Whether you’re after a short, leisurely stroll or a more time-consuming and challenging hike, the Adelaide Hills offers a diverse mix of walking trails that cater to all fitness levels.
The serene bushland, seasonal waterfalls, wildlife and stunning views will leave you wondering why you didn’t explore these tracks sooner.
Wotton’s Scrub
Best left to more experienced bushwalkers, the Wotton’s Scrub hike is a 3.6km loop within the Kenneth Stirling Conservation Park.
The 1.5-hour walk begins and ends on Gum Flat Road at Carey Gully and weaves through stringybarks, native vegetation and some steep terrain.
The southern section of the trail is off-track, away from the designated fire trail, hence why it’s a trek best left to walkers who are used to the isolation.
The silence on this scrubland walk will only be broken by the chirp of birds and leaves crunching under foot.
Amy Gillett Pathway
The Amy Gillett Pathway is a bitumen path meandering through small towns and past wineries and scenic farmland.
Used by cyclists, walkers and horse riders, the track runs alongside an old railway line between Oakbank and Mt Torrens and was named after Amy Gillett, an Australian cyclist who tragically died in 2005 in a cycling accident in Germany.
The route is flat and traffic free, making it perfect for taking children or a leisurely walk and talk with a friend.
While the track is 17km one-way, it can be split up into smaller chunks; Oakbank to Woodside (5km), Woodside to Charleston (4.8km) or Charleston to Mt Torrens (7.3km).
Mt Barker Summit
The panoramic views at the top of Mt Barker Summit are definitely worth the climb.
There are a couple of trails to choose from – the quickest is the 500-metre return walk from the car park on Mount Summit Road to the peak.
At 513 metres above sea level, the summit offers a chance to take in jaw-dropping views of the region including the Lower Lakes of the Murray River, Onkaparinga Valley and Mt Lofty.
Hikers who are after a little more of a challenge can loop around the summit on the 1.7km trail that begins at the large boulder in the first car park near the radio towers.
The view at the top is arguably one of the best in the region.
Pioneer women’s trail
The 26km-long Pioneer Women’s Trail from Hahndorf to Beaumont honours the arduous journey of hundreds of women who walked the hard terrain in the 1800s.
The European women would carry up to 22kg of fresh produce from Hahndorf to sell in Adelaide, often making the six-hour journey barefoot or wearing clogs.
The trail was also used by Kaurna, Ngarrindjeri and Peramangk people trading and gathering for ceremonies.
The trek begins at Hahndorf and winds through Bridgewater and Mt George Conservation Park before descending to Beaumont.
It’s a trek left to serious walkers as it takes at least six hours to complete, winding along roads, creeks and isolated bush tracks.
Heysen Trail (Mylor to Cleland)
A serious bushwalker hasn’t experienced the best of what the Adelaide Hills has to offer unless they’ve tackled at least part of the famous Heysen Trail.
The entire trail is a 1200km trek – the longest in Australia – taking around 60 days to complete.
The Mylor to Cleland section is one of the most popular stretches – a 21km journey passing through parks, gardens and bushland of Bridgewater, Mt George Conservation Park and Mt Lofty Botanic Garden before finishing at Cleland National Park.
Taking about five-and-a-half hours to complete, this section of the trail offers a mixture of the Adelaide Hills’ best landscapes, from the serenity of the quiet bushland, to trickling waterways to the blazing autumnal colours of the botanic garden.
Mark Oliphant Conservation Park
This conservation park at Longwood has something to offer all levels of bushwalkers with a handful of trails varying in length and difficulty.
The Waterfall Trail is a 1.6km walk that takes about an hour to complete, with the highlight being the tranquil waterfall running during the wetter months of the year.
The Skink Trail is a 1.8km circuit of stringybark lined paths and narrow fire tracks and is the quickest hike, taking about 30 minutes to complete.
The 3.1km Bandicoot trail takes about an hour to finish and is named after the elusive southern brown bandicoot which you might be lucky enough to spot foraging in the area.
Walkers with a little more time can combine all three loops into a larger circuit and take in the variety of landscapes and wildlife.
