A Hiking Guide to Mount Lofty Botanic Garden in Adelaide
I love challenging myself with physical activities and keeping myself active! Aside from kayaking, I got interested in hiking after a friend brought me along to Mount Lofty Botanic Garden.
There are various animals and plants thriving in its cool climate, and the trails have various inclines, which means there are ones suitable for beginner hikers like me and pros like my friend!
Before you put on your hiking gear, read this list of the trails available in the botanic garden. I’ve included their incline, difficulty level, distance, and activities available.
Overview
Mount Lofty Botanic Garden was established in 1977, nestled between Mount Lofty itself and the Adelaide Hills. In this garden, the climate is cooler, which allows for some plants and wildlife to thrive.
Some of these flora and fauna that would not otherwise live in the warmer, downhill plains are the magnolia, rhododendron, tawny frogmouth bird, and banjo frog.
The garden is crescent-shaped, encompassing around 97 hectares, or 240 acres. With this much land to cover, you can do multiple activities. A few of these are hiking, sightseeing, and picnicking.
The garden is managed by the Botanic Gardens of South Australia.
Other Important Information
Address: 16 Lampert Road, Crafers
Contact: +61 8 8370 8370
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.botanicgardens.sa.gov.au/visit/mount-lofty-botanic-garden
Operating hours: Open every day of the year, including public holidays. Opening hours during the months of October to March are from 8:30 am to 4 pm from Monday to Friday and 8:30 am to 6 pm on weekends and holidays. During non-daylight savings, from May to September, the garden is open every day, 8:30 am to 4 pm.
Parking: The garden has a ticketed upper and lower car park. The lower car park can be accessed through Lampert Road, while the upper car park is accessed through Mawson Drive. Both car parks charge $2 per hour or a flat fee of $4.40 from Monday to Saturday, while they’re free of charge on Sundays and holidays.
Accessibility: The trails can get rocky, uneven, and difficult to climb. While there are rails and even walking paths, it’s highly recommended to choose a trail or activity in accordance with your personal ability.
The park also has embossed braille guides for individuals who have vision disabilities, and assistance dogs are welcome on their grounds.
Washroom: A washroom is available in both the lower and upper car parks.
Don’ts ❌: Fly drones, bring pets that aren’t assistance dogs, skate, bike, bring alcoholic beverages, and cook
Admission: Free
How to Get There
By car: The Mount Lofty Botanic Garden has upper and lower car parks, which can be accessed via Summit Road or Piccadilly Road/Lampert Road, respectively.
By bus: Bus routes 864, 864F, 841F, 860F, and T843 all go to Crafers. You can board them at the Adelaide CBD, Hahndorf, and Stirling.
Hiking Trails at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden
Lakeside Loop
– Media credit: itspronouncedyen
Difficulty level: Easy
Distance: 1 kilometre
The Lakeside Loop Trail is one of the easiest hiking paths in the garden! This is suitable for family trips or adventures with friends.
This trail also features plant-themed artworks with braille interpretations for accessibility. Some of their themes are about life, our senses, beauty, and the natural elements.
Only around 1 kilometre, this trail has minimal inclines and is mostly flat and even. This makes it perfect for a leisurely walk! It also works well as an introduction to the garden’s facilities for first-time visitors.
Pro tip: True to its name, the Lakeside Loop winds around a lake.
The colour code of this path’s guides and signage is light blue.
Heysen Loop
– Media credit: ___benthomas
Difficulty: Medium to hard
Distance: 4 kilometres
Hikers looking for a challenge must try the Heysen Loop! It spans 4 kilometres, with medium and highly steep inclines. This is recommended for active people who want to have a picturesque place as motivation!
Speaking of picturesque, the loop features natural Australian bushlands that are lush and home to various wildlife, like kangaroos and koalas.
Moreover, along the trail are cosy cottages, small farmlands in Piccadilly Valley, and the forestland of Cleland National Park. So, as much as this path may be challenging, don’t forget to take a step back and enjoy its views!
Pro tip: The Heysen Loop has a combination of sealed and unsealed paths, so ask on-the-ground staff which areas are available for hikers!
The signage colour code for this path is red.
Rhododendron Loop
– Media credit: mr_b_studio
Difficulty: Medium to hard
Distance: 700 metres
The Rhododendron Loop is full of flowers blooming from spring to summer! These woody plants have dark pink, rose-like flowering buds, and the garden’s cool, moist weather is perfect for their growth! The species located in the garden was planted in the 1960s and has been flowering ever since.
The path has medium to steep inclines and is around 700 metres, but the view is worth the extra effort!
Pro tip: There are path markers and descriptors along the Rhododendron Loop that share basic information about these gorgeous blooms! The descriptors talk about how the flowers were planted, where they originated from, and more. Read them as you rest and observe your surroundings.
The colour code for this trail is purple.
Lower Loop
– Media credit: tony_ryan56
Difficulty: Easy to medium
Distance: 3 kilometres
Taking on the Lower Loop Trail is like going on a trip around the world! It passes by gardens hosting plants from different continents, making it a fun and educational experience.
It’s a 3-kilometre walk with minimal inclines, making it suitable for families and school trips!
It passes by the South American Gully and Western Asian Gully. The South American Gully contains plants such as ferns, conifers, early-flowering pine trees, and long-lived trees such as the ginkgo biloba.
Meanwhile, the Western Asian Gully boasts of various Asian flora, including the viburnum, a thick shrub known for its vivid flowers and berries.
Pro tip: Read the signage posted around the Lower Loop to learn why the gullies are named as such.
The sign colour code for this path is green.
Central Loop
– Media credit: fe_lix9559
Difficulty: Easy to medium
Distance: 2 kilometres
The Central Loop is recommended for individuals who need multiple rest stops. It has two, namely the Central Gazebo and the Chris Steele Scott Visitor Pavilion.
Moreover, it spans 2 kilometres with medium inclines. That’s why it’s useful to have the said rest stops.
The Central Gazebo is a cosy, open, hut-style shelter, and the visitor pavilion is used for guided tours and informal events where people can mingle.
Pro tip: Central Loop passes along the herbaceous perennial rock garden, which contains seasonal flowers like Veronica and Dianella.
The colour code for this path’s guides is yellow.
Boundary Loop
– Media credit: dysontheberner_andstu
Difficulty: Easy to medium
Distance: 3 kilometres
The Boundary Loop is a high-altitude, 3-kilometre trail with medium to steep inclines. Because of its altitude and incline, it’s able to offer panoramic views of the garden!
Two features of this path are the Magnolia Gully and the Heritage Rose Garden. The Magnolia Gully has 36 species of the said flowering plant, best viewed in their full beauty during August and September.
On the other hand, the Heritage Rose Garden has wild roses. These include some original rose species from which other rose variants have been cultivated!
Pro tip: For this incline, it’s recommended to wear shoes that have stiff, hard soles and good ankle support. An example would be hiking boots, which cover your ankles.
The signs’ colour code for this path is orange.
Community Events
Mount Lofty Botanic Garden is a hot spot for community activities, such as free guided tours and plant sales! These are made to promote the history of the garden and to introduce it to more people.
Check out their free guided walks on their website. Visitors can go on one every Thursday from 10:30 am to 12 pm! This initiative started in September 2024 and will end on December 18, 2025.
Each tour by volunteer guides lasts up to an hour and a half and only requires prior booking for groups of five or more.
Meanwhile, the plant sales happen every fourth Sunday of the month, and they feature seasonal fruits, flowers, and harvests from the garden! For 2025, the sale spans March 23 to November 23.
Plant prices may vary depending on the seller and quality. Cash and card payments are accepted, and admission to the event is free!
The botanic garden is also open for reservations as a venue! This can be arranged through their website.
