Hikes in the ACT this Festive Season

Courts

Sick of going to your regular spots to stretch your legs around Canberra?

Check out the list below for some inspo for your next sweat sesh.

If you’re looking for a drive before your walk, then heading to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve or Namadgi National Park are beautiful options. There are 24 walks in Tidbinbilla that will have you leaving the main roads and picnic areas to explore the local flora and fauna.

If you want to challenge yourself you might find yourself on a full day hike on the Camels Hump, Johns Peak or Gibraltar Peak trails.

Alternatively, there are plenty of shorter, easier walks to enjoy based on your time restraints and abilities, including the Koala Path, Peppermint Trail or Birrigai Time Trail.

Similarly, in the Namadgi region you’ll find something to suit your hiking tastes. A popular short, but puff-worthy walk would be the Booroomba Rocks carpark to the top of the rocks.

A little bit longer, at 4km, is the Yerrabi walking track which gives you a taste of all the different grasslands, granite formations and flowers. For something a little more demanding on your legs you could give the Brandy Flat 10- or 20-kilometre trails. Remember! When you’re visiting these parts of the ACT you might be without phone coverage for some, if not all, of the hikes.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve photo credit: ACT Gov

Much, much, muuuuch further up north you’ll find One Tree Hill to fulfill your moderate to challenging walking needs. At 8.4km One Tree Hill will give you amazing views of the north of Canberra, but make sure you leave the dog at home as it’s just for us with 2 legs. Never too busy One Tree Hill is not only a great show from the 2000s but a great way to chill with yourself.

If you are in the North with your dog and looking for a trail to get them out, look no further than Aranda Bushland Nature Reserve. The reserve is home to Black Mountain, O’Connor Ridge, Bruce Ridge, Mount Painter and The Pinnacle. If you have the dog, you won’t be able to go to the Snow Gum sections of the reserve for a walkies but without them you can wander free and explore the natural trees and shrubs and native animals.

Back down south if you’re looking for an excuse to be out of the house for a few hours after Christmas with the family, get to Kambah Pool. Have someone drop you off and text them when you arrive at Tuggeranong Town Centre. The walk is 8km and will probably take around three hours, but it’ll give you scenic tours of the Tuggeranong Stone Wall, Murrumbidgee River and the Red Rocks Gorge Lookout. Plus, there’s plenty of places to refuel once you reach the Town Centre.