I believe in falling in love again and again with the same person, finding deep layers of wonder each time i return to them. I have a similar philosophy when it comes to trails and this is dedicated to some of my favourite trails around Adelaide that I had the pleasure of knowing when I was feeling happy, sad, sore, angry, lonely, frustrated, joyous, smitten, heartbroken. I have ran them during day and night, through warmth and cold, when the leaves were falling and when the flowers were blooming.
Like most runners, I started off running on roads, but deep down I always knew I wanted to be on the trails. Once I discovered trail running, roads suddenly became a little harder to get excited about. The uphill struggle, the quietness, the wildlife, the summit views, and there is something about bombing down a narrow downhill path that road running has never quite managed to replicate for me. Here are some of the paved and unpaved trails that I have deeply enjoyed in the Adelaide. Some of these trails were where I went when I needed to clear my head; others became places where I celebrated small victories, escaped a bad day, or simply gave myself an excuse to spend a few hours getting muddy
1. Chambers Gully – Falling in love with the Adelaide Hills
10 km | Gravel Road, Single track trails | Sunset & Wildlife
Easily, the one that I have loved the most, a 10km loop with moderate elevation starting at the Chambers Gully Carpark that follows a winding gravel road all the way up to Long Ridge Lookout, followed by a steep and narrow downhill section for a few kms that joins back onto a point in the dirt road. Key highlights include sharing the company of groups of Kangaroos grazing along the slopes, a nice bench to take in the stunning sunset view of Adelaide, and a narrow descent that forces you to be completely present.
Every single time I ran this trail, I was treated to the presence of small groups of Kangaroos on this slope; it seems like the local hangout spot for the roos. If you get lucky, you can also spot echidnas, deer, koalas, foxes, or rabbits along the trail at dusk.
Long Ridge Lookout offers great views of Adelaide with the city lights, a backdrop of the painted sky, along with watching flights land and take off . You can usually have the whole space to yourself on weekdays or share it with a couple of hikers or runners during the weekend.
Even better, run the trail during spring to be treated to thousands of blooming lilies.
I love taking in the views, catching my breath, and then running the narrow downhill segment of the trail. There is no room for checking the scenery or thinking about whatever is going on in your life when you’re trying not to trip over a rock at speed.At times, when I don’t feel like running, it is still a great spot for a short hike.
2. River Torrens Linear Trail – A summer fling
Upto 35 km | Mostly Flat – Paved | Shade and Birds
This is the first running route in Adelaide that I fell in love with, during a short three-month stay at a nearby student accomodation. This became my go-to place to process some big emotions. I always start at Hamilton Reserve and run towards the hills. The route has plenty of shade, birds, and drink fountains.
The week i moved into a nearby suburb in October 2023, I was feeling very happy, went for a run and couldn’t stop running. Somehow, I ended up in the Adelaide Hills, and had to hitch a ride back and it was my longest run at that time – although perhaps not the most carefully planned one.
In September this year I returned to the same route after a long break, only this time I reached the hills and ran all the way back. This trail was also my training route to reach my fastest 5km and 10 km race times.
The River Torrens Linear Trail is quite popular in Adeliade and with the entire trail stretching for around 35 km from the Adelaide hills, through the CBD, and and all the way to Henley, I would love to run the entire thing one day.
3. Oaklands Wetland reserve – Friends, running, and ridiculous little achievements
5 km | Flat – Paved | Birds, ducks, a food truck
I find this great spot for an easy short run. For a brief and glorious period, I was the proud Strava Local Legend of a very short segment in the reserve. A title of enormous importance to absolutely nobody except me.
In addition, there is a great Nepalese food truck ‘Momo Mates’ with comforting steamed chicken momos and a spicy sauce. This may have influenced my affection for the place, more than I would like to admit.
For a longer run, the bike path can be followed all the way up to Glenelg. I enjoyed running this a few times with friends, grabbing an icecream at Glenelg and running back. The promise of an icecream makes the first half go faster, however I cannot say the same for the return leg.
4. Mt Osmond – Gorgeous trails
10 km | Trail | Hills & Sunset views
Right next to Chambers Gully lies this more popular trail, just under 10 km, that is part of the Mt Osmond Reserve. It never fails to deliver on stunning sunset views and beautiful trails, often leaving me feeling grateful to be just a 20-minute drive away.
I like to begin my run via the Pioneer Women Walking Trail from Brock Reserve, which sits alongside Dashwood Rd, followed by a steady climb that passes through Mt Osmond Lookout, and joins the Old Bullock Track for a while before heading down the same way.
There’s usually a small crowd at the lookout on weekends. If the crowd at the lookout isn’t your thing, there are plenty of quieter trails and hills nearby to disappear into.
5. Kuitpo Forest – Escaping the noise
10+ km | Gravcel road | Pine forest
Kutipo forest was my first official trail running event. The atmosphere created at te kuitpo forest hall by the trail running community was warm and joyous on that early winter morning. I had a nice cup of chai and an enjoyable run.
Most of the run was part of the Tinjella trail, a wide gravel road through a mix of pine forests and open spaces, with plenty of mushrooms along the trail. The drive to Kuitpo forest is under an hour from Adelaide. I found the drive and the trail a good option to take a break from the noise of eveyday life.
6. Sturt Gorge – A fun (wet & muddy) trail
14 km | Single track – Technical | Creek Crossings
I was really looking forward to running the Sturt Gorge 21 km event as part of the On The Trails series organised by Trail Running SA, which i had to cancel due to being sick. Instead, a week later, I did a 14 km run.The trail is mostly single track, slightly technichal with some scrambling over rocks and the a few creek crossings making sure I got my shoes wet and muddy. I also found a cool rock.It was a fun way to break into my new Decathlon trail running shoes. Definitely going to come back here again.
7. Waite Conservation Reserve Loop via Brown Hill – Not my cup of tea
10+ km | Steep trails | Hills &city views
A great 11 km trail that will get your heart rate up right from the start, and suitable for those seeking steep gradients, especially the climb up Brown Hill, which will reward you with wide views of Adelaide. The trail starts from the Waite Conservation Reserve, with a steep ascent through undisturbed trails offering plenty of shade from the trees on either side. Here is a trail map from Alltrails.
After climbing Brown Hill peak, the trail passes through some open grasslands and is ideal for an early Saturday morning run or a cloudy day, as it is very exposed when the sun is up. Fortunately, there was drizzle on this occasion, making the ground damp and giving off a fresh earthy smell.
The trees lining the trail are often home to the Crimson Rosellas, whose noises fill the otherwise quiet space. I also spotted a couple of Kangaroos. As it is a working research property for the University of Adelaide, it is also home to grazing cows and sheep.
Where to next?
These trails have been a huge part of my life in Adelaide, and running was that one consistent thing to look forward when everything else was uncertain. At the end of the day, the goal for me is to have fun. As a child, I loved playing outdoors and coming home with dirty hands and feet covered in mud. Trail running is just an excuse to get myslef muddy, and have fun. For now, I just want to keep exploring new trails and returning to my favourites whenever the day calls for it.
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