Challenging hikes in South Australia’s national parks

These trails offer every­thing from steep climbs to breath­tak­ing look­outs, per­fect for those look­ing to push their lim­its. Whether you’re an expe­ri­enced hik­er or sim­ply seek­ing a week­end adven­ture, these hikes will test your endurance and reward you with stun­ning views.

Mori­al­ta Con­ser­va­tion Park: Third Falls Hike

If you’re up for an adven­ture, the Third Falls Hikein Mori­al­ta Con­ser­va­tion Park is call­ing your name. 

This Grade 3, 7.3 km trail is a mod­er­ate­ly chal­leng­ing hike that takes around 3.5 hours to com­plete. What makes it spe­cial? You’ll get to see all three of Morialta’s icon­ic water­falls while nav­i­gat­ing steep sec­tions and rocky, uneven surfaces.

Rangers rec­om­mend hik­ing this trail in a clock­wise direc­tion to make the most of the dra­mat­ic cliff views and out­stand­ing look­outs, includ­ing Deep View and Kook­abur­ra Rock.

Be mind­ful that the path can be slip­pery when wet, so it’s best to go pre­pared with stur­dy footwear.

Mori­al­ta Con­ser­va­tion Park: Sec­ond Falls Gorge Hike

For those who love a good work­out with a view, the Sec­ond Falls Gorge Hike is a must-do. This 5.3 km trail is a real heart-starter, offer­ing incred­i­ble views of Mori­al­ta Gorge from the First and Sec­ond Falls look­outs. It’s a Grade 3 mod­er­ate hike that will stretch your legs and get your blood pumping.

The climb up to Deep View Look­out rewards you with mag­nif­i­cent views of the city. If you’re look­ing for a slight­ly eas­i­er gra­di­ent, con­sid­er tack­ling this hike in an anti-clock­wise direc­tion. Either way, you’ll be treat­ed to some of the best views Mori­al­ta has to offer.

Cle­land Nation­al Park: Cham­bers Gul­ly to Mount Lofty

Now, if you’re real­ly look­ing to test your lim­its, the Cham­bers Gul­ly to Mount Lofty hike is one of the most demand­ing trails around. This Grade 4, 15 km cir­cuit takes between 3 to 5 hours to com­plete, depend­ing on your pace. The steep tracks are not for the faint-heart­ed, but the pay­off is worth it.

Start­ing from the small carpark oppo­site 67 Water­fall Gul­ly Road, you’ll pass through a cool, fern-lined oasis before the real chal­lenge begins. As you climb, you’ll be treat­ed to breath­tak­ing ridge-top views of the city and coast. Keep an eye out for cock­a­toos, but­ter­flies, and even bandi­coots along the way. This hike is as reward­ing as it is challenging.

Cle­land Nation­al Park: Meas­day Hike

In the south­ern reach­es of Cle­land Nation­al Park, the Meas­day Hike offers a seclud­ed 4.8 km cir­cuit that’s per­fect for those who enjoy a qui­eter trail. This Grade 3 mod­er­ate hike takes about 2 hours and leads you through stun­ning gul­ly views before descend­ing to explore the creek run­ning along the gully’s length.

The trail is par­tic­u­lar­ly beau­ti­ful in win­ter and spring when the creek is flow­ing, adding an extra lay­er of tran­quil­li­ty to your hike. It’s a peace­ful escape that chal­lenges with­out overwhelming.

Anstey Hill Recre­ation Park: Yel­low-tailed Loop

Anstey Hill Recre­ation Park’sYel­low-tailed Loop is anoth­er tough but reward­ing trail. This Grade 4, 6.2 km cir­cuit takes around 2 to 3 hours to com­plete and fea­tures some steep climbs. 

The superb views over the Ade­laide Plains and the chance to see local wildlife, includ­ing the yel­low-tailed black cock­a­too, make every step worth­while. These cock­a­toos feed on the droop­ing sheoak and Hakea found in this area, mak­ing it a fan­tas­tic spot for bird enthu­si­asts.

The loop also takes you past the ruins of New­mans Nurs­ery. Plus, if you have a four-legged friend, they’re wel­come to join you, pro­vid­ed they stay on a lead. The wide fire tracks are great for hav­ing a chat amongst friends, mak­ing this trail as social as it is scenic.

Anstey Hill Recre­ation Park: Pink Gum Loop

For a short­er yet still chal­leng­ing hike, try the Pink Gum Loop. This 3.1 km cir­cuit is a Grade 4 hard hike that takes about 90 min­utes to com­plete. Ide­al for hik­ers and trail run­ners, this loop show­cas­es the rare Pink Gum, along with oth­er threat­ened plant species like the Pale Leek-orchid and Slen­der Greenhood.

Start­ing from Gate 3 on Per­se­ver­ance Road, you can choose your direc­tion on this loop. Be cau­tious on the descent, as the fire track can be dusty with loose gravel.

Para Wirra Con­ser­va­tion Park: Devil’s Nose Hike

Final­ly, the Devil’s Nose Hikein Para Wirra Con­ser­va­tion Park offers an intense chal­lenge. This 4.4 km Grade 4 hard hike takes about 2 hours and rewards you with sweep­ing views of the Barossa Range, Gawler Dis­trict, South Para Gorge, and Mis­ery Farm.

The trail fol­lows a ridge top walk to the Devil’s Nose Look­out, so don’t for­get your cam­era. The rocky out­crops can be dan­ger­ous, so make sure to super­vise chil­dren close­ly if they’re join­ing you on this hike. 

Ready to Hit the Trails?

These chal­leng­ing hikes across South Australia’s nation­al parks are per­fect for those who love to push them­selves and enjoy the rewards of stun­ning nat­ur­al beauty. 

Many of our parks offer down­load­able PDF maps so you can choose a trail that’s right for you. Head over to your cho­sen park’s page and tap on the​‘Maps’ tab.

Got a smart­phone or tablet? Down­load the free Aven­za PDF Map app to keep inter­ac­tive nation­al park maps right at your fingertips! 

Just remem­ber to pre­pare accord­ing­ly, take plen­ty of water, and most impor­tant­ly, enjoy the journey. 

Share your adven­tures with us! Fol­low the Nation­al Parks Insta­gram and Face­book page, and don’t for­get to tag us!

Find out more about the Aus­tralian walk­ing track grad­ing sys­tem here.