The 10 best hikes around Adelaide

Saying you’ve conquered the Waterfall Gully to Mount Lofty summit is kind of an Adelaidean rite of passage. The path on this walk is sealed, but don’t let that trick you into thinking you're in for an easy ride. The very steep hike will have you breaking a sweat, but the views at the top are worth it. To sweeten the deal, there’s also food and drink available at The Summit Café. It's not the city’s most popular hike for nothing. 

Where: Starts at Waterfall Gully car park, Cleland Conservation Park
Drive time from CBD: 20 mins
Distance (return): 7.8km
Duration: 2 hrs 30 mins
Difficulty: Moderate

This quick and easy walk is a great way to spot some adorable Australian fauna. Despite it being a fairly well-trodden path, you might run into some kangaroos or koalas. The elevation is gentle, so you won’t need to work too hard to get to the stunning waterfall at the end of the track. How’s that for having your cake and eating it too. The start of the trail is home to a car park for easy access. 

Where: Starts from car park at end of Morialta Falls Rd, Morialta Conservation Park
Drive time from CBD: 20 mins 
Distance (return): 3.9km
Duration: 1 hr
Difficulty: Easy

When you just don’t feel like getting down and dirty, the boardwalk of the Marion Coast walking trail will keep those shoes away from mud and bushland. Swap out the greenery for the blue of SA’s rugged coastline. The path winds all the way through many a gully, so be prepared for steps, and lots of them. If it’s a good cardio sesh that you’re seeking, Hallett Cove is waiting for you. 

Where: Starts from Burnham Road, Marino Esplanade, Hallett Cove
Drive time from CBD: 30 mins 
Distance (one way): 5.1 km
Duration: 1 hr
Difficulty: Moderate

Whether it’s your intention or not, you'll be taking a digital detox here: cell phone reception is limited. If anything, that marks the sign of a promising walk. The path is a steep one but it'll bring you from the lowest of creeks and waterfalls to the highest of perches for views out across blue waters as far as the eye can see. Rest assured that the Fleurieu Peninsula looks just as magical as it sounds. If you’re not feeling up to 12 whole kilometres of ups and downs, the track splits up into four smaller sections for your hiking pleasure. 

Where: Starts from Trig Picnic Area or Tapanappa Ridge Lookout, Deep Creek National Park
Drive time from CBD: 1 hr 45 mins 
Distance (return): 12km
Duration: 5 hr
Difficulty: Hard

Want to take a guess at how many waterfalls you’ll pass on this circuit? If you said three, well, gold star to you. The aptly named Three Falls Grand Hike hugs the edge of the gorge at Morialta Conservation Park, making for some pretty sublime eye candy. To make things nice and easy, you can get here via the Adelaide Metro Bus, but there are also two car parks along the way.

Where: Starts from top car park at end of Morialta Falls Road, Morialta Conservation Park
Drive time from CBD: 25 mins
Distance (return): 7.3km
Duration: 3.5 hrs
Difficulty: Moderate

The whole Adelaide Coastal Walk spans 70 kilometres, so we’re not going to send you packing (unless your boots are made for walking, that is). The walk can be broken up into a plethora of different stops between towns, but we’re claiming the Henley Square to Glenelg route as our top pick. Not only do both seaside towns feature on our best beaches in Adelaide list, but the walk is dotted with charming eateries, historic sites, wind turbines, and it’s pretty easy on the eye too. Catch the bus from Adelaide to Henley Beach and spend your day meandering back to Glenelg. 

Where: Starts at North Haven or Sellicks Beach
Drive time from CBD: 20 mins
Distance (one way): 7.1km
Duration: 1 hr 30 mins
Difficulty: Easy

If you're after a bushwalk that packs in a bit of everything, Belair National Park is hard to beat. Its scenic trails wind through native bushland, rocky escarpments and the historic Echo Tunnel, with seasonal upper and lower waterfalls flowing after winter rain. Keep an eye out for koalas, kangaroos, emus and, if you're lucky, the elusive southern brown bandicoot. Spring brings a colourful display of wildflowers and orchids, making it an especially beautiful time to visit. Better still, it's one of South Australia's few dog-friendly national parks, so your four-legged hiking buddy can come along too – on a lead, of course.

Where: Starts from the Pines carpark
Drive time from CBD: 20 mins 
Distance (one way): 6.5km
Duration: 2.5 hrs
Difficulty: Moderate

This nifty five-kilometre walk is just one of many in Onkaparinga River National Park. While this one looks out over the breathtaking Onkaparinga Gorge, other walks traipse through waterholes and get you right up and close with the gorge action. Hot tip: try to visit this one in the warmer months or you might risk parts of the track being submerged in water. 

Where: Starts at Gate 11 car park on Piggott Range Road, Onkaparinga River National Park
Drive time from CBD: 40 mins 
Distance (return): 5km
Duration: 1 hr 30 mins
Difficulty: Moderate

If you want, you could call this nice long journey between Aldgate and Mylor the Aldgate Valley Nature Walk. Or you could more adorably refer to it as the ‘Valley of the Bandicoots’. The undulating path through multiple nature reserves might just bring you face to face with, you guessed it, some little southern brown bandicoots, or kangaroos, koalas and echidnas. 

Where: Starts at Mylor Parklands or at intersection of Mount Barker and Strathalbyn Roads in Aldgate
Drive time from CBD: 30 mins 
Distance (return): 14km
Duration: 3hr 30 mins
Difficulty: Moderate 

This circuit can be done in either direction: some say if you go clockwise, you’ll make the incline easier on yourself, but most say to opt for anticlockwise, getting the steep section done early on so you don’t need to climb down the rocks later. Your efforts will be rewarded with panoramic views over Adelaide Plains.

Where: Starts at end of Addison Avenue, Black Hill Conservation Park
Drive time from CBD: 30 mins
Duration (return): 4.2km
Duration: 2 hrs
Difficulty: Hard