Walking & Hiking
Trails & Long Walks
The best walking & hiking in Onkaparinga
The Fleurieu is the start of the epic Heysen Trail and is crossed by the Kidman Trail and dozens of short coastal walks. From half-hour lookouts to multi-day trail sections, every level of walker is catered for.
For walkers, the Fleurieu Peninsula is where South Australia's most famous long-distance trail begins. The Heysen Trail starts at the lighthouse at Cape Jervis and threads north through Deep Creek National Park — the largest area of natural bushland on the peninsula — past clifftop lookouts, hidden beaches and forested gullies.
You don't need to be a long-distance hiker to enjoy it. The Fleurieu is laced with short, rewarding walks: tiered waterfalls like Ingalalla and Hindmarsh Falls that run best after winter and spring rain, coastal clifftop trails around Victor Harbor and the Bluff, and gentle rail trails such as the Encounter Bikeway and the Shiraz Trail through the McLaren Vale vineyards.
Walks here range from easy 30-minute strolls to full-day Grade 4 hikes, so check the distance and grade before you set out. The cooler months from autumn to spring are the most comfortable for walking, and spring brings wildflowers to the conservation parks. Carry water, sun protection and a charged phone — many trails are in remote country with patchy reception — and always check park alerts for seasonal closures and fire-danger days.
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