Tasmania’s signature highland destination, Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park is the go-to spot to see the island’s ancient rainforest and untouched mountain scenery. Trekking the 6-day Overland Track is the most extreme option for exploring this northern national park, but there are other more relaxed things to do at Cradle Mountain. Wildlife spotting tours—on which you can glimpse wombats and wallabies—and short nature hikes allow day-trippers and overnight visitors to experience the park’s pristine nature.
Weather is everything at Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park. Summer offers the best chance to see the regularly obscured Cradle Mountain summit, but brings with it larger crowds. Instead, visit in February or March after Australian schools go back, for views and warm weather without the company. This isn’t as important at Lake St. Clair though, as it’s rarely as busy.
No cars are allowed beyond the respective visitor centers at Cradle Mountain and Lake St. Clair, with one or two minor exceptions at Cradle Mountain. A bus service operates at Cradle Mountain from the visitor center to Dove Lake, while a ferry service runs across Lake St Clair. Beyond these services, your only option for getting about is to walk and hike the national park’s trails and boardwalks.
At both Cradle Mountain and Lake St. Clair, you will only find places to get food around the visitor centers. This may seem convenient, but not if you’re out in the park mid-hike. It’s best to either bring a packed lunch or buy food before you set out, as it saves you the need to go back to the busy visitor centers during the middle of the day or miss out entirely when they close in the mid-afternoon.
