Nine Best Walks in Adelaide
South Australia is known for its incredible landscapes and exploring Adelaide and surrounds on foot will give you a taste of its wild beauty.Whether you’re looking to traverse sandstone cliffs, established boardwalks, sandy-inlets or spot kangaroos grazing along trails, Adelaide is blessed with a stunning array of options for walkers in search of everything from a stroll to a more strenuous hike in the great outdoors. The only problem is deciding where to start…
Where: Yurebilla Trail
Travel time from Adelaide: 35 minutes
Length: 4.8mi/ 1.5 – 3 hours return
Difficulty: Medium
Description: This is Adelaide’s version of the
Bondi to Bronte coastal walk. A popular walk among both locals and tourists,
this spot is well equipped with signage, benches, a clear path and cafes at
each end. You’ll pass a mix of leisurely walkers, runners and others in
training for distant trekking and hiking.
There are a few steep sections, with a couple of hard hills,
so be sure to wear sturdy exercise footwear.
Where: Morialta Conservation Park
Travel time from Adelaide: 25 minutes
Length: 1mi/ 45 minutes return
Difficulty: Easy
Description: Hidden within one of Adelaide’s
most popular parks, this glacial trail will take you right down to Morialta
Gorge and deliver plenty of cliffs, waterfalls and wildlife to keep you
entertained along the way.
Where: Hallett Cove Boardwalk
Travel time from Adelaide: 35 minutes
Length: 6.25mi return/ 4 hours
Difficulty: Medium/Hard
Description: Experience the rugged beauty of
Adelaide’s coastline in this clifftop boardwalk between Marino and Hallett
Cove.
There are lots of steps, pathways and boardwalks to navigate
as you take the time to admire the rocky cliffs and reef platforms on the
descent through numerous gullies and bends. It’s a good one for keeping fit,
too – you can thank the abundance of ascending and descending stairways for
that.
4. The River Torrens Linear Trail
Where: Torrens Lane Linear Park
Travel time from Adelaide: 25 minutes
Length: 18.5mi/ 5 hours
Difficulty: Hard
Description: Marvel at the city of Adelaide as you explore it on foot via the River Torrens Linear Park trail – one of the most popular trails in the city. The trail will take you from the Adelaide foothills, wind its way through the CBD/downtown and finish at the coast.
For those who aren’t keen to trek the entire distance, there
are a number of entry points along the trail that will allow you to customize
it to your preferred distance.
Where: From North Haven to Sellicks Beach
Travel time from Adelaide: 35 minutes
Length: 44mi
Difficulty: Easy (but long!)
Description: In 2018, the Government of South Australia and six local councils announced a scheme to create a 44mi walking and cycling path along the metropolitan Adelaide coastline. Stretching from North Haven to Sellick’s Beach, it has been progressively developed since 1992, and construction on the last section is in its final stages.
Start anywhere, stop anywhere, have a coffee or walk the dog along your preferred section of the trail. The walking distance between beaches ranges from 1.5mi to almost 6mi.
For those keen to just tackle one section of the walk, Port
Noarlunga South to Moana is the most popular stretch of the trail. It provides
coastal views of Gulf St Vincent and passes through family-friendly reserves,
playgrounds and picnic areas.
Where: Onkaparinga River National Park
Travel time from Adelaide: 40 minutes
Length: 2.6mi return/ 2.5 hours
Difficulty: Medium
Description: Beginning at Gate 15 on Chapel Hill
Road, this spectacular gorge walk will take you down into valleys, underneath
winding cliffs and to the edge of waterholes. The trail starts off fairly easy
but quickly steepens as you descend into the gorge – which is something to
remember for the way back!
Where: The Adelaide Hills
Travel time from Adelaide: 25 minutes
Length: 8.4mi/ 3.5 hours return
Difficulty: Medium
Description: A versatile walk through native bushland.
This trail connects a series of nature reserves that are all worthy of
exploring on foot.
Begin at either Mylor or Aldgate, and spend your hours
traversing through the Mylor Parklands, Aldgate Valley, Kyle Road Nature
Reserve and the Nurrutti Reserve. Stop for a bite to eat at the Aldgate Pump
Hotel or the Harvest Cafe.
Be sure to also keep your eyes peeled for the variety of
wildlife that call this valley home. There are the usual suspects: kangaroos,
possums, koalas and echidnas, but also the southern brown bandicoot. The
notoriously shy creatures can often be spotted foraging for food in the early
evening.
Where: Belair National Park
Travel time from Adelaide: 20 minutes
Length: 4mi/ 3 hours return
Difficulty: Medium
Description: This scenic track guides walkers
through the two Belair National Park waterfalls – the lower and the upper.
Both waterfalls are large in scale after heavy rainfall, but
are often down to a trickle of water for most of the year. Attempt to time your
visit with a good downpour to see these waterfalls in full force.
Stand to take photos on the lower waterfall viewing platform
before the walking trail takes you past the top of the upper one. There are
some steep sections, particularly around Echo Tunnel, and non-fenced escarpment
lookouts can mean the cliff edges are slippery at times, so be sure to wear
sturdy walking shoes.
Where: Cleland Conservation Park
Travel time from Adelaide: 20 minutes
Length: 3.6mi/ 3 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Description: Those with an affinity for wildlife
should take note of the Sugarloaf Circuit. A trip down this escarpment often
brings hikers face to face with koalas, kangaroos and an array of birds.
Park the car at Waterfall Gully Road, then follow the
Chambers Gully Track. While the Sugarloaf Circuit is enough to keep you busy,
you can extend the journey by following the signs to Long Ridge Lookout to
check out those famous panoramic views over Adelaide City and Glenelg.
