We’ve compiled a handy list of tools and resources for walkers, so you can find places to hike or bushwalk.
National Park closures
Find out about park and trail closures before encountering closure signs when walking in a national park. View the current closures and alerts for National Parks and Wildlife Service SA.
Walking SA Shortlists of Best Walks
We’ve short listed some of the best places to walk, hike or bushwalk across South Australia. View the 34 themed lists.
Walking SA trails directory
With 800 trails listed, find a place to walk, hike or bushwalk across South Australia. From a 1 hour walk near your home with your dog, to a half day hike in a national park, or a longer trail further afield, you’re only ever two feet from some of the best places in South Australia.
Walking SA Education
Walking SA Education is offers bushwalking training and accreditation. This is a new addition to the range of services and support provided by Walking SA for the South Australian walking community. The aim is to provide accessible training and accreditation for volunteers, youth leaders, teachers, personal trainers, support workers, therapists and outdoor educators at the nationally recognised standard.
List of walking clubs in SA
A list of walking clubs in South Australia. Finding a new place to go for a bushwalk and friends to go with is easy with a club. It’s also a great way to try out hiking, and meet others with a shared interest in walking.
Bushwalking Leadership South Australia
Bushwalking Leadership South Australia (BLSA) have trained walk leaders in South Australia since 1973. The Leadership certificates have been developed over time by highly experienced people. As a result they are a requirement of the South Australian Education Department for leaders and teacher when conducting day and multi day bushwalking expeditions with students.
Australian Adventure Activity Standard (AAAS)
The Australian Adventure Activity Standard (AAAS) and related Good Practice Guides (GPGs) provide a voluntary good-practice framework for safe and responsible planning and delivery of led outdoor adventure activities with dependent participants.
Bushwalking Australian Adventure Activity Good Practice Guide
The Good Practice Guide (GPG) for Bushwalking is a voluntary good-practice framework for safe and responsible planning and delivery of outdoor adventure activities with dependent participants. It provides guidance on safety and other aspects of responsible activity delivery, such as respect for the environment, cultural heritage and other users.
Bushwalking Manual
Information and guidelines for safe and enjoyable bushwalking in Australia. This manual provides guidelines and information for safe and enjoyable community-based bushwalking across Australia.
Nature and heart health – just what the doctor ordered!
How many times have you stepped outside, gone for a walk in a park or forest and come away feeling calmer, more relaxed and refreshed? There’s a good reason – spending just two hours in nature each week has positive health and wellbeing benefits. Nature allows us to switch off from the pressures of everyday life. It provides a mental break from the visual complexity, noise, intensity and constant movement in urban areas.
The Basics of Walk Grades (the Australian Walking Track Grading System)
The Australian Walking Track Grading System is a national standard to help you work out if a walk will suit your level of fitness and experience. All national parks have been graded using this system, making sure there’s a fit for every footstep.
Closures Due to Prescribed Burns
Find out where and when prescribed burns are happening near you. Find out about park and trail closures before encountering closure signs when walking in a national park.
National Parks and Wildlife Service conducts a statewide program of prescribed burns to reduce the spread and intensity of bushfires, protect communities and enhance biodiversity. They are just one tool used to reduce fuel loads across strategic areas of public and private land.
Know Before You Go to our National Parks
Find out about key information including accessibility, camping, pets, fires and safety before visiting one of the state’s national parks.
User Guide to the Australian Walking Track Grading System
The Australian Walking Track Grading System is a national standard to help you work out if a walk will suit your level of fitness and experience. All national parks have been graded using this system, making sure there’s a fit for every footstep.
The user guide booklet shows you how to apply the Australian Walking Track Grading System.
National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia
National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia is the home of South Australia’s most inspiring natural places.
From seemingly endless red sand dunes to rugged mountain scenery, sandy beaches, diverse bushland and cherished picnic and camping grounds, South Australia boasts an extensive and comprehensive parks system.
View current closures and alerts.
ForestrySA
Thousands of people visit ForestrySA’s Mount Lofty Ranges forests each year to enjoy bushwalking and hiking.
Their well-marked network of shared-use trails make our forests the perfect destination for walking and other activities.
Rail Trails Australia
Rail trails follow the routes of former railways. They cut through hills, over embankments and across gullies and creeks. Most have a gravel or dirt surface and are great for walking, mountain bikes and horses.
ForestrySA Trail Closures and Re-Routes
Our pine forests are working, commercial forests and certain areas may be closed or restricted at times for operations such as planting, harvesting, firebreak maintenance and prescribed burning.
Forest operations sites can be dangerous places, involving heavy vehicles and machinery, falling trees and loud noise. In the interest of public safety, visitor access is temporarily prohibited.
For your own safety please keep out, follow all site signage and obey instructions from staff.
Aboriginal landmarks and experiences
Your guide to the best Aboriginal landmarks and experiences in South Australia.
From the city to to some of the most remote and beautiful corners of our state – First Nations people are the custodians and traditional owners of South Australia.
Whose Country Am I On?
Many people and organisations want to know whose country they are on to recognise and show their respect for traditional owners.
The 7 Principles of Leave No Trace
An easily understood framework of minimum impact practices for anyone visiting the outdoors. The Principles can be applied anywhere — from remote wilderness areas, to local parks and even in your backyard.
FloraSA
FloraSA is a great SA Govenment resource to help you identify and learn about our local flora. Search over 11,000 current taxa of plants, algae and fungi in South Australia. Search by major group type, taxonomic rank, native status, region and conversation status.
Identifying declared weeds in SA
When walking you can see and learn about distinguishing our local flora from weeds, including invasive weeds and Declared Weeds. Weeds are plants that grow wild and have negative impacts on native vegetation, primary industries, or human health.
Conservation Council of SA
As the peak body for SA’s environment, the Conservation Council speaks for our environment, advocating solutions to government, engaging with the community and informing through the media. They’re committed to protecting, restoring and conserving our unique and beautiful natural spaces, and promoting a truly sustainable future for our state.
Friends of Parks and Nature South Australia
The Friends strongly support the protection of flora, fauna, heritage, and important or significant sites, and support a network of robust park-based volunteer groups. Together, these groups represent a membership of over 5000 volunteers whose common interest is the protection and enhancement of South Australia’s natural and/or cultural heritage.
Adelaide Bushwalkers Hiking Tips
Use the checklist of equipment to ensure you are adequately prepared for a weekend hike, food ideas, water, first aid list, rules, minimal impact bushwalking and what to do if you get separated from the group.
Atlas of Living Australia
A great free resource where you can search by location for the flora and fauna species in that area.
SunSmart Global UV app
Protect yourself when the UV is at damaging levels with the SunSmart Global UV app.
The SunSmart Global UV app takes the guesswork out of being safe in the sun with daily sun protection times sent to your phone along with simple advice for protecting your skin. Sun protection is recommended when the UV level is 3 or above.
Knowing when sun protection is recommended wherever you are in the world gives you confidence to enjoy the sun safely, minimizing the risk of skin damage which can lead to cancer.
Emergency Plus app
Save the App that could save your life. The app uses GPS functionality built into smart phones to help a Triple Zero (000) caller provide critical location details required to mobilise emergency services.
Alert SA app
Get a Heads-Up from Danger! Download the Alert SA App, and add your Watch Zones today! The official SA Government app provides information about fire, hazardous materials, severe weather, floods, heatwaves, and fire danger ratings from the Country Fire Service, Metropolitan Fire Service, and State Emergency Service.
Understanding Fire Danger Ratings
The Fire Danger Rating System is your simplified survival tool for daily forecasts about how dangerous a bushfire would be if it broke out, and what you need to do to stay safe on Moderate, High, Extreme and Catastrophic days. Help to assess your level of bushfire risk in order to decide what actions to take. The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts the rating each day. The higher the Fire Danger Rating, the more dangerous the fire conditions.
Avenza app
Your pocket guide – maps on your mobile. Got a smartphone or tablet? You’re in luck! Download the free Avenza PDF Map app and have national park maps at your fingertips — literally. This handy app taps into your device’s built-in GPS, mapping out your real-time location within the park. And the best part? You can use it offline.
Alltrails site & app
Search trails with trail info, maps, detailed reviews, and photos curated by millions of hikers, campers, and nature lovers like you.
Nature Maps
NatureMaps which is a free online mapping website provided by the Department for Environment and Water (Government of South Australia). Although it’s primarily used to help manage South Australia’s natural resources, it can produce topographic maps complete with contours, grid lines, walking tracks, and a number of other useful features. You can use it to create your very own route map for hiking.
What3words
Street addresses aren’t accurate enough to specify precise locations, such as building entrances, and don’t exist for parks and many rural areas. What3words divides the world into 3 metre squares and gives each square a unique combination of three words. It’s the easiest way to find and share exact locations. Use for navigation, emergencies and more.
Bureau of Meteorology website and app
The Bureau of Meteorology provides the Australian community with access to weather forecasts, severe weather warnings, observations, flood information, marine and high seas forecasts and climate information. Download the BOM Weather app for access to hourly and 7-day forecasts, radar and warnings – wherever you are.
Stay in touch in remote areas with Garmin inReach
When hiking remotely you can let loved ones know your location and that you are safe with regular updates using Garmin inReach two-way satellite communicator.
Stay in touch in remote areas with Spot Tracker
When hiking remotely you can let loved ones know your location and that you are safe with regular updates using the Spot Satellite Messenger.
SMS satellite messaging with Telstra
Mobile customers with Telstra can now use their smartphones to send sms by satellite, available across most outdoor areas in mainland Australia with a direct line of sight to the sky.
Paddling Trails South Australia
Easy to access kayak and canoe trails through the Adelaide, Fleurieu Peninsula, Riverland, Murray River, and the Coorong. Discover amazing waterways of South Australia.