The Horsnell Gully and Giles Conservation Parks is one of Adelaide’s hidden gems for hiking activities. It is situated at the edge of the city, within the lush green forest of Adelaide Hills. In the conservation park, you’ll find historic ruins, a seasonal waterfall, and a large population of koalas (drop bear!) sleeping on the eucalyptus trees.
On this hike, the paths I chose were a bit weird. I started at Skye trailhead, walked the Coach Road (fire track) that joins the hiking trails, and headed to the Giles Ruins (1). Then, I turned back and climbed the Waterfall Hike to Hosnell Gully main car park (2). Lastly, I turned back via the Waterfall Hike and back to my car via Coach Road (3).
As you can see, this was a bit redundant, and I would recommend starting at Hosnell Gully car park and doing a single line return trip to the waterfall and Giles ruins. Or, you could do the Rockdale Hill Hike loop (in yellow) with the side trip to Giles ruins instead.
Before you go, download Avenza Maps and add this free map of Horsnell Gully and Giles Conservation Parks to guide your way.
Horsnell Gully Conservation Park
10.11am: I started at the alternative trailhead at Skye Lookout car park. Enter the trailhead through the gate to Coach Road.
Coach Road is a bare, wide rocky road, but at least I got to spot a couple of koalas sleeping on the trees along the way.
(+10)10.21am: A bit of a climb on Coach Road.
(+14)10.35am: Take the not-so-obvious junction that turns to the left and joins into the more foresty main hiking trail. Even if you miss this turn, the road will take you to the park’s south entrance gate in a short while anyway.
(+8)10.43am: When at the main trail, I turned right, as in doing the Rockdale Hill Hike in an anti-clockwise direction.
(+10)10.53am: Arrived at the junction that connects with the 1,200km Heysen Trail. Here I turned left to Rockdale Hill. Not long after passing the hill is another junction, keep to the right and follow the Heysen Trail to the Giles ruins.
(+27)11.19am: A couple of wild deer.
Giles Conservation Park
(+5)11.24am: The trail connects Horsnell Gully and Giles Conservation Parks. I am now in Giles Conservation Park.
I spotted a few koalas sleeping very high up on the tall trees.
(+6)11.30am: Passing by one of the Giles Ruins.
(+4)11.34am: Not long after the first ruin there is a split junction. If you take the left trail (Heysen Trail / Yurrebilla Trail), you will find yourself on the trail above the next ruin.
(+3)11.37am: Turning back and taking the trail on the right (Magic Valley Track), I got a closer, ground level look of the same ruin. This is the more complete (yet fragile) ruin among the others scattered/hidden around the park.
Beautiful autumn colors!
More koalas and deer spotted as I made my way back.
1.44pm: I returned to Rockdale Hill Hike track, walked back in a clock-wise direction, and reached the Waterfall Hike track that begins from the bottom.
(+14)1.58pm: It’s a steep rocky scramble to the top.
(+3)2.01pm: Because it was autumn and the wet winter days hadn’t arrived yet, the waterfall was dry. During wet seasons, you would be walking on the waterfall itself (not a big one, but a stream cascading down the rocks).
[I walked all the way to the Horsnell Gully Ruins and the main car park, but I’m not sure why I didn’t take any photos of them (did I lost them? or maybe I was too focused/distracted during the hike)]
Back to Coach Road towards Skye Lookout car park, I spotted this chubby koala on a rather low tree, so I managed to take clear images of it.
Another angle with its leg out.
The koala that I first saw in the morning was still sleeping on the same tree.
Back in the city, I ate at The Greedy Fox that serves great ‘yiros’ (a South Aussie term for souvlaki).
Have this guide helped you? Tag @meowtainpeople in your hiking stories & posts!
*Captain Planet passing by* Remember, please take care of our environment, and please don’t destroy the Nature. Leave no trash behind and take back only photos and memories (and also some trash if you can). Walk on the designated path and stay in the middle as much as you can, so that the exposed soil doesn’t spread/corrode further. BE ONE WITH NATURE *flies away*
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