About the Walking Trails

Minkarra Park is a park with two sections. In the south, the more popular section of the park contains a 400m wheelchair friendly trail loop, a playground, toilets, a dog park, skate park and BMX track. The southern section is dominated by river red gums and blue gums. The trails here are good quality dirt track, suitable for baby strollers, with some board walks. There are benches at regular spots along the main Flagstaff Rotary Walk trail. Access the southern section of the park via the carpark off Manning Road, Happy Valley, just 100 metres from Happy Valley Drive. The longest track around the park is approximately 1.8km. We’ve outlined the trail options below.

In the north, the park is larger and predominately pine plantation with some native vegetation, and has no facilities. Start from one of the gates on Reservoir Road, Happy Valley. There is roadside parking. You can walk a loop around this section of park, there are several shortcut options, the longest loop is about 2.3km. We’ve outlined the trail options below.

The two sections of park are connected by an informal narrow, dirt track, with slight incline, but quite safe, though not suitable for baby strollers and lies between the road and the Flagstaff Hill golf course. This trail follows a roadside footpath for 300m, between a guardrail and fence. With the future opening up of the Happy Valley Reservoir by SA Water and the Department for Environment and Water, we hope trail access here will be improved with a new constructed trail.

The Flagstaff Rotary Walk is actually both sections of the trail, with that connecting section being labelled a `future stage` trail.

The name `Mikarra`, meaning `in presence of` in Kaurna, reflects that Minkarra Park is a park for everyone and acknowledges Aboriginal cultural heritage throughout the region.

The Flagstaff Rotary Walk was developed from a 1996 concept from the Flagstaff Rotary Club.

Off-leash dog walking is permitted in both sections of the park, but dogs must be under effective control.

Minkarra Park is sometimes spelled Minkara Park.

Trail Options

We’ve outlined 4 trail options:

  A short southern loop (wheelchair friendly) (marked in blue)

A 400 metre loop, starting from the main carpark. The trail here is of good quality compacted gravel/dirt, suitable for wheelchair users and prams.

  A southern loop (marked in red)

You can walk a 1.8km loop, by heading north along the main Flagstaff Rotary Walk trail, starting from the main carpark. Although the first half of the trail here is of the good quality compacted gravel/dirt, it is less suitable for wheelchair users and prams due to inclines, and the return section along the eastern edge of the park is generally unconstructed path. Walking clockwise, head north then east to Glenhuntly Reserve. At the gate out to the reserve, starts a more informal unconstructed path that follows the park boundary south back to Minkarra Creek, before heading west to meet back up with the main Flagstaff Rotary Walk trail.

  A northern loop (marked in yellow)

A 2.3km route along the trails in the northern section of the park. You can choose from various shortcuts. Start from one of the gates on Reservoir Road, Happy Valley.

  A full loop of both park sections (marked in green)

Experience both sections of the park, on this 5.4km long loop.

Start in the southern section of the park from the carpark off Manning Road, Happy Valley. Head north along the main Flagstaff Rotary Walk trail. After crossing several boardwalks and walking up a rise, the trail turns 90 degrees to head to Glenhuntly Reserve – instead of following that, head off to the north along the narrow trail that follows Happy Valley Drive. Near the northern section, the path crosses fence, which you will need to step over, to enter the northern section. Walk a loop around the northern section, then retrace your steps back along the narrow trail following Happy Valley Drive. When you meet back up with the main Flagstaff Rotary Walk trail again, head east to Glenhuntly Reserve. At the gate out to the reserve, starts a more informal unconstructed path that follows the park boundary south back to Minkarra Creek, before heading west to meet back up with the main Flagstaff Rotary Walk trail. Alternatively you could start in the northern section of the park, from one of the gates on Reservoir Road, Happy Valley, and walk south into the southern section of the park, looping around to return to where you started in the northern section.