Mickan Road
7 km
distance
50 min
Contour time
2.4
avg score
Unsealed
surface
Scenery
South Australia
The Clare Valley mid-north is South Australia's most northern wine-producing region and one of its most successful. The...
Road quality
2.4 RQS
Every segment scored on 40+ data signals.
Accessibility
Fully sealed
Best in 4WD. Peak season: Autumn-Spring.
7-day forecast
Gentle to moderate SA mid-north track. Good for 4WD beginners in the region. The surface is red loam and gravel - passable in dry conditions with any AWD/4WD vehicle.
Scored 2.4/10 by Contour's road quality algorithm across curviness, surface, elevation and traffic. Best suited for 4wd drivers.
The road
Mickan Road is a 7-kilometre rural track on the fringe of the Clare Valley wine region, where the neat vineyard rows end and the dry sheep and wheat country of the SA mid-north begins. The surface is red loam and gravel, passable in dry conditions with any AWD or 4WD vehicle, and the difficulty is low enough to make this a genuine beginner-friendly track. The appeal is the landscape transition. The Clare Valley is one of South Australia's most successful wine regions - the Riesling here competes with anything in Australia and the Shiraz is consistently excellent. But the rural fringe beyond the established wine districts changes quickly. Within a few kilometres the vines give way to cleared pastoral country, the soil turns red, and the track follows old farm boundaries through country that was pushed into production during the optimistic 19th-century expansion and has been quietly retreating since. The best time to drive Mickan Road is autumn, when the vine colours peak in the valley and the conditions on the track are mild and dry. The Clare Valley Riesling Trail is 20 minutes away for a cycling detour, and Sevenhill Cellars - established by Jesuits in 1851 - is one of the most historically significant wineries in the country.
Mickan Road is a 7-kilometre rural track on the fringe of the Clare Valley wine region, where the neat vineyard rows end and the dry sheep and wheat country of the SA mid-north begins.
Why this road
The region
The Clare Valley mid-north is South Australia's most northern wine-producing region and one of its most successful. The valley grows Riesling, Shiraz and Cabernet that compete with Barossa and McLaren Vale for quality. The rural fringe beyond the established wine districts transitions quickly into the dry sheep and wheat country of the mid-north - the area where European settlement pushed hardest against the arid edge in the 19th century.
Before you go
Fuel in Clare or Jamestown. Easy day trip from the Clare Valley wine region. Standard AWD or 4WD adequate in dry conditions. Best in autumn when the vine colours are at their peak and conditions are mild.
See a routing error?
Flag itWorth stopping for
Clare Valley Riesling Trail
The 35km cycling trail along an old railway line through the Clare Valley wine region - one of the best wine country cycling experiences in Australia.
Sevenhill Cellars
One of Australia's oldest wineries, established by Jesuits in 1851 - the stone cellar, chapel and grounds are remarkable for their history and architecture.
Route
Start
Clare Valley mid-north
End
Mickan Road end
Gallery
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