The Dove Lake circuit in Tasmania
The Dove Lake circuit walk is located in Tasmania’s iconic Cradle Mountain area. It’s considered one of Tasmania’s premier day walks and it’s really not hard to see why. The circuit skirts all the way around the lake and beneath the towering spires of Cradle Mountain. Not only that, the landscape is stunning and it’s board-walked for the majority of the way.
Some families skip the six-kilometre Dove Lake circuit but if you’re on the fence as to whether you should do it or not, I say go for it! Why? It’s not that difficult a walk. Except for one short steep section, it’s a fairly easy walk with opportunities to rest along the way. We managed the Dove Lake circuit in Tasmania with a two-year-old and a four-year-old fairly easily.
The Dove Lake circuit was a highlight of our trip to Tasmania!
Completing the Dove Lake circuit was a highlight of our trip to Tasmania. The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful and much like the Apsley River Water Hole and Gorge Walk we did a few days earlier, the kids really gave this one a go themselves.
Visiting at the beginning of Spring, there was still plenty of snow on the Dove Lake circuit boardwalk and track. This only added to the excitement of the walk for the kids. Prepare yourself for sudden weather changes here in the Cradle Mountain area as Tasmania’s weather is known for its randomness.
Mr Four, having never experienced snow before, was really keen to do this one himself and managed about four kilometres of the Dove Lake circuit before hopping in a carrier. Miss Two was bribed with Nutri-Grain to hop in the carrier so we could all walk a little faster. Although she enjoyed it, she was just too slow over the snow. She promptly fell asleep and woke up for the last two kilometres which she did with assistance.
What to expect on the Dove Lake circuit in Tasmania
Name: Dove Lake Circuit Walk (#29 of Tasmania’s 60 Great Walks)
Location: Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park
Distance: 6-kilometre circuit that is best walked clockwise
Classification: Level 3
Time: 2 – 3 hours return
Notes: The information above is taken from the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Services website. The Dove lake circuit in Tasmania took us a bit longer at 3.5 hours. The walk wasn’t difficult, but it was slow going due to the snow on the tracks. We also walked at the pace of a four-year-old for the majority of the hike and stopped a couple of times for snacks, drinks and photographs.
Let’s get started on the Dove Lake circuit, shall we?
The circuit walk sets out from the Dove Lake carpark. There are toilets here so make sure you go now as it’s the only opportunity until you get back. Walking downhill towards Dove Lake, you will come to a sign that signals the start of the clockwise circuit.
TIP – If you are not feeling up to the whole circuit, you can head anti-clockwise for ten minutes which will take you to the iconic boat shed.
Highlight – Glacier Rock
Around ten minutes into the Dove Love circuit in Tasmania, you will come to Glacier Rock; a great little lookout that gives you a taste of the fantastic views around the lake. Young kids need to be in a carrier or within arm’s reach if you step out onto Glacier Rock.
The circuit track at Dove Lake is fairly flat and the sturdy boardwalk weaves in and around the beautiful natural setting. It’s hard to get bored on this walk as the scenery is just so pretty!
Highlight – Cradle Mountain views
The far shores of the Dove Lake circuit will have you walking beneath the towering spires of Cradle Mountain. Even in questionable weather (overcast and drizzly when we visited), the combination of sky, mountain and lake is really something special to see.
Highlight – The Ballroom Forest
After passing the halfway point, you will come to an absolutely stunning surprise patch of rainforest called The Ballroom Forest. The circuit track winds snake-like through ancient gnarled moss, lichen-covered trees and over a small mountain creek, losing site of Dove Lake momentarily.
Up until this point, the Dove Lake circuit has been fairly flat. There are now some steep and narrow stairs leading to a boardwalk that follows alongside the lake from a much higher vantage point. Although not too difficult, the stairs are the hardest section of the walk.
Even when the boardwalk transitions to a dirt/rock walking path, it is impossible to lose your way. The Dove Lake circuit track in Tasmania is extremely well-constructed and easy to follow. Soon the iconic boat shed comes into view, yet another highlight of the Dove Lake circuit.
Highlight – The Old Boat Shed
The boat shed has a lovely crystal clear water shoreline and I dare say it’s probably hard to take a bad photo of it. It’s that picturesque!
A further ten minutes of walking past the boat shed will see you completing the Dove Lake circuit and arriving back at the carpark. Woohoo!
The wildlife is abundant in Tasmania and the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is no exception. It’s quite common to spot Bennets wallabies, pademelons and wombats around the Dove Lake circuit. Keep your eyes peeled for the Echidna in the area also.
Getting to the Dove Lake circuit in Tasmania
The Dove Lake circuit is located in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park in Tasmania. The best way to get down to Dove Lake is to utilise the Cradle Shuttle Service from the Visitor Centre at the entrance to the park. This is included when you purchase your national park pass for the area. The shuttles run regularly and you can hop on and off at key points along the way.
Keep an eye out for wombats from the shuttle bus window on the drive down to Dove Lake!
Accommodation around Dove Lake
We left it too late to book accommodation close to Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park and ended up staying at Mole Creek Caravan Park for a few nights. This meant we had to drive 90 minutes each way to do the Dove Lake circuit in Tasmania.
Closer Dove Lake accommodation options include:
Discovery Parks Cradle Mountain
Wilderness Village Cradle Mountain
National Park Fees
A National Park entrance fee is required to visit the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. You can buy a single-day pass or if you are exploring more of Tasmania, the 8-week pass that gets a whole family into all of Tasmania’s National Parks is better value for money. Passes can be purchased online here.
Doing the Dove Lake circuit with kids
The Dove Lake circuit in Tasmania is a great natural destination for visiting with kids. The wildlife spotting, boardwalk and scenery are enough to keep the boredom away.
You know your own and your kid’s limits (although our kids often surprise us) so don’t be swayed by other people’s opinions about whether it’s achievable with kids. I figured the worst-case scenario is that I would get extra exercise if I had to carry them the majority of the way.
If you come prepared with snacks and drinks for the kids, you will have a memorable time completing this walk.
Young kids will need to be supervised closely as normal of course. However, because the majority of the Dove Lake circuit is fairly flat, there is quite a bit they can do themselves with parents hovering behind.
My kids loved the opportunity to walk on the snow-covered boardwalk. Making snowballs and throwing them at dad kept Mr Four occupied for the majority of this walk.
Looking for more awesome family holiday destinations?
For more information on visiting Tassie with kids, browse our Tasmania page. Alternatively, head back to the home page for inspiration on destinations and activities in Australia and worldwide.
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Planning and booking your holiday to Tasmania
National Parks Pass:
A National Park entrance fee is required to visit most parks in Tasmania. You can buy a single-day pass or if you are exploring more of Tassie, an eight-week pass that gets a whole family into all of Tasmania’s National Parks is better value for money. Passes can be purchased here.
More information:
Check out the official Tourism Tasmania page for more information on great places to visit in Tasmania.
Getting to Tasmania:
Search on Trip.com for the best deals to Tasmania. Flights are available from most capital cities into either Hobart or Launceston.
Alternatively, you can also come across by boat on the Spirit of Tasmania. If you choose to come across by boat, you can bring your own vehicle.
Accommodation in Tasmania:
Accommodation in Tasmania is varied and there are options from budget to luxury. Find a great deal here.
Getting around Tasmania:
Compare rental car prices here.
Let me know what you think!