For a panoramic view of the city of Canberra, it doesn’t get any better than Mount Taylor, an easy climb conveniently located just outside the suburbs of Torrens (Woden) and Kambah (Tuggeranong). The base of the mountain can be accessed from Sulwood Drive or Athllon Drive. The path to the summit is a graded, fairly wide dirt track which switches to pavement towards the end. While the track is a steady uphill, it’s not overly steep, so most runners can take on the 230 meter gain in elevation at a good clip. Keep an eye out for wildlife, including kangaroos, and by mile 3 you’ll be rewarded with incredible 360 degree views of Canberra in the valley below. If you prefer loops to out and backs, there are other options to return by once you get down from the summit, making for a nice tour of the urban bush.
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Essentials
- 6.9km (4.3 miles)
- 230 meters (755 feet)
- Sulwood Drive
- Tuggeranong Parkway and Sulwood Drive Bus Stop
Current Weather & Forecast
Canberra, AU
4:36 am,
Jun 14, 2026
light rain
13°C
L: 12°
H: 14°
Daily ForecastHourly Forecast
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7:00 am
12° / 14°°C
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11 mph
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Tomorrow
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18° / 31°°C
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13 mph
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Tuesday
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17° / 24°°C
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11 mph
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Thursday
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12° / 27°°C
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11 mph
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Other Routes in Canberra, Australia
A 16k 'runseeing' tour features the highlights of this compact, planned city: National University, Botanical Gardens, National Museum, Library, National Rose Garden, Magna Carta Place, Parliament House, High Court Anzac Park, War Memorial.
Without a doubt, the highlight of all running in Canberra is this route around Lake Burley Griffin, which hugs the coast through Commonwealth Park and traverses over the water via two bridges.
If too much pavement pounding is jostling your joints, take your run to the Stromlo Forest Park in western Canberra, where the maintenance team has turfed a specialized 2.5k running loop with cushy Santa Ana Couch grass.
Mount Ainslie is an 843 meter hill which serves as the focal point for the Canberra Nature Park in the northeastern corner of the city. While it’s possible to run the drive up to the lookout for a hill training run, a popular 12k route is the loop around the base of the hill.
For an introduction to the Australian bush without the risk, the National Arboretum Canberra is a great spot to learn about flora on foot. It’s not a spot for a lengthy run, but there are two decent 2k circuits that make for a nice quick tour of the trees.
The Runners Club at the Canberra YMCA is particularly fond of the park’s Canberra Centenary Trail, which can form the base of either a 5k or 12k route.
Canberra is not only a running-friendly city, it caters to bike enthusiasts as well. Luckily, cyclists don’t mind sharing the miles upon miles of paved paths in Canberra’s southern suburbs.
Canberra hosts a free weekly 5k at Lake Tuggeranong. The entire lake has a loop around it that makes a nice longer run, but an out and back on the bike path in southern section of the lake is the designated 5000 meter course.
There are plenty of running trails between the Black Mountain Reserve and neighboring Aranda Bushland Nature Reserve, but the nicest way up is via the Australian National Botanic Gardens (sometimes known as the “Flower to Tower” route).
Looking for some fun and friendly competition? Canberra hosts a selection of Parkruns throughout the city.
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