Hiker’s Hill – Morialta Conservation Park

South Australia
January 2019
Distance:  5km (3.1 miles)

Well if you stumble across a hike close to home called Hiker’s Hill that you’ve never heard anyone else talk about before, it’s a no-brainer as to where you’re going to head for your next hike.

My walk this morning in Morialta Conservation Park was a gem. So quiet – I could hear the leaves dropping from the trees onto the plants below. Every now and then I heard a rustle in the bushes beside the trail, hoping it was something exciting like an echidna, lizard or snake, but it wasn’t to be.

The kookaburras were in fine form – laughing at me from up high in the gum trees. I also saw a Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo, which made my day.

It was overcast when I headed out, and a little bit cool. By the time I got to the trail-head there was nothing but blue sky with minimal cloud cover.

I had driven myself to Montacute Road and parked on a dirt clearing off to the side. I headed up Chapman’s Track, which was a rocky fire-track. I took plenty of rest stops in the shade, as the sun was starting to get some bite to it.

Chapman’s Track

 

Views heading up Chapman’s Track

Ignoring the Rocky Hill track (this is part of the Yurrebilla Trail and takes you to the Deep View Lookout), I turned right onto Moores Track instead, which is also part of the Yurrebilla Trail.

Moores Track levelled out for a bit before turning downhill. Eventually I came to Fox Hill Track on my right. This track is downhill and a little bit steep/rocky in parts. Not too far along I came across Fox Hill Dam. It was lovely to come across some water in the dry hills, even though it was well below capacity. I ventured in through the open gate and got a closer look.

Fox Hill Dam – water levels quite low

Fox Hill Dam

From the dam it was a downhill walk all the way back down to Montacute Road and my waiting car.

You need to clean the bottom of your boots off in many of our Parks in order to stop the spread of root-rot fungus

So to re-cap. If you’re an Adelaide hiker doing this trail, it’s a loop trail starting and finishing on Montacute Road, Montacute. There are several small clearings off to the left of Montacute Road for you to park your car on and at least one on your right, very close to the entrance. You can see the gate and see some of the Morialta Conservation Park sign on your right from the road. Once you’re through the gate, take Chapman’s Track on your left.  When you come to the Moore’s Track/Rocky Hill Track intersection turn right. When you come to the intersection where you can see a gate and the back of another Morialta Conservation Park sign take a sharp right turn onto Fox Hill Track. Continue on past Fox Hill Dam and you’ll eventually come back to your start point at Montacute Road.

It short and sweet – straight up a hill, a bit of respite for a km or so, then slowly winding your way back down the hill again.

This hike is all wide fire-track. It’s quite rocky and steep in places. About a third of it is on Chapman’s Track, a third of it is Moore’s Track and a third is Fox Hill Track.

Stopped to catch my breathe heading up Chapman’s Track and this little guy was sitting there quietly watching me.

Early on in the walk

View through to the Black Hill Summit hike starting at Montacute Road that I tackled previously. Yes it was steep and yes there were swear words said at the time.

The stand-outs for me would be the view through to Black Hill Conservation Park and Fox Hill Dam. I particularly liked being able to see all the way over to the steep Black Hill Summit trail winding it’s way up the hill, which I completed a month or so ago.

This trail is easy to navigate and well signed. There are hardly any people around and it’s very quiet and peaceful.

Doing this trail meant I got to tick another section of the Yurrebilla Trail off as well, which made me particularly happy.

You can read about my other Yurrebilla Trail hikes here and here. And my Black Hill Summit Hikes here and here.

Sarina