A lovely hike to the east of central Adelaide, with waterfalls, varied scenery, and panoramic views from the summit of Mt Lofty, before heading onto the attractive Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens.

This is seemingly one of the most popular walks in Adelaide judging by the number of people on the trail and number of cars parked, though it was an unusually cool Sunday morning when I did it in mid-February 2025. I was a bit too late in the season to enjoy these plants in flower unfortunately.

As the hike name suggests there are a number of waterfalls, with First Falls flowing into man-made infrastructure.

Which can also be seen from above by following the main walking trail.

The path is sealed and straightforward all the way to the summit of Mt Lofty, so it is more of a walk rather than hike from my perspective, though it can be steep in places.

Second Falls was the most attractive. There are other waterfalls but things were very dry when I visited so I didn’t see any others flowing.

The track continues through attractive scenery, including a rare bog.

There was one quiet road to cross before the final climb through woods to the summit.

The summit of Mt Lofty is marked by a lighthouse like tower, cafe, toilets, and big views of Adelaide in the distance.

From here the way was much quieter and flatter walking around the ridgeline toward the Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens.

These were rather pleasant botanic gardens, and the ideal spot for a post walk picnic.