Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park
Overland Track
Tasmania
Distance
65 km
Duration
6 days (minimum); most walkers take 7–8 days
Elevation gain
4,800 m
Difficulty
HardAdvance booking required
AUD $200 per person booking fee (peak season, October–May) + Parks Pass AUD $30. Must be booked in advance for peak season.
Book nowBest season
October–May (November–April optimal)
Check current trail conditions
Track closures, snow conditions, hut availability, and safety alerts update daily. Always check before departing.
About this trail
Australia's most iconic multi-day alpine walk, traversing the heart of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. The track runs between Cradle Mountain in the north and Lake St Clair in the south, crossing alpine moorlands, ancient pencil pine forests, dolerite mountain peaks, and glacially-carved valleys. Six public huts (Waterfall Valley, Windermere, New Pelion, Old Pelion, Kia Ora, Du Cane, Narcissus) provide shelter. Side trips to Mount Ossa (1,617m — Tasmania's highest peak), the Acropolis, and Cradle Mountain summit are highlights. The landscape is ancient — much of it unchanged since the last ice age.
Highlights
- ✓Cradle Mountain from Marions Lookout — the iconic image of Tasmanian wilderness
- ✓Mount Ossa (1,617m) side trip — Tasmania's highest point, 5–6hr return from Old Pelion Hut
- ✓Pelion Plains — vast alpine moors with ancient King Billy pines
- ✓Lake St Clair — Australia's deepest lake, glacially carved, 167m deep
- ✓Ancient pencil pine forests — some trees over 1,000 years old
- ✓Pure clear streams and tarns throughout
🚌 Getting there
Start at Ronny Creek (Cradle Mountain) via shuttle from Launceston or Devonport (hire car to Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre, then park shuttle). Finish at Narcissus Hut on Lake St Clair — take the ferry to Cynthia Bay visitor centre (AUD $50) or walk the additional 17km around the lake. Return shuttles from Lake St Clair to Launceston available.
🛖 Huts & accommodation
Waterfall Valley Hut
36 bunks
Windermere Hut
24 bunks
New Pelion Hut
36 bunks
Kia Ora Hut
20 bunks
Du Cane Hut
12 bunks
Narcissus Hut
24 bunks
Facilities
- ·All huts have tank water (must be treated or boiled)
- ·Composting toilets at all huts
- ·Huts are basic — platform bunks only, no cooking equipment provided (bring your own stove)
- ·Wood heaters at most huts
- ·Solar lighting
🎒 What to bring
- ·Full waterproof jacket and trousers — Tasmania's weather is severe and unpredictable
- ·Down jacket or equivalent insulation
- ·Gaiters — the alpine moorland sections are extremely muddy
- ·Tramping boots, fully waterproof
- ·Lightweight camping mat (hut platforms are hard)
- ·Sleeping bag rated to -5°C minimum
- ·6–7 days of food (no resupply)
- ·Water treatment (filter or tablets)
- ·Emergency PLB (personal locator beacon) — strongly recommended
Hazards & safety
- ·Tasmania's weather is severe and highly changeable — hypothermia risk is real even in summer. Snow can fall any month on the highlands.
- ·The track is one-directional in peak season (north to south only) to manage hut congestion.
- ·Buttongrass moorland sections are very muddy — the boardwalks help but off-track walking causes significant damage to fragile alpine ecosystems.
- ·Side trips (Mount Ossa, the Acropolis) require alpine navigation skills and additional time — don't underestimate them.
- ·Water from streams must be treated — Giardia is present in Tasmanian wilderness waterways.
📋 Know before you go
- 1.BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL in peak season (October–May). The $200 booking fee is per person and non-refundable. A daily quota of 34 walkers applies in peak season.
- 2.Off-season (June–September) bookings are not required but conditions are severe — snow, ice, and flooded sections. Only for very experienced alpine walkers.
- 3.Hire car note: Cradle Mountain is 85km from Devonport, 2.5hrs from Launceston. No public transport — private transfer or hire car essential.
- 4.The Overland Track Association provides excellent pre-trip information including detailed hut-by-hut guides.
🚨 Emergency contacts
Emergency
000
Parks Tasmania
1300 827 727
Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre
+61 3-6492 1110
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Adventure insurance
Covers helicopter evacuation, search & rescue, and medical costs. Check your policy covers this trail's altitude or multi-day duration.
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Official sources
Trail information here covers stable facts — distances, difficulty, gear, and what to expect. Current conditions (closures, snow levels, hut availability, permit quota) change regularly and must be checked at the official source before you depart.
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