Where to go walking and hiking in Brisbane

With endless, clear, sunny skies and nature aplenty, there's a range of great options for walking in Brisbane. We've scoped out the best options for a bushwalk, riverside walk, and even the best lookouts in Brisbane. So, lace up and get ready to see views of Brisbane from new and exciting perspectives.

Northside

1. Milne Hill Reserve, Chermside West

Climb to new heights at our newly refurbished lookout at Milne Hill Reserve in Chermside West. You can follow your feet all the way around to Chermside Hills Reserve for some of the best bushwalks in Brisbane. This track is perfect for a young family, with the trail to the outlook only a short 300-400 metre hike. There is plenty of wildlife to observe, including two tawny frogmouths and wallabies, as well as spectacular plants including Pomax, Banksia, and native iris.

Location: 825 Hamilton Road, Chermside West

Dog friendly: Yes, but keep your dog on a leash. Dog off-leash area available nearby at Stringy Bark Drive.

Pram friendly: No, but the path is gentle enough for older toddlers.

2. Keperra Bushland Reserve, Keperra

Keperra Bushland Reserve is a green oasis with a new scenic lookout at the top overlooking The Gap. There are a handful of car parks located at Levitt Road, which is the starting point for the 2.5 kilometre return trail. Best of all this trail is suitable for dogs on a leash, so no need to leave your four-legged friend at home! There are also other hikes with a decent gradient for an extra cardio challenge.

Location: 92 Levitt Road, Keperra

Dog friendly: Yes, but keep your dog on a leash

Pram/scooter friendly: No

3. Kedron Brook Bikeway, Kedron

The Kedron Brook Bikeway on Brisbane's northside offers 16 kilometres of pathway. You'll be amazed at how this easy-to-follow, flat path transforms from bright, green grass and dense bushland to wetland and wide-open fields that allow the bright, blue sky to take centre stage. Certainly, a Brisbane walk not to be missed!

Location: Multiple access points along the bikeway, between Mitchelton and Nundah

Dog friendly: Yes, but keep your dog on a leash. A designated unfenced dog off-leash and swimming area is available at Kedron Brook, adjoining Tuckeroo Park

Pram and scooter friendly: Yes

4. Enoggera Creek Bikeway, Windsor

The Enoggera Creek Bikeway is paved, generally flat, well signposted, and follows the creek through a series of parks for a few hassle-free kilometres surrounded by plenty of greenery. The multi-use, 13-kilometre pathway weaves through Brisbane's northern suburbs of Windsor, Wilston and Newmarket. From there it's just two kilometres to Bancroft Park and four kilometres to Downey Park. Not far from Downey Park is Eildon Hill Reservoir which is well worth the effort to take in Brisbane from the upgraded viewing platform and lookout.

Location: Multiple access points along the bikeway

Dog friendly: Yes, but keep your dog on a leash. A dog off-leash area is available at Northey Street Park.

Pram and scooter friendly: Yes

5. Sandgate Foreshore, Sandgate

If you hail from the northside, you can't go past the spectacular 6.5 kilometre Sandgate Foreshore promenade for a stunning Brisbane walking adventure. Stretching from Shorncliffe to the Ted Smouth Memorial Bridge, it is simply one of the most beautiful waterside walks you can stumble upon and is just a 30-minute drive or 35-minute train ride from the Brisbane CBD. Watch the sun sparkle across the water, all the way to Moreton Island, while you soak up some vitamin D without breaking a sweat, thanks to the cool ocean breeze.

Location: Flinders Parade, Sandgate

Dog friendly: Yes, but keep your dog on a leash. Dog off-leash areas are available at Decker Park on 25th Avenue, Brighton and on the sand between Second Avenue, Sandgate and Zeehan Street, Shorncliffe.

Pram and scooter friendly: Yes

6. Mt Coot-tha Reserve, Mt Coot-tha

If you are serious about walking in Brisbane, you can't go past the mountain! With 70 different trails to explore and plenty of canopy cover, walking at Mt Coot-tha Reserve is a breeze at any time of the day. Less than a 20-minute drive from the city, the J. C. Slaughter Falls picnic area is at the heart of the Mt Coot-tha precinct and is a great start point for a number of beautiful nature trails, as well as the 1.9-kilometre Summit Track up to the famous Mt Coot-tha Lookout. Have a stretch or coffee at the cafe and soak up the incredible views of Brisbane and Moreton Bay before walking back down. Mt Coot-tha boasts more than 50 kilometres of trails for those who want to breathe easy among the trees, with interesting terrain that's not overly rugged.

Location: 200 Mt Coot-tha Road, Mt Coot-tha

Dog friendly: Yes, but keep your dog on a leash. A dog off-leash area is available at Anzac Park, Toowong.

Pram and scooter friendly: No, but some tracks, such as the Discovery Trail (linking J. C. Slaughter Falls to Simpson Falls) are gentle enough for older toddlers.

Southside

7. Toohey Forest, Nathan and Mount Gravatt Outlook Reserve, Mt Gravatt

Together, Toohey Forest Park and Mount Gravatt Outlook Reserve on Brisbane's southside are a bushwalker's delight, boasting an extensive network of 30 paved and unpaved walking tracks, which have just got even better thanks to our recent upgrades. Spanning 260 hectares and just 10 kilometres from the Brisbane CBD, there's a walk for everyone with the longest track being 3.5 kilometres long and the shortest being just 250 metres. The recently refurbished summit at Mount Gravatt Outlook Reserve features a garden bed at the centre, and a playground, a picnic area and a cafe, along with views of Brisbane, Moreton Bay and across to the Glass House Mountains and Mount Tamborine.

Location: Mount Gravatt Outlook Reserve - Mount Gravatt Outlook Drive, Mount Gravatt; Toohey Forest - Toohey Road, Nathan

Dog friendly: Yes, but keep your dog on a leash. A dog off-leash area is available at Salisbury Recreation Reserve, corner of Evans Road and Wincott Street, Salisbury.

Pram and scooter friendly: No, but some tracks such as Nathan and Toohey Ridge Tracks at Toohey Forest are gentle enough for older toddlers.

8. Wynnum Manly Foreshore, Wynnum

The 10-kilometre return trip along the Wynnum Manly Foreshore offers a breath of sea air and is one of Brisbane's most scenic bayside walking hotspots, showcasing the yachts of Manly Marina, a water park, and plenty of grassy picnic spots and playgrounds for pit stops along the way. Shake things up with some added adventure and start the walk at Elanora Park and wander through the 800 metres of wilderness that is the Wynnum Mangrove Walk, which offers a vastly different experience depending on the tides. Then pick up the path along the seafront, crossing Fox Bridge to reach Oyster Point where the foreshore begins.

Location: Wynnum Esplanade, Wynnum

Dog friendly: Yes, but keep your dog on a leash. There are dog off-leash areas available at Elanora Park and Manly Foreshore.

Pram and scooter friendly: Yes

9. Stephens Mountain, Greenslopes

It's called Greenslopes for a reason, so southside adventurers rejoice – there's a new lookout and bushwalking track on Stephens Mountain, offering spectacular views over Mt Coot-tha and Brisbane's west. We've also recently upgraded the walking tracks, installed new safety fencing, and improved entry and exit points to the reserve to make your weekend hiking expeditions even easier!

Location: 114 Nicholson Street, Greenslopes

Dog friendly: Yes, but keep your dog on a leash.

Pram and scooter friendly: No, but the tracks are gentle enough for school-aged children.

10. Brisbane River

There's always a good reason to go for a riverside walk. Head down to Waterfront Park at Newstead and follow the Riverwalk signs toward the Teneriffe ferry terminal. Breathe in Brisbane's trademark scenery from this spectacular boardwalk right on the water's edge – with all the intrigue of what lays around the next bend, you will forget that you're even exercising. Make a stop at Gasworks, and continue to Brisbane Powerhouse and New Farm Park. 

Location: Newstead to Teneriffe and New Farm

Dog friendly: Yes, but keep your dog on a leash. There is a dog off-leash area at Powerhouse Park.

Pram and scooter friendly: Yes

11. City parklands, Brisbane City

Get lost in a labyrinth of pathways laced with spectacular gardens right at the heart of our city. Want to get a taste of Brisbane's most popular entertainment precinct while walking? The South Bank Parklands Promenade begins at the Cultural Forecourt and finishes at River Quay, but you have the option of going the full four kilometres to Kangaroo Point. South Bank also provides 17 hectares of lush parklands to wander through, with world-class eateries and stunning river views. Roma Street Parkland offers a distinctly different experience, with designer gardens and sprawling lawns that wind around 16 hectares of stunning parklands for the perfect sunshine weather.

Location: Roma Street Parkland, 1 Parkland Boulevard, Brisbane City; South Bank Parklands, Clem Jones Promenade, South Brisbane

Dog friendly: Yes, but keep your dog on a leash.

Pram and scooter friendly: Yes

12. Kangaroo Point Cliffs, Kangaroo Point

Kangaroo Point Cliffs offers the ultimate view of the city's epic skyline. Pick your favourite CityCat as you watch them glide along the Brisbane River. Stretch this track out by heading over the Story Bridge and see the city from a new perspective by checking out the stunning views from Wilsons Outlook, or head back through the City Botanic Gardens. Alternatively, ramble the riverbank along the new-look Cultural Centre Riverwalk between Victoria Bridge and Kurilpa Bridge.

Location: 29 River Terrace, Kangaroo Point

Dog friendly: Yes, but keep your dog on a leash.

Pram and scooter friendly: Yes