Dog and Family-Friendly Walks in National Parks

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Next time your dog drops his lead at your feet and you just can't face walking around the block….again, consider taking your dog to one of the many national parks where dogs are welcome on a lead.


Anstey Hill Recreation Park
Located 16km north east of Adelaide, Anstey Hill Recreation Park allows dogs on a lead and their owners to explore the historic ruins of the Newman's Nursery dating back to the early settlement in the area or just enjoy scenic views of Adelaide through the network of trails. Accessed from Perseverance Road in Tea Tree Gully, the park is open from sunrise to sunset. Entry to the park is free.

Brown Hill Creek Recreation Park
Just 8km south of Adelaide, the 51hectare bush land recreation park can be accessed 24 hours, 7 days a week from Northbrook Avenue, or from Brown Hill Creek Road for drivers. In addition to the walking and cycling trails, the park includes a horse trail and fenced off horse exercise area. River red gums, some over 300 years old, grow on the steep sided valley along the narrow creek, which flows through the park. If history is more your thing, the colonial Keystone arch bridge, built by John Prince Jr. and rebuilt in 1876 after being washed away by flooding in 1875, is worth a look.


Cobblers Creek Recreation Park
Between the areas of Salisbury and Golden Grove, 19km north of Adelaide, the park provides a variety of short trails for walkers of all fitness levels. The park gained its name from the profession of an early settler, William Pedler who was a cobbler before becoming one of the first farmers in the area. & #8232 ; Ruins of early settlement can be seen in the park on the several of the trails. Open from sunrise to sunset, the park can be accessed from the main entrance on the corner of Smith Road and Bridge Road at Salisbury East or at several points on the Grove Way.


Mt George Conservation Park
Dogs on a lead are welcome in the Conservation Park in the recreation area between Mount George Road and Cox Creek. Situated 25 km south east of Adelaide the park can be accessed from Mt George Road near the town of Bridgewater. An important habitat for the rare mountain gums, the area was part of the tribal land of the Peramangk and Kaurna people. The park, heavily cleared and farmed by the 1840s, is now protected and has been revegetated with native plants around the boundary. The wetlands area, with ducks and other birdlife, is a also pleasant place to walk.


Marino Creek Conservation Park
Once a traditional resting and fishing area of the Kaurna people, the park protects the remaining strands of coastal vegetation along this section of the coast. Designated dog trails through the park will provide beautiful views of Adelaide's coastline. Located 18km south of Adelaide, the park is open everyday and can be accessed from the car park on Numboys Road in Marino or from the Marino Rocks Railway station. The favourite self-guided botanical trail, which starts from the car park, is a popular trail with the two small hills providing a moderate challenge.


Para Wirra Recreation Park
From 8am to sunset, the Para Wirra Recreation Park welcomes dogs on a lead and provides hours of fun for all the family through the network of walking trails and picnic areas. The bushland setting, with an abundance of kangaroos and emus, is located 40km north east of Adelaide and can be accessed from Humbug Scrub Road in One Tree Hill. Vehicle owners will need to purchase a $10 pass from Parks SA to enter the park.


Sturt Gorge Recreation Park
The dense vegetation and internationally recognised rock formations in the Sturt Recreation Park provide a labyrinth of walking trails for dogs and their owners. With trails ranging from 400m to 8km, the trails vary in difficulty with undulating terrain and some steep sections. Selecting the correct trail for your fitness level is important. Situated 13km south of Adelaide, the park can be accessed from Broadmeadows Drive, Black Road or Bonney view Road, as well as from The Boulevard in Belleview Heights. The park is the first area in the world to provide evidence of Cryogenian glaciation in the form of Sturt Tillite, formed from glacial ice material dropped from ice floating in the ocean that covered South Australia 800 million years ago.
Walking through a Conservation and Recreation park provides a great opportunity to get closer to nature, explore the environment and with a variety of trails for all levels of fitness and motivation, there are plenty of choices. The parks listed above are just a few of the areas that allow dogs on a lead to join in the fun. To maintain the parks for everyone, dog owners are expected to clean up after their dog. Facilities are limited in most parks, so taking an ample supply of water is a must.

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