Whenever the Time Out Sydney team publishes a story about a new hike or a gruelling multi-day trail, our readers jump to read it, which leads us to the conclusion that Sydneysiders bloody love a good walk. With that in mind, it’s no huge surprise that the most popular hike in the country – topping the list of 15,000 trails in Australia – is just outside of the Harbour City. Sydneysiders aren't alone in our love of hiking, with new data from AllTrails revealing that Australia ranked third globally for the most time spent walking, hiking or running on trails in 2024; and the top two walking trails in the country are right here in NSW.
In 2024, Australians navigated an impressive 11-million kilometres on trails, but one breathtaking bushwalk claimed the crown as the nation’s favourite. The gold medal went to the Grand Canyon Track – a challenging yet short hike through the lush rainforest of the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park. The 6.3-kilometre circuit passes gently cascading waterfalls, giant ferns and moss-covered rocky overhangs that look straight out of a fairy tale.
RECOMMENDED: These are our favourite bush walks in the Blue Mountains. Or, are you up for a longer leg-stretch? This stunning 19-kilometre clifftop trail opened last year.
Unsurprisingly, Sydney’s iconic Bondi to Coogee Beach Walk crossed the finish line in second place. This 12.4-kilometre out-and-back walk isn’t the toughest in the Harbour City, but it’s definitely one of the most spectacular. Starting at the famous Bondi Icebergs, the track hugs the coastline, passing many of the city’s most beloved swimming spots.
The third most popular trail in Australia for 2024 was the family-friendly Mount Lofty Loop in Melbourne’s Warrandyte State Park, and next up was the 6.8-kilometre Whistlepipe Gully and Lesmurdie Falls Loop, located just 30 minutes from Perth’s city centre. Rounding out the top five was the peaceful Enoggera Reservoir Circuit near Brisbane.
Feeling the urge to stretch your legs now? We’ve found the most scenic hikes for you to tackle near Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
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