Surrounded by stunning glacial lakes, ancient rainforests and unique alpine vegetation, Cradle Mountain is the iconic centerpiece of the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. It forms part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and is the starting point for the famous six-day Overland Track, one of Australia’s most famous multi-day walks.
Cradle Mountain lies at the northern entrance of the national park near the town of Sheffield, with a visitor’s center and plenty of accommodation options. There are numerous short walks to discover in the immediate area, as well as horseback trail rides and helicopter flights available. Keep an eye out for quolls, echidnas, wombats and Tasmanian devils along the way, as well as rare sightings of platypus.
Enjoy an easy stroll along the 20-minute Enchanted Walk through magnificent old growth rainforest or embark on the two-hour walk around Dove Lake, which offers magnificent views of Cradle Mountain. Keen hikers can tackle the one-day trek to the summit of Cradle Mountain for sweeping panoramas across the national park.
The southern end of the national park is accessed through Derwent Bridge and offers direct access to beautiful Lake St. Clair. Enjoy a leisurely walk along the edge of the lake, with stunning wildflower displays during the spring, or jump aboard a cruise to get a completely different perspective. Lake St Clair is also the starting point of the Aboriginal Cultural Walk that takes visitors past caves, rock shelters and stone sources that were used by early indigenous inhabitants.