River Torrens Linear Park Trail

We rode the entire length of Linear Park this weekend. (Yes my butt hurts now!)
We started in Henley Beach and rode through to the city. This stretch is very pleasant with lots of little spots to sit down and enjoy the surroundings, watch some horses horsing around and generally enjoy the serenity. The path does get quite narrow in spots so be careful of lycra riders rushing past. The highlight was coming up the ramp under South Road to what felt like the middle of the cemetery.
Have a sit and a coffee in Elder Park.
We then rode past the zoo and towards the East of Adelaide keeping pretty much in line with the Autobahn. This section is more Australian bush scenery than beachy/​urban Adelaide. You could really forget that suburbia is sprawling out all around you. The smell of the blue green algae is a bit gross at the moment but I’m assuming that doesn’t last all year.
I recommend going from the beach in and then turning back as there is a slight rise. I always like to go downhill on the way home. It is not a difficult ride at all and we saw lots of kids, families and elderly doing the whole track.

I used to live at Mellor and Seview and rode my bicycle along this park trail many times. When I left Adelaide I missed this linear Park! It is a peaceful and beautiful oasis in a sea of bustling urban neighborhoods. The park changes dramatically with the seasons as the River Torrens dries up and then refills depending on the time of year. It’s a magical place that I can only compare to the Donauinsel or Danube Island linear park in Vienna Austria (quite a bit larger) since these are the only linear parks I have ever loved. I hope you find the time to take a bicycle ride here on a pleasant day.

I’ve only walked a couple of sections of this particular trail, but what I’ve seen, I’ve liked.
Invariably, it’s been after spending six hours or so in the car, and both my dog and I are keen on stretching the legs by that time. Because it’s such a long trail and has so many entrances, it’s often the most convenient pleasant walk for me at such times.
I do like to do it during the weekdays when it seems a little more peaceful and a little less busy, but being located as it is, real peace is something that can be hard to find at the best of times here.

My sister and I tackled this trail from the Henley Beach starting point, with her 2 yr old daughter in the pram. It’s 12kms to the city from Henley which we found was about 2 ½ — 3 hours walking time; don’t do this with a pram, because you have walk back and funnily enough 2 yr olds get restless and angry!
it’s a really nice trail though and we plan to do it again but on bikes instead, there are a lot of bike riders along here and it would be that much quicker, it’s 3 hours you might get all the way to the foot hills. Bike hire is free from designated outlets along the ride, so you don’t have to lug your own bike to the trail (I live in the hills so this is great for me) and you can get a helmet too, yay because I don’t actually have one.

I’ve only ever ridden along this trail and I find it a particularly relaxing and convenient one. Compared to riding along the adjacent roads, this track is heaven. Considering the areas it runs through it’s almost a shock to consider that outside the trail is suburbia, not more bush.
There’s plenty to look at along the way and heaps of places to stop and rest or picnic. Likewise the trail joins with plenty of other roads and trails from around the city, so it’s easy enough to join or divert, whatever your fancy.
My only criticism would be one that I make for a lot of Adelaide’s walking and riding trails: lack of signage. Pay attention because you can easily lose your way along here unless you’ve taken it before.

A gorgeous little piece of nature running through the city and suburbs. This is one of the reasons I love living in Adelaide!
Chloe’s got the Henley-​to-​city part of the trail covered; my home turf is the city-​north-​east suburbs, from Walkerville to the Adelaide Zoo (you can hear the monkeys literally a mile away).
When I lived closer to one of the entrances this was a daily walk, an hour or so of calm and contemplation (or chats, depending on my company). One second you could be in the middle of the city, the next surrounded by grassy knolls, babbling brooks and a crapload of birdlife (that’s the technical term for a bunch of birds, right?). I even ran it once but that was a one-​off type affair.
It’s an awesome walking trail, with bridges ranging from quaint to long and wobbly (I felt like Indiana Jones the first time I went across the Walkerville Bridge), as well as spots like Linear Park to play with your dogs/​soccer balls/​go for a run if you’re so inclined. As a walker make sure you stick to the right side of the path though, and pay attention for bike bells — there are a lot of cyclists so common courtesy counts unless you want to have a showdown with a bike (tip: you’ll lose).
The walk never super packed out, though on a sunny Sunday you’ll find family groups and picnickers dotted along the way.

All good cities should have walking and riding trails. The River Torrens Linear Park Trail makes living in Adelaide just that little bit nicer. Like Michelle M., I live near one of the entrances, but even before I did I often rode or walked to the beach along this path.
I haven’t been on the city-​northeast part of this trail, however I’m very familiar with the city-​Henley Beach section. The nice thing about this as a bike ride is it’s mostly flat — perfect for a relaxing Sunday ride, especially if the gears on your bike aren’t so crash hot. Over the past few years, the trail has been under-​going some maintenance, so you will need to keep your wits about you and think logically about where the next entrance might be when you encounter a roadblock.
Spots to look out for on the city-​Henley section (13km):
Bonython Park. Great park, lots of family groups here on the weekend. You might get a little confused exiting the park and finding the next half of the trail.
West End Brewery’s X-​mas Display. The path goes alongside the river here and you can look down on the display, dilapidated in wintery June.
Brickwork Markets. Before you hit the markets you will have to ride out through an industrial area and then cross South Rd. Stop for some fairy-​floss or to look at the weird old trinkets inside the giant old chimney.
As you approach the beach, look out for all the lovely horses in small properties alongside the river. When you get to the coast, turn right and ride for about five minutes and you will hit the main Henley stretch. A swim, an icecream and then another ride home!

Linear Park runs from the beachside, through the CBD and ending at the north eastern suburbs. One moment you’re standing on a relatively normal looking street and the next you’re strolling along a tree-​filled path complete with sounds of birds and babbling water. You can join the path at various places and I’m lucky enough to have an entrance a little walk from my home. Bike-​riders, dog walkers and pram-​pushers all converge here to enjoy the scenery and relative peace and quiet. You can stick to the council-​approved ashphalt highway, or wander off on the less official but well-​trodden tracks for a little adventure. In the springtime look for mama ducks being trailed by their baby ducklings (so cute!). In a nutshell — urban oasis!