The Heysen Trail is Australia’s longest waymarked walking trail — roughly 1,200 km of marked track from Cape Jervis on the southern tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula to Parachilna Gorge in the Flinders Ranges. It takes its name from Hans Heysen, the artist celebrated for his iconic paintings of the ancient red gums of the Flinders Ranges and the light of the Adelaide Hills. Walking it is one of the great South Australian outdoor experiences.
This page collects every Heysen Trail section we’ve reviewed on Walk About Adelaide. Each section has a detailed trail review, interactive GPS map, elevation profile and free GPX download. If you’re planning to walk the trail — whether a single day section or a longer through-hike — use these reviews to understand what to expect on the ground.
About the Heysen Trail
Established in 1969, the Heysen Trail was the first long-distance walking track in Australia. It runs entirely through South Australia, connecting the dramatic Great Southern Ocean coastline of the Fleurieu Peninsula through the Mount Lofty Ranges and the Mid North to the spectacular landscape of the Flinders Ranges. The trail has been extensively developed and maintained by volunteers, primarily through the Friends of the Heysen Trail — a member organisation that also produces the definitive series of printed map sheets for the entire route.
The trail passes through privately owned farmland, conservation parks, national parks and reserve land. It crosses dozens of creek systems, climbs numerous ridgelines and summits, and traverses landscapes that range from coastal clifftops and remote beach sections to high-country eucalyptus forest and the red ochre gorges of the Flinders.
The Southern Sections — Fleurieu Peninsula
The southernmost sections of the Heysen Trail along the Fleurieu Peninsula coast are among the most dramatic anywhere in South Australia. The route follows the clifftops and headlands of the wild southern coast, with sections that are genuinely remote and difficult to access.
From Cape Jervis the trail heads east along the coastline — the sections reviewed on this site cover the southern coastal stretch from Victor Harbor eastward, and the particularly remote section around Tapanappa and Tunkalilla Beach. These are long, hard day walks (or multi-day sections) with significant elevation change, no on-trail water and difficult shuttle logistics — exactly the kind of walking the trail is famous for.
Key characteristics of the Fleurieu sections:
- Terrain: Clifftops, coastal heath, beach sections and rolling farmland
- Difficulty: Moderate to Hard for most sections
- Water: No reliable on-trail water — carry everything
- Season: April to October; summer walks require very early starts
- Shuttle: Point-to-point — two-car shuttles or advance arrangements essential
The Adelaide Hills Sections
The Heysen Trail through the Adelaide Hills takes the character of a mountain walking trail — sustained climbs, dense native forest, ridgeline views across the Adelaide Plains, and quiet conservation park terrain that feels surprisingly remote given its proximity to the city.
The section from Mylor to Cleland is a full hard day — 19.3 km with 925 m of ascent, from the valley floor at Mylor through conservation land to the ridge country above Cleland Conservation Park. This section demonstrates what the trail does best in the Hills: consistent gradient, good surface, well-marked navigation and genuine solitude in land that is irreplaceable.
The Hills sections also connect to the Waterfall Gully to Mt Lofty walk — one of Adelaide’s most popular routes — and the broader network of trails in the Cleland and Mt Lofty Ranges area.
Key characteristics of the Adelaide Hills sections:
- Terrain: Bush single track, fire track, formed trail through eucalyptus forest
- Difficulty: Moderate to Hard — significant elevation gain on most sections
- Water: No reliable on-trail water — carry from the start
- Season: Year-round possible; spring and autumn ideal
- Shuttle: Point-to-point; some sections accessible on Route 823 (Adelaide Metro)
Navigation and Maps
The trail is marked throughout with white marker posts carrying a red Heysen Trail diamond symbol. These are placed at road crossings, junctions and regular intervals on the trail — when you lose sight of one, look for the next. Navigation on the established sections is generally straightforward in good conditions.
The Friends of the Heysen Trail produce a series of printed map sheets covering the entire trail in sections, available from map shops and directly from the Friends. They also publish digital GPX files for the full route. For any section we’ve reviewed, the GPX download at the bottom of each walk page is the specific GPS track we walked.
Navigation aids for planning:
- Friends of the Heysen Trail — heysentrail.asn.au — definitive maps, sections, logistics and membership
- Printed Map Sheets — numbered sheets covering the full trail, sold individually or as a set
Logistics for Multi-Day and Through-Walking
The Heysen Trail is designed to be walked in sections or as a through-hike. The trail has established hike-in campsites on the more remote sections, particularly in the Flinders Ranges and mid-north areas. For shorter sections in the Fleurieu and Adelaide Hills, the typical approach is a day walk with car shuttle between the start and finish points.
Transport options:
- Two-car shuttle (leave one car at the finish, drive both to the start)
- Public transport on sections near Adelaide (Route 823 for Cleland area)
- Commercial shuttle services — contact Friends of the Heysen Trail for recommendations
Season: The trail is closed during summer fire danger periods on sections passing through national parks and conservation parks in South Australia — this affects particularly the Adelaide Hills sections in summer. Always check SA Parks and SA CFS conditions before heading out between November and March.
Best Time to Visit
April to October is the prime walking season for most sections. The Fleurieu coast in particular benefits from the cooler months — the clifftop sections in summer heat, combined with the need to carry all water and the point-to-point logistics, make hot-weather walking both uncomfortable and risky.
The Adelaide Hills sections are walkable year-round with appropriate preparation — spring brings the best native wildflower displays, autumn has excellent light and mild temperatures, and winter walking in the Hills has a particular quality (cool air, empty trails, occasional frost in the upper sections).
The Heysen Trail crosses private land in many sections — stay on the marked route. Camping is only permitted at designated campsites. Always check current conditions with the Friends of the Heysen Trail and SA Parks before setting out on a new section.
Every section we’ve walked is reviewed below, with interactive maps, full elevation profiles and free GPX downloads.