Mount Barker Road
25 km
distance
20 min
Contour time
5.6
avg score
Sealed
surface
Scenery
South Australia
The Mount Barker Road crosses the Mount Lofty Ranges at Crafers before descending into the Adelaide Hills wine country...
Road quality
5.6 RQS
Every segment scored on 40+ data signals.
Accessibility
Fully sealed
Best in Sports car. Peak season: Year-round.
7-day forecast
Good sealed surface with sustained corners on both the climb and descent. The Adelaide Hills section is particularly tight. Sports car handles this well. Heavy trucks use the route so timing matters - early morning or evenings are best for unimpeded driving.
Scored 5.6/10 by Contour's road quality algorithm across curviness, surface, elevation and traffic. Best suited for sports car drivers.
The road
Mount Barker Road is one of South Australia's most-driven roads and one of the better ones. The 25-kilometre sealed route crosses the Mount Lofty Ranges at Crafers, connecting the Adelaide Hills wine country around Mount Barker to the freeway and the city beyond. The summit sits at around 700 metres - high enough to collect cloud, frost and the occasional winter fog that makes the upper corners more interesting. The climb from the Mount Barker side is the better half. The road tightens through the Hills wine country, passing pinot noir and chardonnay vineyards that thrive in the cool-climate conditions at this altitude. The corners on the Crafers approach are genuinely good - sustained, well-cambered bends on a surface that is maintained to a high standard because the route carries significant freight traffic. That freight traffic is the main consideration. Trucks use this road on weekdays, and the difference between driving it at 6am and 8am is significant. Early morning or evening runs give you the road to yourself, the light is better, and the corners reward commitment rather than patience. The Heysen Trail crosses the road near the summit. The walking track runs from the Flinders Ranges to the Fleurieu Peninsula and the section accessible from the road here gives views across the ranges if you want to stretch your legs. Mount Barker itself is a proper country town - not a tourist village, but a working town with good food, several cellar doors within five minutes and the kind of main street that still has a butcher and a bakery.
Mount Barker Road is one of South Australia's most-driven roads and one of the better ones.
Why this road
The region
The Mount Barker Road crosses the Mount Lofty Ranges at Crafers before descending into the Adelaide Hills wine country around Mount Barker. The Ranges here reach about 700 metres at the summit - enough to collect winter cloud and occasional frost. The Mount Barker area is the heart of the Adelaide Hills wine region, known for cool-climate pinot noir and chardonnay.
Before you go
Fuel in Mount Barker or Crafers. Road is sealed and open year-round. Trucks use this route on weekdays. Best driven early or late in the day. Black ice on the summit section is possible June to August. The Heysen Trail crosses the road near the summit for a short walk if conditions suit.
See a routing error?
Flag itWorth stopping for
Beerenberg Strawberry Farm
One of Australia's largest strawberry farms near Hahndorf - pick-your-own in season and jam sales year-round.
Mount Barker township
A proper country town with good food options, cellar doors within 5 minutes and the Hay Shed Hill winery nearby.
Route
Start
Mount Barker
End
Crafers
Gallery
More roads like this
