A few weeks into a bougie Adelaide house-sit, armed with a borrowed e-bike and a free Wednesday, Josh set out on a snack-fuelled spin along Karrawirra Parri/River Torrens Linear Park Trail.

 

We Are Explorers acknowledges that this adventure is located on the traditional Country of the Kaurna people who have occupied and cared for the lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them as the Traditional Custodians and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

 

Forget the traffic – the Karrawirra Parri/River Torrens Linear Park Trail might be Australia’s cruisiest urban cycle. Here, Adelaide’s sprawl fades under a lush, green canopy dotted with ‘grammable brunches, riverside brews, and the occasional scoop of small-batch gelato to sweeten the ride.

Quick Overview

The Karrawirra Parri/River Torrens Linear Park Trail is a 33km shared-use path that rolls gently downstream from Adelaide’s foothills in Athelstone to the river mouth at Henley Beach, threading a greenbelt corridor of reserves and wetlands along a sealed, mostly flat route.

Read more: Remember to leave no trace

 

River Torrens Linear Park Trail Facts

Distance: 33km
Duration: About 2 hours (without stops)
Elevation gain: 250m
Nearest town: Adelaide

About River Torrens Linear Park Trail

For many, the Karrawirra Parri/River Torrens Linear Park Trail is a commuter thoroughfare, funnelling office workers to and from the city centre. But slow down and it reveals a greener, gentler side.

House-sitting along the route with a pair of fully charged e-bikes and a willing partner-in-crime, I decided to give the trail the attention it deserved. There’s nothing more delicious than a midweek adventure fuelled by food stops that promise more calories in than out.

You can ride it east, west or from the middle out. We picked the classic arc: hills to coast, ending with salty air and a scoop of our favourite ice cream.

 

River Torrens Linear Park History

Completed in 1997, the River Torrens Linear Park (Karrawirra Parri or ‘Red Gum Forest River’) was Australia’s first fully realised linear park – a continuous green thread weaving from hills to sea. For the Kaurna people, Traditional Custodians of the Adelaide Plains, the waterway has been central to cultural, spiritual, and economic life for 45,000 years.

Following European settlement, however, its fragile ecosystems were heavily degraded. Restoration didn’t begin until 140 years after colonisation – a journey that continues today, most recently with the 2023 completion of the Purruna Pari/Breakout Creek revegetation project, near the river mouth.

How to Get to River Torrens Linear Park Trail

Thanks to its winding route through sleepy backstreets and main roads, the Karrawirra Parri/River Torrens Linear Park Trail can be joined almost anywhere. However, without a car, access to the trailheads at Athelstone or Henley Beach can be tricky. Adelaide Railway Station is your only bike-friendly public transport option, landing you mid-trail.

Where to Stay Along River Torrens Linear Park Trail

No bike or bed? The Watson – Art Series in Walkerville offers stylish riverside rooms and complimentary bikes ready to roll onto the trail.

Skill Level

Beginner

Perfect for newbie cyclists, the Karrawirra Parri/River Torrens Linear Park Trail makes the most of Adelaide’s pancake-flat terrain, with only a few gentle bumps at its eastern end. No steep climbs, minimal traffic, plenty of shady stops, and public facilities – an easy, accessible way to explore Adelaide without feeling like you’re in a city.

 

Essential Gear for River Torrens Linear Park

  • Road bike
  • Helmet
  • Phone (with map access)
  • Water bottle
  • Sunscreen

Nearby Accommodation

What it’s Like to Ride River Torrens Linear Park Trail

Brunch – Athelstone to Sudholz Road

Distance: 7.8km
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop: Melo Cafe, Windsor Gardens (450m from trail)

We pulled up and unloaded our bikes in Black Hill Conservation Park, where city edges fade into Adelaide Hills’ bushland. Across the road, Athelstone’s Linear Park trailhead pointed us west to the sea, while the route east (then north) stretches 877km to the Flinders Ranges via the Mawson Trail. Sensibly, we chose west.

 

 

Out here, the city thins into reserves and river bends. A faint sniff of suburban life lingers – a fenceline here, a tennis court there – but mostly, it’s green canopies and wide, open parklands. After a rare South Australian downpour, the river flowed strong, adding a pulse to the landscape. Sharing the path with dog-walking seniors and duck-feeding toddlers, we scanned the treetops for fluffy backsides – this is prime koala-viewing territory in Adelaide.

Read more: Pioneer Women’s Trail – A Hike Through History in the Adelaide Hills

A few small hills kept the legs honest, while signage teased bigger adventures, with Adelaide 100 trail markers signposting a city-circling hiking loop still under construction. Just before Sudholz Road, we peeled off the path through residential sprawl to our first stop, Melo Cafe, where smashed avo and rocket-fuel coffee settled us into the day’s edible pace.

Winery – Sudholz Road to Felixstow Reserve

Distance: 3.6km
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop: Amadio Wines, Felixstow (1400m from trail)

Back on the trail, the city slipped away again. The bitumen narrowed, weaving through gullies and gums, and we diverted briefly at Pitman Park, following a dirt track to get a better look at the river’s slow, arching bend. Overhead, magpies warbled soft harmonies and Sulphur-crested cockatoos shrieked like fire alarms – a natural soundtrack far from urban noise.

 

 

The next stretch rolled through a string of green spaces – dotted with fitness stations, playgrounds, and shady picnic corners. We skirted Geoff Heath Par 3 Golf Course, shared smiles with a family tangled in the monkey bars, and followed the curve up through Felixstow Reserve, parting a flurry of wood ducks and moorhens.

We rolled into Amadio Wines just before midday – proof that in South Australia, it’s never too early for a vino. Just don’t turn up unannounced; online bookings are a must and tastings are $15. No love for the thirsty and spontaneous.

Bakery – Felixstow Reserve to Stephen Terrace

Distance: 3km
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop: St Peters Bakehouse, St Peters (350m from trail)

Beyond Felixstow, parklands opened wide between OG Road and Ascot Avenue, before the riverbanks rose, folding the trail into a sheltered gully, tucked within the city’s seams. Dirt-bike jumps, bush tracks, and suburban laneways branched off like tributaries – a playful maze if you aren’t watching your turns.

Pedalling into Walkerville, we caught the hum of the O-Bahn. For the uninitiated, it’s a curious slice of South Australian lore; a guided busway that shuttles through Adelaide’s inner northeast, loosely following the Karrawirra Parri / River Torrens. Buses drive onto a track, lock into grooves, and blur past at speed. Part bus, part rail, uniquely Adelaide.

Our post-wine hunger nudged us off-trail at Dunstan Adventure Playground, detouring through the backstreets to St Peters Bakehouse. Inside, the fire was crackling, warming tradies and retirees alike. Through the high-vis, we eye off a choccy donut. Pillowy, rich, and just a little crispy – worthy of any detour.

 

Lunch & Beer – Stephen Terrace to Port Road

Distance: 6.5km
Duration: 25 minutes
Stops: Plant 4, Bowden (450m from trail), Brightstar Brewing, Thebarton (300m from trail)

We slowed near Adelaide Zoo, half-hoping to catch a monkey mid-swing on its high-wire trapeze – no luck. Office workers lounged on the grassy banks while a fresh crop of uni graduates posed beside the Elder Park Rotunda, backed by the familiar postcard view of the Karrawirra Parri/River Torrens curling past the Adelaide Festival Centre.

 

 

Though tempted to veer into North Adelaide or the city for a long lunch, we kept rolling. Through the wide sweep of Bonython Park – a hotspot during festival season – we coasted into Bowden, where Plant 4’s global menu scented the air. We split a lamb gozleme, warm and spiced, then caved for a blueberry cheesecake pastry – sugary, sweet, and dangerously nap-inducing.

The ride had morphed from leisurely to indulgent. Bellies full and fingers now slightly sticky, we barely made it a few hundred metres before pulling into Brightstar Brewing in Thebarton. Cold beer, warm sun, and just enough trail left to pretend we’d earned it. We were on the home stretch now.

Ice Cream – Port Road to Henley Beach

Distance: 9.4km
Duration: 35 minutes
Stop: Bottega Gelateria, Henley Beach (1.8km from trail)

The last 10km played out like a slow exhale, navigating a suburban obstacle course of prams, scooters, and off-lead dogs. The ride picked up pace on the final straight, skimming past the wetlands of Purruna Pari/Breakout Creek. Near the end, we pulled over to admire a 6.6m Ngudlitidli nuinpi/native pouched lamprey, one of Kaurna artist Allan Sumner’s striking sculptures – one in a series lining this section of the waterway.

 

 

The salty breeze announced our arrival at Adelaide’s coastline, but one final detour remained. We cruised the Henley Beach esplanade to Bottega Gelateria, where cones of pistachio and pecan marked a sweet, salty finish.

Tips for Riding River Torrens Linear Park Trail

  • The trail hugs both sides of the river for most of its length, but patchy signage can inadvertently lead you into the suburbs. Stick to the northern flank — except east of the city in Walkerville and Gilberton, where ducking south keeps you on route
  • Wear a helmet, keep left, and ring your bell when overtaking
  • The path gets busy with commuters during peak hours, especially near the city – ride with care
  • In South Australia, cycling drunk can lead to fines or charges – keep those mid-ride pints in check

 

This piece was brought to you by a real living human who felt the wind in their hair and described their adventure in their own words. This is because we rate authenticity and the sharing of great experiences in the natural world – it’s all part of our ethos here at We Are Explorers. You can read more about it in our Editorial Standards.