Difficulty graded by Tasmania Parks & Wildlife Service using the Australian Walking Track Grading System. These will be easy to spot as theyll always be fellow hikers hovering about them. In this beautiful setting, you will quickly understand why Gustav dedicated his life to ensuring the preservation of this area. Cradle Mountain comprises a diverse mosaic of vegetation communities, from rainforest to buttongrass moorlands. All of the routes do seem to meet up and cross over at various points. setTimeout( Sophie Bearman can be reached at [emailprotected]. If youre especially unlucky and hit road closures, you may need to stay overnight in a hotel (towns like Auburn and Colfax have a number of options) until roads reopen or, in a worst-case scenario, turn back to the Bay Area. Highly recommended! Tasmanian devil, spotted-tailed quoll and eastern quoll as well as wombats, platypus and echidna. The road trip from Strahan to Cradle Mountain is a beautiful drive, with several highlights worth visiting along the way. This campsite boasts a beautiful lakefront location and very reasonable rates for a nights stay. Answer 1 of 5: Im from Singapore and dont have experience driving in winter. The area's Gondwanan heritage is further revealed through the existence of species such as velvet worms, fish in the family Galaxiidae, aquatic insects and crustaceans. From the lush microcosms of budding greenery that dress every tree, to the fields of tea tree bushes blanketed in tiny white flowers that shimmer beneath a layer of fresh raindrops. Its worth noting, youll find the use of private transfers much more expensive than car hire. It is the fifth highest in the state and stands above the tranquilDove Lake. In winter when average temperatures hover around zero degrees, a scarf, beanie and gloves are all a good idea. Instead, theres the option for private shuttle and transfers, which well also cover should you not have access to your own set of wheels. You never know when you might get stuck and will want to keep your car running to stay warm. Below, well take a look at your route options for hiking Cradle Mountain from Hobart, Devonport and Launceston. Cradle Mountain TAS 7306,Australia The dolerite peak is one of the Park's natural highlights, although the wild weather of the Tasmanian highlands often shrouds the mountain in cloud. Basic grocery items are available at the Discovery Holiday Parks reception. All Rights Reserved. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Happy exploring! This includes nine private vehicle parking spaces and one disabled parking space. A romantic winter getaway starts and ends with the accommodation, and Cradle Mountain Lodge wont disappoint. You can buy one at The Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre, but there can be a wait. If you are planning a trip to Tasmania, try to incorporate two or three days into your travel itinerary to marvel at this national park. It should take around 3-4 hours to reach this point. Below, well take a look at some of the best hotel options, as well as cover some camping options for those who love the wild. function() { From the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre car park, theres a shuttle bus running to and from Dove Lake to begin hiking Cradle Mountain. A great day pack to fit all your full day hiking needs in, You can't beat a GoPro Hero when it comes to action cameras, and there's lots of action on the Cradle Mountain walk. We had such wonderful morning conditions. The last time I visited Tasmania was with some friends. }, The best route if there's snow is via Sheffield. If you want to shred some pow in Tahoe this winter, make sure you first know how to get thereand backsafely. And Im glad we did. How to get there We used the shuttle bus to get to these trails. On a snowy morning, we had a walk along Dove Lake and its insta-famous boatshed are the obvious choice as theyre easy to access at any hour, offer up clear views toward the twin peaks and, if youre lucky, youll get a perfect reflection to capture. This shuttle was an excellent way to get around the national park. The Overland Track is Australias premier alpine walk a 65 km, six-day trek through the heart of the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, part of the magnificent Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Cradle Mountain is also a great place to enjoy the snow. Walker safety - alpine walks Cradle Mountain is Tasmanias sixth highest mountain, with the walk to its imposing summit attracting thousands of keen hikers every year. This means youre free to follow the example routes they provide or, if youre feeling adventurous, map out your own. , The majority of theCradle Mountain shuttle buses are wheelchair accessible. Private vehicle access is not permitted during shuttle bus operating times. Make sure to book your accommodation in Cradle Mountain well ahead of time; its a popular destination. WebTips for visiting Cradle Mountain in Winter. But its certainly possible to set your sights higher and enjoy the dawn light from one of the upper ridgelines. Between the plumes of mist and bearded trees, youd be forgiven for thinking youd just stumbled into Middle Earth, and while the gloomy skies actually lend rather well to these fairytale landscapes, if youre here to hike,youll want to take full advantage of the weather when things begin to clear up. Passes can be purchased either online, at national park visitor centres, such as the Cradle Mountain Visitor Center,or at travel information centres. Please reload CAPTCHA. The guys at Tracks Less Travelled did the same. This is where the Summit Track begins. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Like all national parks in Tasmania, youll need to pay the entry fee on arrival at the Visitor Centre which includes access to the Cradle Mountain National Park shuttle. If you want to hang around at the summit for a while, which you should given how much you put into getting there, then make sure you have some warm clothes to put on. Speaking of roads, Google Maps will sometimes try to reroute you to avoid traffic. The first half of this walkis Though some visitors grumble about the fact they can no longer take their own cars into the park whenever they wish, I actually think this is a fantastic system that is efficient, convenient and goes a long way to easing congestion on the narrow winding roads, being less of a disturbance to the wildlife and dispersing visitors throughout the park. There are accessibletoilets located at the Dove Lake carpark.. There are also picnic tables at Waldheim, Ronny Creek and Dove Lake. Patons Road beyond Sardine Creek is closed due toflood damage caused by the recent heavy rainfall event. Cradle Mountain is beautiful any time of the year, but the winter months from June to August hold a special kind of magic, transforming Tasmanias alpine region into a Having the right car for these highways is essential, as is knowing your vehicles limitations and when to not make the trip. The 2km walk to reach the Big Drift sand dunes is a Hi, we're Dan and Beck, collectively known as the 'Speed Hiking Couple'. Follow guidelines from the National Weather Service and never attempt to drive to Tahoe when conditions are dangerous. Whats speed hiking? Just making sure you're human *(function( timeout ) { But of course, Cradle Mountain has been around much longer than any miners cradle. Cant beat these views. Bus tickets are needed to board the shuttle. Bring your bedding and toiletries; linen is available at an additional cost. Lets face it, youve earned it hiking up there. This beautiful national park was my absolute favourite stop in Tasmania and if you love being out in nature it should be an essential stop on your Tasmania itinerary as well. I urge you to dress appropriately, wear a beanie, gloves, scarf, and make sure you wear waterproof shoes.Opening hours 8.30 am to 4.30 pm (winter)PRICE AUD 25 for a daily park pass (24 hours). There is plenty of parking outside the tunnel. Its not unheard of to see snow in every month of the year! King Billy Pine WalkDistance: 1.9kmTime: 45 minutesDifficulty: EasyThis excellent short boardwalk trail enjoys the company of the incredible King Billy trees which are nearly 1,500 years old. Cradle Mountain is a seasonal destination that adopts a different persona based on the season you are there. WebThe road trip from Strahan to Cradle Mountain is a beautiful drive, with several highlights worth visiting along the way. For information on visiting withassistance dogs see the access friendly page. Always have a winter kit in your vehicle containing food, water, clothing, blankets and a flashlight in case of emergency. Fri - St helens to Coles bay. Give yourself about 30 minutes to enjoy the scenery, have a snack, and then head back down. Depending on conditions, California Highway Patrol enacts checkpoints and will turn vehicles around that dont meet requirements. Email: reservations@cradlemountainhotel.com.au, document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Cradle Mountain Hotel | Made byAmadeus, Tips for visiting Cradle Mountain in Winter, For the Cradle Valley forecast, click here, You can access this site by clicking here. Aside from hiking up Cradle Mountain itself, there are plenty of other Cradle Mountain hikes and short walks. Give snow plows a wide berth and keep your headlights on. The Cradle Mountain region is an area of marked geological contrasts, shaped by glacial erosion and deposition over the past two million years. Generally, the animals will keep their distance so please repect that and certainly dont go traipsing across the grasslands to get a closer photo we saw this happening all too often! var notice = document.getElementById("cptch_time_limit_notice_15"); Tel: +61 3 6492 1404 It is now one of Australia's most famous national parks, protecting a grand glaciated landscape and the wonderful flora and fauna it contains. Chains are a must, but you should also make sure your car has an ice scraper and small shovel so you can dig yourself out of most dicey situations. After arriving at the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre, youll then need to get to the trailhead for the hike at Dove Lake. A beautiful place to stay amongst nature. Always pack a waterproof jacket, just in case! The Cradle Mountain Hotel transforms this dream into a reality by hosting their Christmas in July buffet dinner. And eastern quoll as well as wombats, platypus and echidna Walking Track System... Into a reality by hosting their Christmas in July buffet dinner into a reality by hosting their Christmas in buffet. Give snow plows a wide berth and keep your car running to stay warm operating... Popular destination, just in case to see snow in every month of the routes do seem meet! Ends with the accommodation, and Cradle Mountain comprises a diverse mosaic of communities. 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