Cradle Mountain is a symbol of Tasmania: the jagged mountain peak is one the most recognizable on the island. If you’re a hiker, you’ve likely already heard about this mountain – it’s one hike you can’t miss in Tassie. The hike up to the Cradle Mountain summit is long and challenging. But it’s absolutely spectacular in good weather, with phenomenal views of the surrounding area. Here’s everything you need to know about hiking Cradle Mountain!
Cradle Mountain Summit Hike: Stats
Distance: 16km (10 miles)
Time: 6.5 to 8 hours
Elevation: 924 meters (3031 feet)
What’s the Best Route for Hiking Cradle Mountain Summit?
There are several different routes you can take within Cradle Mountain National Park to get to the summit. One of the most popular is to start at Ronny Creek, going to Marion’s Lookout and Kitchen Hut before heading up to the summit. Retrace your steps back down to Marion’s Lookout, and descend down to Wombat Pool and Dove Lake. For more of a challenge, you can descend to Kitchen Hut and follow the trail above Dove Lake to Hansons Peak, and descend down Lake Rodney Track to Dove Lake from there.
Where to Start the Cradle Mountain Summit Hike: Shuttle & Parking
Cradle Mountain National Park operates a shuttle within the park from 8am to 6pm every day – there is no vehicle access past the visitor center during these hours. The shuttle costs $15 per person and is valid for 72 hours. To do the route I did, you’ll park at the visitor center and take the shuttle to Ronny Creek. At the end, hop on a shuttle at Dove Lake and ride back to the visitor center. If you can get to Ronny Creek before 8am, it’s possible to avoid paying for the shuttle, and to park at the Ronny Creek car park. It’s unclear whether you need a shuttle ticket to ride from Dove Lake to Ronny Creek – you could always take a chance and hope the driver doesn’t check.
What to Pack for the Cradle Mountain Summit Hike
Hiking to the summit of Cradle Mountain is a challenging walk, and will take pretty much all day. Bring plenty of food, snacks, and water – there’s nowhere to fill up with drinking water on the trail. The trail is also very exposed, so a hat and sunscreen are essential, as well as waterproof layers in case of wet weather. Pack plenty of layers, including a hat, gloves, and a warm jacket as the weather can change quickly high up. Sturdy hiking boots are a must, and I highly recommend using hiking poles on this hike – your knees will thank me later!
Summit Trail: Ronny Creek to Marion’s Lookout
This route starts from Ronny Creek, which has toilets, a car park, and a stop on the Cradle Mountain shuttle bus service. Head out on the Overland Trail, which starts here, and along the boardwalk. This is meant to be a great place to see wombats, but unfortunately I didn’t see any on my walk! The trail goes up through the bush before coming to Crater Lake, a picturesque lake formed in a crater. There’s then a steep climb up to Marion’s Lookout – there’s likely going to be a bottleneck of hikers here, as the path is quite narrow.
The view from Marion’s Lookout is fantastic. You have a stunning view down to Dove Lake below you, and over to the iconic Cradle Mountain summit across the range.
Hiking to Kitchen Hut
From Marion’s Lookout, it’s a relatively easy stroll over to Kitchen Hut. This historic alpine hut is an emergency shelter, so no camping is allowed. There’s a toilet nearby here. Follow the sign that points to the summit – the Overland Track carries on past the hut, but skips the mountain summit. So be sure you’re following the right trail to the summit!
Summiting Cradle Mountain
After leaving Kitchen Hut, the trail ascends steeply – and then goes into the boulder field. This is the most challenging part of the hike; follow the white poles that mark the route over the rocks. After reaching a disappointing false summit, you’ll need to clamber down over more rocks before a final push up to the summit.
This isn’t easy – it took me just over one hour from leaving Kitchen Hut to reach the true summit. The summit is a large rocky plateau, with a trig point at the true summit. Give yourself plenty of time to take photos and rest. The views are insane: I could see for miles! It made the challenging scrambles so worth it.
Finishing the Loop: Wombat Pool, Lilla Pool, and Dove Lake
It took me just over one hour again to get from the Cradle Mountain summit back down to Kitchen Hut. It’s tough terrain, and on busy days there will be inevitable bottlenecks with other hikers. Follow the trail back to Marion’s Lookout, and down to the junction where the trail splits to go to Wombat Pool.
Wombat Pool and Lilla Pool are pretty spots, but after the dramatic scenery from the summit it all seems a bit tame. Soak up one last view of Cradle Mountain when you reach Dove Lake. The center here has toilets and plenty of space to shelter indoors if the weather is bad. All in all, the Cradle Mountain summit hike took me 6 hours and 40 minutes.
Planning Your Trip to Cradle Mountain
You’ll need a Tasmania parks pass to visit Cradle Mountain. You can buy a day entry ticket to the national park, but if you’re visiting multiple parks in Tasmania it’ll likely be cheaper to buy a pass. I bought a two-month pass for $89.50 (one vehicle) that included Cradle Mountain – an annual pass was only a few dollars more. As noted above, you’ll also need to purchase a shuttle ticket to get the bus within Cradle Mountain National Park between 8am and 6pm.
Launceston is the closest airport to Cradle Mountain, although Hobart will likely have more flight options. I always use Skyscanner to book my flights. Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.
The best way to visit Cradle Mountain is by car. There are some private shuttles that operate from Launceston, but besides that it’s difficult to travel here. The other option is to join a tour – there are a lot of day tours to Cradle Mountain, but they typically leave from Hobart or Launceston, and don’t necessarily give you enough time to do the summit hike (it is a full day hike after all!). Check out tours to the national park below.
Where to Stay in Cradle Mountain
I camped for the entirety of my trip in Tasmania, sleeping in my Nissan X-Trail every single night. If you’re wondering where to stay in Cradle Mountain, here are my recommendations!
Free Camp: Vale of Belvoir Campground – the track to the campground is terrible (I was very glad I had a 4WD), and the campsite is really just a large gravel circle with camping spots around it on the grass. I recommend the spots/laybys just off the track, about 400 meters past the turn-off from the main road. Read about more of the best free camps in Tasmania here!
Budget: Discovery Parks – Cradle Mountain – this is the most convenient campsite and budget accommodation, as it’s located in the national park itself, just a short drive from the visitor center. They have a range of accommodation, from powered/unpowered sites to shared dorm rooms and private cabins.
Mid-range: Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village – these private chalets sleep anywhere from two to six people, and include a well-equipped kitchenette in a top location inside the national park.
Mid-range: Cradle Mountain Hotel – clean and comfortable rooms in a lovely four-star hotel, with a convenient location not far from the visitor center.
Luxury: Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge – a true luxury experience in the heart of Cradle Mountain, in chalets or suites; there are two restaurants on-site for fine dining or relaxed meals, as well as a spa.
Hiking the mountain and reaching the summit was one of my favorite days in my entire trip to Tasmania. While it’s a challenging hike, it’s well worth it. It’s not a trail I’d do in poor weather, and I feel so lucky that I had such amazing sunny weather when I went. I was exhausted afterwards, but I loved it! I hope this post helps planning your hike up to the Cradle Mountain summit.
Have you hiked to the summit of Cradle Mountain? Which route did you take?
You might also like my posts:
49 Spectacular Places You Must Visit in Tasmania
The Best Hikes in Tasmania, Australia
A One-Month Tasmania Road Trip Itinerary
12 Tips for a Road Trip Around Tasmania
The Best Free Camps in Tasmania
Hiking the Tarn Shelf Circuit in Mount Field National Park, Tasmania
Australia Budget: Month 11 (February 2024)
All of my Australia posts!
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