The Best Walking Trails in the Barossa
Ten walks that prove the valley rewards boots as richly as it rewards glasses.
The Barossa hides a surprising amount of genuinely good walking behind its vines. A ring of conservation parks and forests climbs the ranges on every side of the valley, and the trails range from twenty-minute strolls to a full-blown long-distance epic. Most are free, none are crowded, and several - like the diggings of the Barossa Goldfields - come with history thrown in. For the wider picture of the valley's wild edges, read Wild Barossa; for what to do when you're done walking, the cellar doors will still be there.
-
1
AngastonKaiserstuhl Conservation Park
The valley's classic bushwalk: loop trails through stringybark ridges above Tanunda, with spring orchids, grazing kangaroos and glimpses back over the vines.
See place → -
2
WilliamstownHale Conservation Park
A four-kilometre circuit that earns its sweat - rocky lookouts over the South Para valley, a seasonal waterfall and the glitter of old mica diggings.
See place → -
3Williamstown
Barossa Goldfields
Walk through an 1868 gold rush on three signposted loops past shafts, mullock heaps and miners' cottage ruins. Quiet, atmospheric and utterly overlooked.
See place → -
4
WilliamstownMount Crawford Forest Reserve
Heysen Trail loops link native ridgeline forest with cathedral-quiet pine plantation. Over 12,000 hectares means you can walk all day without repeating a step.
See place → -
5
TanundaMengler Hill Sculpture Trail
Short and scenic: wander between granite sculptures just below the Barossa's most famous lookout, with the whole valley spread out as a backdrop.
See place → -
6
WilliamstownPara Wirra Conservation Park
Gorges, ridgetop views, emus and kangaroos in the valley's south-western corner - with trail options from lazy lakeside strolls to half-day hikes.
See place → -
7
LyndochSandy Creek Conservation Park
Easy sandy-track loops through native pine and pink gum woodland that hosts more than 130 bird species, including the exquisite diamond firetail.
See place → -
8
LyndochThe Barossa Trail
Forty sealed, car-free kilometres from Gawler to Angaston. Walk a town-to-town leg and catch a lift back - Lyndoch to Tanunda is the pick.
See place → -
9
NuriootpaNuriootpa Linear Park
The locals' daily constitutional: a shady river walk along the North Para through the heart of Nuriootpa, pram- and dog-friendly the whole way.
See place → -
10
StockwellLavender Federation Trail (Barossa Section)
For the ambitious: the 325 km Murray Bridge-to-Clare trail crosses the Barossa's wild eastern rim, with day-walk spurs into Truro and Keyneton.
See place →
Carry water, start early in summer, and keep an eye out for kangaroos at dawn and dusk - on most of these trails they outnumber the walkers.
More like this
A Barossa Family Day Out
A kid-friendly loop of bakeries, playgrounds, gentle walks and free lookouts that keeps everyone happy without skipping the good stuff.
Top 10
The Best Free Things to Do in the Barossa
Wine country has a reputation for emptying wallets, but some of the Barossa's best experiences cost nothing at all.
Top 10
The Best Wildlife & Nature Spots in the Barossa
Kangaroos at dawn, diamond firetails in the pines, echidnas on the ridges: the ten best places to meet the Barossa's wildlife, ranked.
Top 10
The Best Family Activities in the Barossa
Travelling the Barossa with children? These are the stops that keep the under-tens entertained while the grown-ups still get a taste of the valley.
Top 10
Best Things to Do in Barossa Valley
A hand-picked guide to the Barossa's must-do experiences - historic wineries, Maggie Beer's farm eatery, the Whispering Wall, hilltop sculpture walks and the region's best local produce.
Guide
A Barossa Outdoors & Nature Day
Swap the tasting bench for walking boots. This day links the Barossa’s best reserves, reservoirs and lookouts for a green, active escape that the wine crowds miss.
Image credits
- Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park and Native Forest Reserve.JPG by Debmoylewiki , CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons