recommend you stay here! There are huts to suit most budget levels. You can check them out and book here.
Other accommodation options include:
- Discovery Holiday Parks – Cradle Mountain
- Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village
- Cradle Mountain Hotel
Where to Eat (or NOT to eat!):
We were pretty disappointed by the dining-out options available in the area! Either the food was too expensive for us or just totally not worth the money. We did try the buffet at Cradle Mountain Hotel but were highly dissatisfied with the service and taste in the food. We actually ran into other travellers at Wineglass Bay who also complained about the buffet, so maybe stay away from that one!
We truly suggest stopping in at a supermarket on your drive down and stocking up on your own food supplies! Good decent supermarkets can be found in Launceston, Deloraine or Sheffield. You can also find basic grocery supplies at the Discovery Hut.
If you have the money to splurge out on your dinner, ratings on Tripadvisor recommend good dinner options at Highland Restaurant, Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge Tavern Bar & Bistro and Hellyers Restaurant.
What to Pack:
It is crucial to pack the right gear for your hikes at Cradle Mountain! As this is an alpine region weather can change very rapidly and frequently. In our few hours of walking we experienced ridiculous winds, heavy rain and 10 min later we were hot as the wind disappeared and the sun came out! It was all over the shop for the whole duration of the walk! So please check the weather in the morning and take a backpack with essentials to cover all weather conditions!
Shoes:
Obviously if you are hiking/walking you need good comfortable shoes! Both me and Andrzej swear by the Sketchers Sport Sweet Spot Fashion Sneaker. Our shoes have completed some pretty impressive hikes across the world and have never disappointed us! Lots of funky colours available too!! Whatever your favourite shoe for hiking, ensure it is packed in your suitcase! Obviously if you are doing the Overland Track walk you will need proper hiking boots, so make sure to invest in some if you need!
A Weatherproof Backpack:
You will use your backpack for all your walks and hikes, I don’t think a day went past when we didn’t use our backpack! If you can get hold of a weatherproof one, even better! But if not, consider chucking your camera and phones in a plastic ziplock bag for extra protection. Your backpack will come in use, when you might need to layer down once you warm up, it will hold your water bottle, camera equipment and snacks! You can browse through some weatherproof backpacks on Amazon here.
Poncho or Raincoat:
We had rainy showers on and off throughout our whole trip in Tasmania, but the worst of it hit us in Cradle Mountain! Of course we were only going to be here once and we wanted to hike around Dove Lake without something as little as ‘bitchy’ weather stopping us! So we had to go on a hunt for some ponchos (if you forget to bring decent quality ones, you can buy some cheap ones form the Discovery Hut). They were basically just like a plastic bag, the wind tore them up in various spots and kept blowing them around exposing our backpacks that had our camera and GoPro in it! While they were helpful, essentially they just were not good enough to keep us completely dry! Suffice to say that it will be worthwhile for you to invest in a good quality poncho to give you adequate weather protection!!
Warm Windproof Clothes:
A Beanie: Windy weather is a typical complaint at Cradle Mountain, if you have seen people walking around sporting cute colourful beanies, it is because not only does it provide warmth but it also protects your ears from the constant wind. I didn’t have a beanie and ended up with ear ache. So I really recommend you invest in a beanie! You can browse through some gorgeous beanies here.
A Warm Scarf: Forget about a scarf that is sheer and stylish, you need something to give you warmth. I wore my scarf everyday, neatly tucked away under my jumper (that I zipped all the way to the top), so you couldn’t even see it! But it helped so much! Hubby didn’t have a scarf and suffered the cold a bit more than me as a result! You can browse through some lovely warm scarves here.
Weatherproof Clothes! A jumper is really not going to cut it here! You need something to keep the wind out, we met travellers who actually had windproof gear on and still complained, so make sure the jacket is a lovely size that allows for layers of clothes underneath it too! You can browse some windproof jackets here. Another point to make is that while you think your jeans might be warm, once they get wet, they are going to stay cold and soaking wet! Jeans might not be the ideal choice of pants for this trip! Invest in some good weather proof pants to be safe! You can browse some weatherproof pants here.
Essential Basics:
Of course don’t forget all those basic essentials that you normally take along on hikes, such as:
- Water bottles
- Snacks
- Your camera
- and maybe take the time to download the FREE 60 Great Short Walks app to your phone.
Watch the Video:
–
Please Pin Me!
* This post contains affiliates links. Using our links costs you nothing extra but helps us stay in business! Please see our disclaimer page for more information!
The post Walking the Trails at the Majestic Cradle Mountain appeared first on Wanderlust Storytellers.
