To prepare for your visit, please check the  conditions of access.

Walking/running

Hope Valley’s 4.6km of trails take you across the dam wall, through native vegetation, and around the boundary of the reserve. The unsealed trails are suitable for walking and running.

Navigate the reserve with the free Avenza app

Download the Hope Valley Reservoir Reserve map

Cycling

The 4.6km trail network links into the O-Bahn Bikeway. The unsealed trails loop around the boundary of the reserve and take you across the dam wall and through native vegetation.

All paths are shared by both cyclists and walkers, with some operational traffic. Please be considerate of other trail users.

Navigate the reserve with the free Avenza app

Download the Hope Valley Reservoir Reserve map

Picnicking

There are several picnic tables along the trails and of course you’re welcome to pack a picnic basket complete with a blanket or chairs so you can sit back, relax and enjoy the view.

Lookout

The lookout shelters along the Hope Valley dam wall on the western side of the reservoir are the prime stop for a stunning view of the reservoir and as a place to sit back and take in the ambience of this great space. There's also a chance to learn some of the history behind the reservoir and the Kaurna traditional owners of the region. The dam wall can be accessed via a wheelchair ramp at the southern end of the dam wall, near Lyons Road.

Wildlife and birdwatching

Take some time and see if you can spot some of the special species that call Hope Valley home. You can also watch for native animals, lizards and listen for frogs.

Fitness equipment

There are three individual workout stations located in the north-western corner of the reserve, with the reservoir providing a perfect backdrop while you sweat it out. Exercise lovers can complement their run or walk with a range of workout options by using the static fitness equipment, including pull-up and push-up bars, leg raisers and abdominal workout benches.

Nature playground

Hope Valley’s nature playground features log climbing scrambles, stepping stones and logs, wooden tepees, balancing logs and a nature play creek bed – combining adventure and nature for a fun day out with the little ones. There’s plenty of grass to run around on or kick a ball surrounding the nature playground, which offers stunning views over the reservoir towards the hills.

Dogs are not welcome at reservoir reserves as they can carry harmful organisms that can easily contaminate the water and present a risk to the safety of the drinking water. Dogs also pose a threat to local native birds and wildlife. Assistance animals are accepted.

Free offline maps

Use the free Avenza app to navigate around the reservoir reserve, record your GPS tracks or enjoy other features. Download the map to your mobile device and you can access it even without mobile coverage.

Download the Hope Valley Avenza map here.

A print-friendly version of this map can be downloaded here.

You can check current reservoir levels at SA Water's website.

What sets Hope Valley Reservoir apart

Capacity: 2.9 gigalitres (that would fill around 1,400 Olympic swimming pools]

Located in the heart of Adelaide’s north eastern suburbs, Hope Valley Reservoir was completed in 1873 to become Adelaide’s second reservoir, and is our oldest in operation.

Hope Valley is interesting because it does not collect surface water from the local catchment but is filled with water diverted by the Gorge Weir on the River Torrens via a tunnel supplied from Kangaroo Creek Reservoir. In fact, you’ll notice a channel surrounding the reservoir which catches and diverts local surface water away from the reservoir. This helps control the quality of the reservoir water before it is treated at the Hope Valley Water Treatment plant situated next to the reservoir.

Hope Valley Reservoir is our smallest reservoir and one of only two in the metropolitan area, the other being Happy Valley which is more than four times larger at 12.6 gigalitres.

Water Quality

Hope Valley Reservoir is one of 16 across the state that help supply water to more than 1.7 million South Australians. Water from the reservoir is cleaned and filtered at the Hope Valley Treatment Plant before being supplied to customers living in the north eastern suburbs.

Treating drinking water before it’s supplied to homes, businesses, schools, hospitals and more, is important to make sure it is clean and safe to drink straight from the tap. You can learn how SA Water treats water and maintains the quality its customers value and rely upon.