The 6.2km Dove Lake Circuit Showcases Tassie’s Premier Alpine Landscape in an Achievable Day Walk

Cradle Mountain dominates the scene as you circle beautiful Dove Lake, walk through the ancient Ballroom Forest, and witness the historic Boatshed. Leonie experienced all this and more on the Dove Lake Circuit.

We Are Explorers acknowledges that this adventure is located on the traditional Country of the Palawa people who have occupied and cared for the lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them as the Traditional Custodians and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

Quick Overview

The Dove Lake Circuit is in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park in the Central Highlands region of Tasmania. The walk is a 6.2km loop and rated as Grade 3. It’s one of Tasmania’s 60 Great Short Walks.

Dove Lake Circuit Walking Track Quick Facts

Distance: 6.2km circuit
Duration: 2-3 hours return
Time from Launceston: 1 hour 50 minutes

About Dove Lake Circuit

The Dove Lake Circuit at Cradle Mountain has to be one of the prettiest walks you can do. With views of Cradle Mountain the whole way around the alpine lake, the walk is reasonably flat and takes only two to three hours.

Dove Lake Circuit History

The Traditional Custodians of the Cradle Mountain area, including Dove Lake, are the Palawa people. The Palawa name for the Cradle Mountain Plateau is wulinantikala.

Austrian botanist Gustav Weindorfer named Dove Lake in 1905. From the summit of Cradle Mountain in 1910, Weindorfer declared, ‘This must be a national park for the people for all time’.

Largely due to the efforts of Weindorfer, Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park was officially gazetted as a national park in 1922.

The Dove Lake circuit walk has evolved from a rugged wilderness track into a well-maintained circuit.

On the north-west shores of Dove Lake is the iconic and much-photographed Dove Lake Boatshed. The Boatshed was built in 1940 by Lionel Connell, the first ranger stationed at the park. Constructed from local King Billy pine, the shed originally housed boats for tourists to explore the lake. Commonly used until the 1960s, it’s now vacant. Some restoration work was done in 1983 but the Boatshed is mostly original.

Dove Lake is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1982.

How to Get to the Dove Lake Circuit

The drive to Dove Lake is around 140km west of Launceston, taking around 1 hour and 50 minutes driving time.

From Hobart it’s 319km and takes approximately four hours.

When you arrive, park at the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre and take the shuttle bus service (10-15 minutes) to the Dove Lake car park. Shuttle bus tickets are included in the Parks Pass which is required to access the Cradle Mountain National Park.

The shuttle bus service protects the alpine environment. You can self-drive (cars only, no motorhomes or vans) to the small Dove Lake car park but usually only outside of shuttle bus operating hours.

Where to Stay Near the Dove Lake Circuit

I was travelling in my motorhome so I stayed a ten-minute drive away from the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre at Cradle Mountain Fishery and Camping. This is a private property set up for tents, motorhomes, and vans.

There are other accommodation options in Cradle Mountain ranging from budget to luxury.

Skill Level

Beginner-Intermediate

The walk is rated as Grade 3, meaning some bushwalking experience is recommended. There’s one moderate hill to climb and many steps. This is a very high standard track with various surfaces, which means unfortunately, it isn’t wheelchair accessible.

Essential Gear

• Water (there’s no drinking water on the track)
• Snacks
• Good quality waterproof jacket
• Warm layer like a fleece
• Beanie
• Camera
• A phone with a GPS map
• Closed-toe walking shoes – this isn’t the place for sandals
• Thermal top and a puffer jacket in winter

Read more: What to Pack in Your Hiking First Aid Kit

What It’s Like to Hike the Dove Lake Circuit

To gain the best views, it’s recommended to walk this trail clockwise!

I found the walk very peaceful, the only noise being the rippling water, wind, and some occasional buzzing insects.

The track undulates around Dove Lake, a glacially carved lake directly beneath the dolerite peak of Cradle Mountain, which is visible for most of the circuit.

I walked through alpine moorlands and magnificent ancient rainforest and the vegetation ranged from yellow and green to silvery grey. When I visited in February, there were some wildflowers too.

The walk is dominated by the basalt, craggy rocks rising up all around the icy waters of Dove Lake. There are rest stops with seating at various spots and I took advantage of each to take in the dramatic views.

The poetically named Ballroom Forest is dark and broody, a completely different landscape from the buttongrass on the other side of the lake.

Ballroom Forest is a cool temperate rainforest filled with ancient Myrtle beech trees with exposed roots, both of which are covered in moss so that the entire rainforest appears carpeted in green.

The forest area is cool with only dappled sunlight peeking through. The effect is stunningly magical…ethereal even. My imagination ran wild as I pictured fairies and other mythical creatures flying and flitting about.

I exited the Ballroom Forest and I was immediately returned to the light-filled shores of Dove Lake. A shock to the senses but how wonderful to be able to experience such diverse landscapes in a walk that only takes a couple of hours.

Nearing the end of the walk is the landmark Dove Lake Boatshed. Quite a crowd was happily gathered there when I visited, snapping photos and taking in the views.

Tips for Hiking the Dove Lake Circuit

• Stick to the path – ‘Plants grow by the inch and die by the foot’
• Keep a two-metre exclusion zone around wildlife
• Watch out for snakes – I spotted a black Tiger snake beside the path
• Leave no trace. This includes taking your rubbish out with you

Read more: Remember to Leave No Trace

Dove Lake Circuit FAQs

How long is the Dove Lake Circuit?

The track is a 6.2km loop and takes around two to three hours of walking.

Is the Dove Lake Circuit walking track hard?

No. This trail is reasonably easy thanks to its shortish length, although it is undulating. It’s not fully wheelchair accessible as there are too many steps.

Are there toilets on the Dove Lake Circuit?

There are toilets at the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre and at the Dove Lake Visitor Shelter.

Are there any accessible options?

Whilst the Dove Lake Circuit isn’t fully wheelchair accessible, there are some alternate accessible options:

• The Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre is fully accessible and there are accessible toilets at the Dove Lake Visitor Shelter
• The majority of the Cradle Mountain shuttle buses are wheelchair accessible
• The nearby Rainforest Walk is an all-weather boardwalk and suitable for most independent wheelchair users. This 500m flat loop trail is located at the rear of the Cradle Mountain Interpretive Centre
• The first half of the nearby Enchanted Walk is sealed and wheelchair accessible. This 1.1km circuit starts near the bridge crossing Pencil Pine Creek (also near the Cradle Mountain Interpretive Centre)
• There are accessible picnic areas

The writer travelled at her own expense but she was a guest of Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service. You can follow Leonie on Instagram @we_like_to_cruise_and_travel