Here are parks that welcome furry friends, but remember, dogs must be kept on a leash at all times and must stay on the designated trails to help protect the local flora and fauna.
Morialta Conservation Park
One of SA's most popular parks, Morialta welcomes dogs in designated areas only to help protect the local fauna and flora. You can take your four-legged friend to the recreation zone between Stradbroke Rd and the First Falls carparks. This includes the picnic area, impressive nature playground and the walking trail as far as the Morialta Falls Trailhead carpark. Dogs are not allowed in the rest of the park.
Belair National Park
Located just 25km south of Adelaide, Belair National Park is a convenient and beautiful spot for a winter walk with your dog. This historic park, established in 1891, offers a variety of trails that wind through lush bushland and open grassy areas – and during winter, the park’s waterfalls offer a captivating hike after rainfall.
Para Wirra Conservation Park
Para Wirra Conservation Park, in Adelaide’s north, is a haven for nature lovers and their canine companions. The park features several dog-friendly trails, including the Lake Discovery Loop and Lizard Rock Nature Walk. These tracks offer a mix of easy and moderate walks through diverse landscapes, including woodlands and grassy fields.
Cobbler Creek Recreation Park
A good one for families, this park is an oasis nestled between Golden Grove and Salisbury. It offers some easy walks for all, with great views towards the city, tranquil walks with your pooch and an adventure playground for the kids to explore.
Onkaparinga River Recreation Park
An excellent choice for winter walks with your dog on the outskirts of Adelaide – and a great one to visit during winter when rain transforms the park’s river and floodplains. The Wetlands Loop Trail is a mixture of boardwalks and gravel paths that is accessible for wheelchairs and families with strollers and is dog friendly. You’ll see freshwater ponds, birds, frogs and fish on the way.
Marino Conservation Park
If a coastal walk is more your thing, head to the Marino Conservation Park and enjoy a walk boasting impressive views from Brighton to Port Stanvac and beyond. The Botanical trail is a 1.4km loop that takes you past examples of some of the local vegetation to the lighthouse.
Anstey Hill Recreation Park
This park in Tea Tree Gully is great for families, walkers and those looking for a new fitness challenge with its extensive network of walking trails. It is also home to the ruins of the original Newman's Nursery, plentiful bird life, kangaroos, koalas and vegetation that was once widespread across the Adelaide Plains and Mount Lofty Ranges. Make sure to abide by the rule and keep dogs on a lead at all times, because the park is also a popular mountain bike riding area.
Glenthorne National Park - Ityamaiitpinna Yarta
Adelaide's new national park, located south of the city at O'Halloran Hill, is a great place for the whole family. Aside from a 4km trail loop, the park has an adventure playground with three slides, a seesaw, spinner, fossil dig area and much more - making it one of the biggest nature play spaces in the state. There is also a 25m-long flying fox, rope and log climbing elements and accessible equipment to ensure children of all abilities can enjoy the space.
Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary
One of the hidden gems of metropolitan Adelaide, located only 20 minutes from the CBD, this marine park is home to about 30 resident dolphins. There is a 3.5km trail - the Anna Rennie Loop Path - which makes its way around the Port Adelaide Inner Harbour, where you can take enjoy some dolphin spotting from the banks while enjoying some exercise with your dog.
Please remember, if you’re taking your dog to a national park that allows dogs, it’s crucial to keep them on designated walking trails and to always have them under your control with a lead no longer than two metres. For more information visit National Parks and Wildlife Service SA’s Guidelines for pets in parks.
