Dove Lake is a glacially carved lake that lies beneath Cradle Mountain, a mountain in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. Cradle Mountain is 1.5 hour’s drive from Devonport, or 2.5 hour’s drive from Launceston, and 4 hours and 20 minutes from Hobart.
It’s one of the most famous destinations in Tasmania, thanks to its natural beauty and the area around having over 20 different self-guided walking tracks, ranging from 20 minutes to 9 hours.
The Dove Lake circuit walk is a 6km track that takes you under the shadow of Cradle Mountain, through the tranquil Ballroom Forest, and back along the western shore of the lake to your starting point.
The hike is well maintained and passes by the lush vegetation of various species. You will see moss, sassafras, fagus, ancient myrtle-beech trees, and other plant species along the forest floor.
In the distance, you will see one of the walks highlight: Glacier Rock. The aptly named Glacier Rock was formed during the last Ice Age and remains of the glacial activity can still be seen on the rock surface, where striations can be seen.
It’s said that during the Ice Age, debris in the glacier toppled down the slopes and carved out the basin of the lake. As the rocks fell, they left scratches on the rock, which have become a unique feature of the rocks in this region.