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9 Best Places to Run in South Australia

Last updated: 21 September, 2026

South Australia is rarely the first place that comes to mind when you think of Australia’s most iconic running destinations. But as someone born and bred in Adelaide, I can tell you, we’ve got some incredible places to run.

I grew up in the Adelaide foothills with Cleland National Park practically my backyard, so when I started getting into running, spending hours out on the trails felt pretty natural. As my confidence grew, so did the distance, and running became one of my favourite ways to explore Adelaide and the wider regions of South Australia.

Now, as part of the RunDais team, it feels only right to finally share some of the places I keep coming back to. Hence, my guide to the 9 best places to run in South Australia!

Why nine? It’s my fave number, and conveniently, these are my favourite places to run, whether I’m heading out for an easy cruise, a long trail run or something in between.

For each location, I’ve compiled my favourite routes and local tips, so this is more than just a list of places you could run. These are my honest recommendations to any friend looking for somewhere to run in South Australia.

Let’s crack into it…

9. Victoria Park, Pakapakanthi

Best for: Your first 5km, easy laps, or a social run with plenty of other runners around
Consider: Joining the local parkrun if you are there on a Saturday morning
Difficulty: Easy, completely flat

Seasonality

Great all year round. Just check the calendar around the bp Adelaide Grand Final when sections of the park can close.

Parking and access

Timed parking is available around the park and it is easily accessible from the CBD.

Best local coffee

Commissary, directly across from the park.

I’ve spent hours and hours running around Victoria Park. There are wetlands, a mix of gravel tracks and asphalt, enough shade to make the hotter Adelaide days a little more manageable, and plenty of different loops to stitch together depending on what you feel like doing.

It’s also one of my go to spots when I’m bringing my border collie, Callie, along for the kilometres. Plenty of space for her to enjoy some time off lead, with sections of the park requiring dogs on lead as well.

Pakapakanthi parkrun kicks off at 8am every Saturday and attracts a BIG crowd (500+ runners every Saturday) so it’s a great place to head if you want to run with friends or simply have plenty of people around you. If you want something more structured, you will also regularly spot Run As One training around Victoria Park.

I’ve done plenty of harder sessions here too. There are some great 800 metre to 1 kilometre loops you can use to settle into a rhythm without having to think too much about where you’re going.

Recommended routes

Nearby events

Mid May 2027

Park (Park 16), VIC

Path/Trail

Scenic

6.71km

8. River Torrens

Best for: Chill kilometres with friends
Consider: Doing a longer run here so you can see more of it
Difficulty: Easy, mostly flat with a few gentle undulations

Seasonality

Great all year round, with plenty of shade along the way.

Parking and access

Park around St Peters to avoid city parking prices while still getting easy access to the river.

Best local coffee

FIX Coffee. The choccy donut is a big hit.

I’d be curious to know how many kilometres I’ve clocked along the River Torrens, I’m thinking it’s the hundreds. When I worked in the city, I spent most lunch breaks going for runs here.

The route below is one I run all the time. It’s flat enough to hold a conversation the entire way if you’re cruising, but because there are so many ways to extend the path, it’s equally good for long runs and harder training sessions.

FIX Coffee is my recommended post run stop, tried and tested.

Recommended route

Nearby events

Early September 2027

Felixstow 5070, SA

Path

Competitive and Beginner friendly and Social and Scenic and Relaxed

2km
5km
10km
Half Marathon

Mid February 2027

North Adelaide, SA

Road/Path

Fast

2.5km
5km
7.5km
10km
15km
Half Marathon
30km
Marathon
50km
60km

7. Brighton to Henley

Best for: A flat half, a long social run, or an honest session
Consider: Weekend mornings can get seriously busy when the weather is good
Difficulty: Easy, flat the whole way

Seasonality

Great all year round, but at its best when the sun is out and the wind is down.

Parking and access

There is parking along the Esplanade, or head a block back when the foreshore is busy.

Best local coffee

Alimentary Eatery in Brighton or Joe’s Kiosk at Henley.

Try running jetty to jetty along Adelaide’s metro coastline. Fully paved, basically flat and with ocean views beside you the whole way. The Brighton to Henley stretch is where a lot of my best running memories live, and plenty of my hardest sessions too!

The route below turns it into roughly a half marathon, with very little climbing. However, you can run as little or as far along this stretch and have a great time. Perfect for the out n back lover.

Try go early and enjoy the morning light over the suburbs. Or, if you’re an evening runner, you’ll enjoy the sunset over the ocean.

And obviously, pack your towel to finish with a post run swim.

Recommended route

Nearby events

Late July 2027

Adelaide, SA

Road

Fast

5km
10km
30km
Marathon

Mid September 2027

Adelaide, SA

Road

Fast and Scenic

3km
6km
12km
Half Marathon

6. Belair National Park

Best for: Easy trails and a first taste of trail running
Consider: Dogs are welcome but need to stay on lead
Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Seasonality

Great for most of the year. Keep an eye out for snakes during the warmer months.

Parking and access

Parking is available near the oval, or catch the train to Belair Station and start from there.

Best local coffee

Sheoak Cafe. Great food too.

Belair is South Australia’s oldest national park sits surprisingly close to the CBD, which makes it one of my favourite options when you want beautiful trails without committing hours getting there.

You can even catch the train to Belair Station and start running from there, which makes this one seriously accessible trail destination.

Expect eucalypt woodland, lakes, waterfalls and plenty of wildlife. If you’ve only ever run on footpaths and want to find out whether trail running is your thing, Belair is a very friendly place to start.

You’ll be unlucky not to spot a few kangaroos along the way.

Recommended routes

Nearby events

Mid April 2027

Belair, SA

Trail

Scenic

10km
17km
26km
58km

Early March 2027

Belair, SA

Trail

Scenic

5km
10km
Half Marathon
Marathon
50km

5. Encounter Bikeway, Victor Harbor to Port Elliot

Best for: A cruisy long run with one of the best finish lines in South Australia
Consider: Whale season if you want an extra reason to stop and look around
Difficulty: Easy, with some undulating sections

Seasonality

Great all year round. Winter brings the chance of whale spotting, while calmer days make the coastline even better.

Parking and access

There are plenty of places to park close to the bikeway along the coast.

Best local coffee

De Groot Coffee, or make the compulsory trip to Port Elliot Bakery.

My favourite paved coastal run near Adelaide (1 hours drive from the CBD). The Encounter Bikeway links Victor Harbor, Port Elliot, Middleton and Goolwa, giving you kilometres of coastal running with the Southern Ocean never far away.

If you’re down there during whale season and you might even get rewarded with some whale spotting around Encounter Bay. Basham Beach is one of my favourite sections to slow down and have a look out over the water.

Now, the MOST important part. Port Elliot Bakery. If you’ve travelled this far, you have to go. My go-to order is a cheese, veg and bacon pastie plus an apple scroll, but you cannot wrong at this bakery. The donut of the month also has a cult following. Please don’t be scared off by the line at the bakery, it moves so fast.

Recommended routes

Nearby events

6th December 2026

Victor Harbor, SA

Road

Fast and Scenic

5.0(1)

5km
10km
Half Marathon

Late August 2027

Granite Island, SA

Path/Trail

Scenic

5km
10km

13th February 2027

Port Elliot 5212, SA

Trail/Path

Beginner friendly

2km
5km
10km
15km
Half Marathon
30km

4. Newland Head Conservation Park, Heysen Trail

Best for: Big coastal views and a proper adventure
Consider: The trail gets remote very quickly
Difficulty: Moderate to hard

Seasonality

Winter, spring and autumn are my picks. It is very exposed, so avoid running here in serious summer heat.

Parking and access

Start from The Bluff at Rosetta Head before heading west onto the Heysen Trail.

Best local coffee

Whalers Restaurant if you are staying around Encounter Bay.

Park at The Bluff and head west onto the Heysen Trail. Within twenty minutes, you’re running through one of the wildest and most beautiful sections of the South Australian coastline.

This is my recommendation for people who want to experience the Fleurieu without the crowds. You’ll get to enjoy cliff top views and a coastline that feels completely different from the calm metro beaches an hour up the road.

One warning from experience, if you head out early and are the first one on the trail, you’ll likely encounter every spider web built across it overnight (wth your face). If you plan on being the early bird, keep an eye out for them unless you fancy eating a mouthful of spider web (a stick comes in handy for getting them out the way, or do what I did and just climb under them hahaha).

Please note that this trail gets remote very quickly. Your phone reception will disappear and there are exposed sections with little room for error. Tell someone where you’re going, take water, nutrition and basic gear with you. Treat it like the trail adventure it is, even if you only plan to run 10km! Better to be safe than sorry.

Recommended route

Nearby events

24th October 2026

Kanyaka, SA

Trail

Scenic

13km
28km
42km
50km
70km
115km

Early September 2027

Inman Valley, SA

Road/Trail

Fast and Scenic

20km
35km

3. Cleland National Park

Best for: Hills, views and a proper climb
Consider: There is a huge range of trails here, so pick the right route for the day you are having
Difficulty: Moderate to hard

Seasonality

Spring is stunning when the wildflowers are out. Be more cautious during warmer months when snakes are active.

Parking and access

My local tip is to start lower down the hill rather than battling for parking at the top.

Best local coffee

Spill The Beans.

I grew up with Mount Osmond as my backyard and spent most of my weekends hiking around Cleland National Park as a kid.

Once I found running, it was a no brainer that I’d end up spending every spare hour going up and down these trails. Cleland is half the reason I love running as much as I do.

The views back across Adelaide are stunning, but what I love most is the wildlife, the endless gum trees and how quickly you can feel like you’re nowhere near a city.

What also makes Cleland so good is how easily it scales. You can be in and out in half an hour, or turn it into the hardest twenty kilometres of your month without ever leaving the park!

Recommended routes

Nearby events

21st February 2027

Cleland 5152, SA

Trail

Beginner friendly

5km
10km
14km
20km

22nd November 2026

Cleland, SA

Path/Trail

5km
10km
14km
19km

26th June 2027

Cleland, SA

Road/Trail/Path

Competitive and Beginner friendly and Social and fun and Epic and adventurous

10km
28km
50km

2. Robe

Best for: Ocean lovers and anyone who wants a running weekend rather than just a running day
Consider: Making a full weekend of it because you will want the extra day
Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Seasonality

Beautiful in summer, but there is very little shade. Go early, cover up and get your run done before the wind picks up.

Parking and access

It is a small coastal town, so finding somewhere to park close to the trails is usually pretty easy.

Best local coffee

Mahalia Coffee, Drift Cafe or Union Cafe.

Full disclosure, I am extremely biased. I’ve gone to Robe almost every summer since I was a kid, and I ran the first Robe Marathon hosted by Adelaide Trail Runners. I was also lucky enough to win it, and I keep heading back each year to help capture content for the event.

Biased is probably an understatement…

For context, Robe is a beautiful town on the Limestone Coast, only three and a half hours drive from Adelaide. The coastal paths around town are an attraction in their own right, and there is enough variety here to keep you running for an entire weekend without feeling like you’re repeating the same route.

My usual routine when in Robe: run at sunrise, brekky, a surf or swim before the wind picks up, a walk into town for coffee or an ice cream, then chill in the arvo.

If there is one thing I am very good at, it is convincing people to go to Robe.

Recommended route

Nearby events

6th February 2027

Robe, SA

Road/Track/Path/Sand

Competitive and Beginner friendly and Social and fun and Relaxed and scenic

5.0(1)

1km
5km
10km
14km
Half Marathon
Marathon

1. Ikara Flinders Ranges

Best for: Trail runners and adventurers who want the big one
Consider: The drive from Adelaide is significant, so give yourself a few days to explore properly
Difficulty: Moderate to hard

Seasonality

Cooler months are the go for the harder routes. Always check current park advice and trail closures before you head out.

Parking and access

The main Wilpena trails begin around the visitor centre area, with parking nearby.

Best local coffee

This is one to bring your own coffee setup for. If you venture north, the Prairie Hotel at Parachilna is well worth the stop.

This is by far the most remote recommendation on this list, but for very good reason.

I’ve been lucky enough to get up to the Flinders Ranges a handful of times and there are more incredible running routes here than you could cover in a week. The routes below are how I’d start planning a weekend.

One important thing to know before you go. Ngarri Mudlanha, also known as St Mary Peak, is central to the Adnyamathanha creation story, and the Adnyamathanha People ask visitors not to climb to the summit. Mount Ohlssen Bagge gives you a challening climb and huge views while respecting that request!

This is rugged, exposed country, so start early, carry more water than you think you need and always check the latest park conditions before heading out. Help can be a long way away, so prepare accordingly.