Trails
Pull on your walking shoes and head to one of South Australia's nature trails, designed to show off our native wildlife, birds and flora. Many walking trails are in national parks and regional areas, passing vineyards, historic towns and spectacular landscapes. Whether it's a relaxed one-hour stroll or a five-day trekking adventure, South Australia has a trail for you.
There's the 1200 kilometre Heysen Trail, named after famous artist, Sir Hans Heysen, stretching from Cape Jervis on the south coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula to Parachilna Gorge in the Flinders Ranges. This trail passes through some of South Australia's most scenic areas.
The Yurrebilla Trail links national and conservation parks in the Adelaide Hills. It traverses some of South Australia's most spectacular and interesting landscapes and provides a link between national and conservation parks in the central Mount Lofty Ranges. The trail is 54 kilometres long and can be walked in its entirety in three days or divided into shorter sections. Ranging from narrow single-person tracks to vehicle fire tracks, the Yurrebilla Trail passes many of the Adelaide Hills' top natural attractions, including Waterfall Gully, Mount Lofty Botanic Garden, Mount Lofty Summit and Cleland Wildlife Park.
The River Torrens Linear Trail, at more than 35 kilometres in length, is the longest hills-to-coast park in Australia. You can head east to the hills from Torrens Lake near the city centre, or west to the coast at Henley Beach. Extensive plantings of trees and shrubs create a sense of being hidden away from civilisation.
The Kidman Trail links McLaren Vale on the Fleurieu Peninsula to the Barossa. The first section of the trail from Willunga to Echunga is open, with the remaining sections to Kapunda in planning and development stages. The Kidman Trail provides a sustainable, safe and scenic trail that highlights the natural beauty, cultural history and major points of interest along the Mount Lofty Ranges. It uses tracks and trails through Forest Reserves and other accessible public land, quiet roads and unmade road reserves with trail markers indicating the route.
The Mawson Trail is an epic mountain bike or walking trail traversing the Mount Lofty and Flinders Ranges, from the Adelaide Festival Centre in the heart of the city to the Flinders Ranges town of Blinman. You'll travel over country roads, fire trails, station access tracks, and be rewarded with pectacular views, abundant wildlife and extensive vistas over the ranges and surrounding plains.
In the Riverland, stroll along the boardwalk at Banrock Station Wine and Wetland Centre and be surprised by the abundance of birdlife. And the Clare Valley's Riesling Trail is a walking and cycling route following a 25 kilometre route through the heart of the valley from Clare to Auburn.
Read more ideas in our Walking Experiences brochure [PDF 3.4 mb].
