A Suburban Greenway from the Adelaide Hills to the Sea
| Activity | Walking and Cycling (Intermediate) |
| Distance | 13.5 kilometres |
| Duration | Approximately 4 hours walking / 2 hours cycling |
| Region | Adelaide & Adelaide Hills |
| Accommodation | Camping, mid-range and premium options — See accommodation options |
| Start Point | Coromandel Valley |
| End Point | Glenelg North |
| Surface | Mixed – sealed and unsealed sections |
| Dogs Allowed | Yes – check local council regulations |
Overview
Adelaide’s network of linear parks is one of the city’s great unsung assets, and the Sturt River Linear Park is among the best of them. This 13.5-kilometre shared-use trail follows the Sturt River from the leafy, hilly suburb of Coromandel Valley in the Adelaide foothills all the way to the flat coastal plain of Glenelg North, where the river empties into the Patawalonga Basin near the beach. It is a trail that traverses the full spectrum of Adelaide’s suburban landscape, from the green, tree-lined hills to the broad, flat southern suburbs, providing a continuous green corridor for walkers, cyclists, and joggers.
The trail has been developed across multiple council areas, creating a seamless pathway that stitches together parks, reserves, and river corridors into a single continuous route. For commuter cyclists, it provides a traffic-free alternative for parts of the journey between the hills and the coast. For recreational users, it offers a surprising amount of natural beauty within the urban environment — river red gums line the creek, native birds fill the canopy, and sections of the trail feel remarkably peaceful despite running through one of Adelaide’s most populated corridors.
The Route
Starting from Coromandel Valley, where the river emerges from the foothills, the trail follows the waterway as it winds through established suburbs including Bellevue Heights, Sturt, Marion, and Oaklands Park before reaching the coast at Glenelg North. The terrain is gently downhill for the majority of the route, making the hills-to-coast direction the easier ride.
The trail surface is a mix of sealed bitumen and compacted gravel, with some sections better maintained than others. Signage and wayfinding have improved over the years, though a trail map is still useful for first-time users. The route passes through several significant open spaces, including Sturt Gorge Recreation Park and Marion’s Oaklands Wetland, where constructed wetlands provide habitat for waterbirds and help clean stormwater before it reaches the river.
Planning Your Trip
The trail is free to use and open year-round. It is accessible from numerous entry points along its length, making it easy to walk or ride individual sections rather than the full distance. Public transport connections at both ends (Coromandel Valley train station and Glenelg tram line) make one-way trips feasible. The trail is suitable for road bikes on the sealed sections and hybrid or mountain bikes on the gravel sections. Walkers should allow a full morning or afternoon for the complete distance.
The Sturt River Linear Park is Adelaide’s green thread, stitching hills to coast along the path of a river that has been shaping this landscape far longer than the suburbs that now surround it. It is a quiet, continuous escape through the city — a reminder that even in the heart of the urban sprawl, nature finds a way to persist.
Where to Stay
Planning an overnight trip? See our Adelaide Hills Accommodation Guide for the best places to stay near this trail.