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. Here are nine of the best spots for hiking in Adelaide.
1. Waterfall Gully to Mount Lofty
Where: Yurebilla Trail
Travel time from Adelaide: 35 minutes
Length: 7.8km/ 1.5-3 hours return
Difficulty: Medium
Waterfall Gully delivers a healthy dose of nature. (Image: Ben Goodes)
Description: This is Adelaide’s version of the Bondi to Coogee 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.
Climb for views from Mount Lofty.
2. First Falls Valley
Where: Morialta Conservation Park
Travel time from Adelaide: 25 minutes
Length: 1.7km/ 45 minutes return
Difficulty: Easy
Description: Hidden within one of Adelaide’s most popular parks, this glacial trail will take you down to Morialta Gorge and deliver plenty of cliffs, waterfalls and wildlife to keep you entertained along the way.
Breathtaking views from Morialta Conservation Park. (Image: Megan Crabb)
3. The Marion Coastal Walk
Where: Hallett Cove Boardwalk
Travel time from Adelaide: 35 minutes
Length: 10.2km return/ 4 hours
Difficulty: Medium/Hard
Description: Experience the rugged beauty of Adelaide’s coastline on 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.
The Sugarloaf is a highlight of the Marion Coastal Walk. (Image: Jessica-Coulter)
4. The River Torrens Linear Trail
Where: Torrens Lane Linear Park
Travel time from Adelaide: 25 minutes
Length: 30km/ 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 and finish at the coast.
For those who aren’t keen to trek the entire distance, several entry points along the trail will allow you to customise it to your preferred distance.
The River Torrens Linear Trail.
5. Coast Park Walking Trail
Where: From North Haven to Sellicks Beach
Travel time from Adelaide: 35 minutes
Length: 70km
Difficulty: Easy (but long!)
Description: In 2018, the Government of South Australia and six local councils announced a scheme to create a 70km 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.
Sellicks Beach marks the end of the 70-kilometre trail. (Image: Jesse Ehlers)
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 2.2 km to almost 10km.
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.
Port Noarlunga South is a great place to start, ending at Moana. (Image: Trent Martin Photography)
6. The Onkaparinga River Hike
Where: Onkaparinga River National Park
Travel time from Adelaide: 40 minutes
Length: 4.2km 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 fairly easy but quickly steepens as you descend into the gorge – which is something to remember for the way back!
The Onkaparinga River Hike.
7. Aldgate Valley nature walk
Where: The Adelaide Hills
Travel time from Adelaide: 25 minutes
Length: 13.6km/ 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.
Sy wildlife along the Aldgate Valley nature walk.
8. Waterfall Hike
Where: Belair National Park
Travel time from Adelaide: 20 minutes
Length: 6.5km/ 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.
9. Sugarloaf Circuit
Where: Cleland Conservation Park
Travel time from Adelaide: 20 minutes
Length: 5.8km/ 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.
Find kangaroos grazing alongside Sugarloaf Circuit.
