13th May 2025

Small Loops, Big Shifts: 10 Short Walks That Leave a Long Impression

Discover the best short hiking trails near Perth for mindful movement, local nature, and gentle connection.

There’s something about walking in a circle that feels ancient.
It’s not about reaching a summit or conquering a distance — it’s about returning. About seeing the same place twice and noticing how much it’s changed. Or maybe how much you have.

The Perth walking trails in this story don’t stretch for dozens of kilometres. You won’t need trekking poles or GPS. You probably won’t get blisters.

But don’t mistake short for small.
These are walks that ask you to show up — not with gear, but with presence. With curiosity. With that feeling in your chest that says: “I need to move. I need to remember what real ground feels like beneath my feet.”

Each loop here is under 10km. All of them are less than an hour from Perth. But every single one has the capacity to shift something in you — if only a little.

Let’s walk.

1. Ellis Brook Valley – Sixty Foot Falls

📍 Martin | 2.1km loop | 45 mins | Grade 3

One of the most scenic short hikes near Perth. This trail is short. Sharp. And kind of perfect.
It climbs quickly — up rock steps past Sixty Foot Falls, across a ridge that throws a full spread of the city at your feet, and then back down into the stillness of the valley.
It’s a complete little journey: rise, view, return. On paper, just 2.1km. But if you hit it early, or in the golden light just before sunset, it feels like you’ve been somewhere much bigger.

2. Wungong Gorge Loop

📍 Bedfordale | 5.5km loop | 2 hours | Grade 4

Looking for a more rugged Perth hiking trail? Wungong Gorge is a rough-edged loop that doesn’t care if you’re wearing fancy trail shoes.
It rolls through jarrah forest, clambers up granite ridgelines, and opens out to wide sky views over the dam wall and valley floor. There’s effort here — enough to feel it in your legs, in your breath — but the pay-off is peace.
Go in winter, when the mist hangs low in the trees. You’ll want to stay longer than you planned.

3. Noble Falls Walk Trail

📍 Gidgegannup | 3.5km loop | 1 hour | Grade 2

Sometimes, a trail feels like a Sunday morning.
Noble Falls is calm, easy, and perfect for those seeking gentle hiking trails in WA. It wraps around a seasonal waterfall and meanders through wandoo and paperbark woodland, buzzing with bees and colour in spring.
It’s family-friendly, dog-friendly, and quietly beautiful.
Bring a thermos and sit under the trees. No rush.

4. Bells Rapids River Walk

📍 Brigadoon | 5.5km loop | 1.5 hours | Grade 3

One of the most underrated walking loops near Perth. Bells Rapids is where the Swan River shows its wild side.
This trail transitions from soft riverside flats to rocky climbs with open views. After heavy rain, the rapids roar — but even in dry months, the quiet is just as powerful.

5. Roley Pools Walk Trail

📍 Roleystone | 4km loop | 1.5 hours | Grade 2–3

This walk blends heritage and healing.
Long before Roleystone was a postcode, this area was a significant meeting place for the Whadjuk Noongar people. Today, it’s a peaceful 4km Perth bushwalk following the Canning River — with granite pools, stone ledges, and towering marri trees.
For those looking for culturally rich nature walks in WA, this trail holds deep meaning.

6. Whistlepipe Gully Trail

📍 Kalamunda | 3.5km loop | 1 hour | Grade 3

A hidden gem in the Perth Hills.
With a bubbling creek, lush ferns, and the ruins of a 1960s architect’s house, Whistlepipe Gully offers a short but whimsical hiking experience near Perth.
Perfect for gentle movement and quiet conversation (or introspection).

7. Glen Brook Trail – John Forrest National Park

📍 Hovea | 5km loop | 1.5 hours | Grade 3

This trail embodies the essence of soft hiking in WA.
Looping around Glen Brook Dam, it’s a steady forested walk with views back to the Perth skyline. No drama. Just peace.
Great for first-time hikers looking for accessible Perth hiking options.

8. Lake Gwelup Loop

📍 Gwelup | 2.5km loop | 40 mins | Grade 1

One of the best easy walks near Perth for busy minds and busy schedules.
A flat, sealed path loops around the lake, with reeds, birds, and reflections offering subtle stillness in the middle of suburbia.
Ideal for soft hiking after work, or early morning resets.

9. Kwinana Loop Trail

📍 Parmelia | 7.5km loop | 2 hours | Grade 3

A southern gem that’s often overlooked.
This WA hiking loop winds through wildflowers and woodlands with open ridgeline views. It’s peaceful, lesser-known, and one of the best hidden hiking trails in Perth’s south.

10. Lake Leschenaultia Circuit

📍 Chidlow | 3km loop | 1 hour | Grade 2

Calm water. Flat trails. Forest edges.
This Perth hiking trail loops around one of the region’s most inviting lakes. Come for a swim, a soft walk, or a picnic under the trees. This is a trail that meets you where you are.

These Trails Don’t Take Long — But They Stay With You

You don’t have to walk far to go deep. Sometimes, 3km is enough. Sometimes 5.
Because it’s not about how far you go — it’s about what shifts while you walk. What loosens. What opens. What returns.

These short Perth walks won’t chew up your whole day. They don’t require fancy gear.
But they offer something bigger: space. Clarity. Stillness.
That sense — when you step back into the car or onto the path home — that something small inside you has been reset.

Here’s to loops that take us places.