Cradle Mountain forms the northern end of the wild Cradle Mt-Lake St Clair National Park, itself a part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
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The jagged contours of Cradle Mountain epitomise the feel of a wild landscape, while ancient rainforest and alpine heathlands, buttongrass and stands of colourful deciduous beech provide a range of environments to explore.
Icy streams cascading out of rugged mountains, stands of ancient pines mirrored in the still waters of glacial lakes and a wealth of wildlife ensure there is always something to captivate you.
The area is one of the most popular natural areas in Tasmania. A visit will reveal why.
Cradle is the starting point for the world-famous Overland Track, a magnificent six-day walk that will take visitors through the heart of some of the finest mountain terrain.
The Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park shares a ``Twin Parks'' agreement with the World Heritage listed Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve in the People's Republic of China.
The Overland Track is Australia's iconic must-do long-distance bushwalk.
It is a 65-kilometre, six-day trek through the heart of the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, part of the magnificent Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
The stunning scenery and the physical challenge of the Overland Track have assured it a national and international reputation as one of the great wilderness bushwalks.
The walk starts at Ronny Creek in Cradle Valley, beside the renowned Cradle Mountain.
Over the next six days, walkers journey through a landscape of spectacular glacially-carved valleys, ancient rainforests, fragrant eucalypt forest, golden buttongrass moorlands and beautiful alpine meadows.
Extra bonuses include a variety of side-trips to breathtaking waterfalls and mountain summits, including Mount Ossa (1617m) Tasmania's highest peak.
To top it off, the walk finishes at Australia's deepest lake, Lake St Clair.
Most walkers finish their walk at Narcissus Hut at the head of Lake St Clair.
Here they board a ferry which takes them to the Lake St Clair Visitor Centre at Cynthia Bay.
But some walkers choose to walk around the lake through the rainforest, which extends the walk a further 17.5 kilometres and requires another day.
A popular short walk in the park is the Dove Lake circuit.
This six-kilometre track is one of Tasmania's premier walks.
It takes visitors right around Dove Lake and beneath the towering spires of Cradle Mountain.
The track is boardwalked for much of the way.
