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West MacDonnell Ranges
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West MacDonnell Ranges

Difficulty: Trek rating 1 of 5 - Click for details   Suitable for: 4WD AWD 2WD Caravan Camper Motorhome Bike 
The West MacDonnell Ranges in the heart of Australia's red centre stretch for 400km from east-west as a series of parallel ranges. Within the ranges are magnificent gaps and gorges, dramatic scenery, great bush camping and walks.
StartClick to Reverse the Dynamic Map and Driving NotesPalm Valley (Mpulungkinya)
Trek
FinishAlice Springs
Distance297.86 kmMinimum Days2
Average Speed48.2 km/hrDriving Time6 hr 10 min
Article By: ExplorOz Team   Updated: 20 Nov 2007
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 Description

There is so much to see in the Alice Springs region that you really need to plan your route carefully. With a 4WD you get the opportunity to avoid backtracking and can reach all the major and lesser known sites over a comfortable 1 week period. If you are a particularly keen walker, photographer or artist you would certainly want to allow 2 weeks or more. Most sites have various tracks to explore ranging from easy walks of just a few hundred metres to overnight hikes. There are countless opportunities for soaking up the surroundings on foot but if you are in a rush, excellent bitumen roads links all the major attractions to within a day's drive of Alice Springs.

This route we describe here is 2WD accessible as it follows the bitumen Larapinta Drive out of Alice Springs passing John Flynns Grave, Simpsons Gap and Standley Chasm, then swings east on the Namatjira Drive to Ellery Creek Bighole, Serpentine Gorge, Ochre Pits, Ormiston Gorge, Glen Helen Gorge. A good dirt road continues the trek to Redbank Gorge, Gosse Bluff and Hermannsburg with a 4WD only diversion to Palm Valley.

2WD Accessible Sights (Walking tracks at all, camping at most)

The walking in the West McDonnells is excellent with quite a few choices depending on your level of fitness or temperature of the day. Walking close to some of the rocks can get incredibly hot in middle of the day, yet there are some gorges better visited at midday when the sunlight shines directly on the rocks and lights up the sheer walls with intense red colours (such as Standley Chasm).

 Interactive Route Map

Palm Valley (Mpulungkinya)Lower Mount HermannsburgLarapinta Drive & Boggy Hole AccessHermannsburgAlbert Namatjira's HouseGosses Bluff Meteorite Impact CraterGosses BluffTylers PassNamatjira Dve, West MacDonnell NP BoundaryGlen Helen GorgeGlen HelenFinke River, Namatjira DveOrmiston Gorge and Pound NPNeil Hargrave LookoutEllery Creek Big HolePoint Howard LookoutHugh River, Namatjira DveNamatjira Rd & Larapinta DveIwupataka (Jay Creek)Alice Springs
Palm Valley (Mpulungkinya)
Palm Valley is a scenic place and is home to a diverse range of plant species. Many of these species are rare and unique to the area, including around 3,000 adult Red Cabbage Palms for which the Park is well known.
Features: Camp FreePoint of Interest
Position: 132.7444ºE   24.0582ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Lower Mount Hermannsburg
Distance: 13.03km
Average Speed: 23.67km/h
Features: Mountain,Peak,Hill
Position: 132.7516ºE   23.9790ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Larapinta Drive & Boggy Hole Access
Distance: 5.67km
Average Speed: 32.28km/h
Features: Junction,Intersection,Turn Off
Position: 132.7867ºE   23.9461ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Hermannsburg
Distance: 0.54km
Average Speed: 40.05km/h
Hermannsburg
Sun drenched community is sensibly solar powered by 8 impressive dishes.
Features: Populated PlaceCamp Free Fuel Water Supply Toilet Food,Shopping Aboriginal Lands,Communities Camp Fee Police Station Medical Services Point of Interest
Position: 132.7796ºE   23.9420ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Albert Namatjira's House
Distance: 5.23km
Average Speed: 30.48km/h
Albert Namatjira's House
Albert Namatjira's House is located approximately 5km west of Hermannsberg Community. It is a two-roomed cottage, constructed of hand-cut local sandstone bricks with a corrugated galvanised iron roof.
Features: Point of Interest
Position: 132.7444ºE   23.9405ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Gosses Bluff Meteorite Impact Crater
Distance: 56.18km
Average Speed: 42.38km/h
Gosses Bluff Meteorite Impact Crater
Australia has some of the best-preserved meteorite impact sites in the world, like Gosses Bluff in the Northern Territory.
Features: Point of Interest
Position: 132.3167ºE   23.8167ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Gosses Bluff
Distance: 0.3km
Average Speed: 16.98km/h
Gosses Bluff
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Features: Point of Interest
Position: 132.3143ºE   23.8166ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Tylers Pass
Distance: 21.54km
Average Speed: 40.78km/h
Tylers Pass
Tylers Pass is a rest area with a lookout on a small hill that reveals spectacular panoramic views over the MacDonnell Ranges including stunning views of the mysterious Gosse Bluff (Tnorala).
Features: Pass,GapPoint of Interest
Position: 132.3630ºE   23.6694ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Namatjira Dve, West MacDonnell NP Boundary
Distance: 24.14km
Average Speed: 60.18km/h
Namatjira Dve, West MacDonnell NP Boundary
Namatjira Dve, West MacDonnell NP Boundary
Features: Marker,Sign
Position: 132.4997ºE   23.6086ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Glen Helen Gorge
Distance: 20.51km
Average Speed: 50.16km/h
Glen Helen Gorge
The Glen Helen Gorge is formed from quartzite. Sandstone was deposited in the area some 500 million years ago when it was a huge inland sea. It was subsequently tilted and uplifted. As this uplift was occurring the Finke River slowly eroded its way through the mountain range.
Features: Gorge
Position: 132.6754ºE   23.6922ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Glen Helen
Distance: 0.92km
Average Speed: 15.86km/h
Glen Helen
Glen Helen (including Ormiston Gorge and Pound National Park) One of the most beautiful gorges in Central Australia. Glen Helen is located 133 km west of Alice Springs at the end of the sealed section of road known as Namatjira Drive.
Features: Populated PlaceCaravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Food,Shopping Camp Fee Resort,Motel
Position: 132.6733ºE   23.6858ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Finke River, Namatjira Dve
Distance: 0.88km
Average Speed: 58.3km/h
Finke River, Namatjira Dve
Namatjira Drive which crosses the Finke River.
Features: River Crossing
Position: 132.6715ºE   23.6803ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Ormiston Gorge and Pound NP
Distance: 9.48km
Average Speed: 57.95km/h
Ormiston Gorge and Pound NP
Ormiston Gorge is would have to be one of the most spectacular of the gorges in the West MacDonnell Ranges and the adventurous can spend many hours exploring the Pound which runs east from the large waterhole at the gorge.
Features: GorgeCamp Fee
Position: 132.7293ºE   23.6256ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Neil Hargrave Lookout
Distance: 30.48km
Average Speed: 55.09km/h
Neil Hargrave Lookout
Located 107km west of Alice Springs or 24km east of Glen Helen. 8km north of the highway.
Features: Camp Free
Position: 132.9039ºE   23.7514ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Ellery Creek Big Hole
Distance: 18.37km
Average Speed: 61.27km/h
Ellery Creek Big Hole
Located 88km west of Alice Springs or 43km east of Glen Helen. 2km north of the Highway. Beautiful clear, deep waters of Ellery Creek Big Hole. 150m swim to the other side where you can get out on a white sandy beach and walk a little further up the gorge.
Features: Camp Fee
Position: 133.0706ºE   23.7822ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Point Howard Lookout
Distance: 11.98km
Average Speed: 37.47km/h
Point Howard Lookout
Located 78km west of Alice Springs or 53km east of Glen Helen, on Namatjiri Drive.
Features: Camp Free
Position: 133.1753ºE   23.8056ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Hugh River, Namatjira Dve
Distance: 21.63km
Average Speed: 77.37km/h
Hugh River, Namatjira Dve
Namatjira Drive which crosses the Hugh River.
Features: River Crossing
Position: 133.3842ºE   23.8125ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Namatjira Rd & Larapinta Dve
Distance: 9.42km
Average Speed: 81.96km/h
Namatjira Rd & Larapinta Dve
Namatjira Road & Larapinta Drive junction.
Features: Junction,Intersection,Turn Off
Position: 133.4731ºE   23.8224ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Iwupataka (Jay Creek)
Distance: 5.9km
Average Speed: 78.88km/h
Iwupataka (Jay Creek)
This place is one of a number of Outstations on the Iwupataka Land Trust and is situated about 31 km by road from Alice Springs. The landscape from Simpson’s Gap to Jay Creek is through grassy flats, low rocky hills and ghost gums.
Features: Populated Place
Position: 133.5053ºE   23.7887ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Alice Springs
Distance: 41.65km
Average Speed: 54.67km/h
Alice Springs
The name of this city comes from it's humble beginnings when a small settlement was built along a waterhole called Alice Springs in 1872. Today, Alice Springs is the largest town in Central Australia with a population of around 24,000.
Features: Populated PlaceService Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Camp Fee Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
Position: 133.8836ºE   23.6975ºS (GDA 94)

Route Control

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 Permits

None

 Things to See & Do
Hermannsburg   Rating
Populated Place Camp Free Fuel Water Supply Toilet Food,Shopping Aboriginal Lands,Communities Camp Fee Police Station Medical Services Point of Interest
Sun drenched community is sensibly solar powered by 8 impressive dishes.
Gosses Bluff Meteorite Impact Crater   
Point of Interest 
Australia has some of the best-preserved meteorite impact sites in the world, like Gosses Bluff in the Northern Territory.
Glen Helen Gorge   
Gorge 
The Glen Helen Gorge is formed from quartzite. Sandstone was deposited in the area some 500 million years ago when it was a huge inland sea. It was subsequently tilted and uplifted. As this uplift was occurring the Finke River slowly eroded its way through the mountain range.
Tylers Pass   
Pass,Gap Point of Interest
Tylers Pass is a rest area with a lookout on a small hill that reveals spectacular panoramic views over the MacDonnell Ranges including stunning views of the mysterious Gosse Bluff (Tnorala). Gosse Bluff which is approximately 15 km's away is a crater, which was created around 145 million years ago when a meteorite crashed on the earth.
Ormiston Gorge and Pound NP   
Gorge Camp Fee
Ormiston Gorge is would have to be one of the most spectacular of the gorges in the West MacDonnell Ranges and the adventurous can spend many hours exploring the Pound which runs east from the large waterhole at the gorge.
Palm Valley (Mpulungkinya)   
Camp Free Point of Interest
Palm Valley is a scenic place and is home to a diverse range of plant species. Many of these species are rare and unique to the area, including around 3,000 adult Red Cabbage Palms for which the Park is well known. The Park and the nearby areas hold cultural significance to the Western Arrernte Aboriginal people and there are evidence of early European settlement too.
Albert Namatjira's House   
Point of Interest 
Albert Namatjira's House is located approximately 5km west of Hermannsberg Community. It is a two-roomed cottage, constructed of hand-cut local sandstone bricks with a corrugated galvanised iron roof. Albert built this house for his wife and the house features a fireplace and chimney – which is located at the eastern end of the structure.
Gosses Bluff   
Point of Interest 
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Ellery Creek Bighole, Serpentine Gorge, Ochre Pits, Ormiston Gorge, Redbank Gorge, Glen Helen Gorge, Gosse Bluff (Tnorala), Palm Valley and much more.

 Preparation

Fuel Supplies & Usage

Fuel SymbolHermannsburg, Glen Helen, Alice Springs Diesel4cyl 42 litres ULP4cyl 48 litres LPG4cyl 60 litres
6cyl 46 litres6cyl 54 litres6cyl 52 litres
8cyl 48 litres8cyl 49 litres
Usage is averaged from TrekFuel (* specific to trek) submissions and calculated based on trek distance.

Best Time To Visit

Closest Climatic Station

Alice Springs Airport
Distance from Trek Mid Point 81.57km E
 JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec
Mean Max. °C 36.335.132.728.2 23.019.919.622.6 27.130.933.735.4
Mean Min. °C 21.420.817.512.6 8.35.14.06.0 10.214.817.920.2
Mean Rain mm 38.042.331.916.8 19.414.414.79.5 8.321.926.737.5
    Best time to travel      Ok time to travel      Travel NOT recommended

Services & Supplies

The following locations have various services and supplies: Hermannsburg, Glen Helen, Alice Springs

 Camp Sites & Accomodation
Hermannsburg   Rating
Populated Place Camp Free Fuel Water Supply Toilet Food,Shopping Aboriginal Lands,Communities Camp Fee Police Station Medical Services Point of Interest
Sun drenched community is sensibly solar powered by 8 impressive dishes.
Ellery Creek Big Hole   
Camp Fee 
Located 88km west of Alice Springs or 43km east of Glen Helen. 2km north of the Highway. Beautiful clear, deep waters of Ellery Creek Big Hole. 150m swim to the other side where you can get out on a white sandy beach and walk a little further up the gorge. A nice walk from back of campsite throughout higher terrain and back along creek bed to main waterhole.
Alice Springs   
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Camp Fee Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
The name of this city comes from it's humble beginnings when a small settlement was built along a waterhole called Alice Springs in 1872. Today, Alice Springs is the largest town in Central Australia with a population of around 24,000. Although it is indeed a city, it is more accurately described as an outback town with a country lifestyle for locals and visitors.
Glen Helen   
Populated Place Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Food,Shopping Camp Fee Resort,Motel
Glen Helen (including Ormiston Gorge and Pound National Park) One of the most beautiful gorges in Central Australia. Glen Helen is located 133 km west of Alice Springs at the end of the sealed section of road known as Namatjira Drive. No one knows who named the region but it was one of the first pastoral leases in Central Australia.
Ormiston Gorge and Pound NP   
Gorge Camp Fee
Ormiston Gorge is would have to be one of the most spectacular of the gorges in the West MacDonnell Ranges and the adventurous can spend many hours exploring the Pound which runs east from the large waterhole at the gorge.
Palm Valley (Mpulungkinya)   
Camp Free Point of Interest
Palm Valley is a scenic place and is home to a diverse range of plant species. Many of these species are rare and unique to the area, including around 3,000 adult Red Cabbage Palms for which the Park is well known. The Park and the nearby areas hold cultural significance to the Western Arrernte Aboriginal people and there are evidence of early European settlement too.
Point Howard Lookout   
Camp Free 
Located 78km west of Alice Springs or 53km east of Glen Helen, on Namatjiri Drive.
Neil Hargrave Lookout   
Camp Free 
Located 107km west of Alice Springs or 24km east of Glen Helen. 8km north of the highway.

 Driving Directions
Time
Direction
Distance
Palm Valley (Mpulungkinya) to Lower Mount Hermannsburg 13.03 km N 5° 33 min
Lower Mount Hermannsburg to Larapinta Drive & Boggy Hole Access 5.67 km NE 44° 10 min
Larapinta Drive & Boggy Hole Access to Hermannsburg 0.54 km NW 303°
Hermannsburg to Albert Namatjira's House 5.23 km W 273° 10 min
Albert Namatjira's House to Gosses Bluff Meteorite Impact Crater 56.18 km W 287° 1 hr 19 min
Gosses Bluff Meteorite Impact Crater to Gosses Bluff 0.3 km W 271° 1 min
Gosses Bluff to Tylers Pass 21.54 km N 17° 31 min
Tylers Pass to Namatjira Dve, West MacDonnell NP Boundary 24.14 km NE 64° 24 min
Namatjira Dve, West MacDonnell NP Boundary to Glen Helen Gorge 20.51 km SE 117° 24 min
Glen Helen Gorge to Glen Helen 0.92 km N 343° 3 min
Glen Helen to Finke River, Namatjira Dve 0.88 km N 344°
Finke River, Namatjira Dve to Ormiston Gorge and Pound NP 9.48 km NE 44° 9 min
Ormiston Gorge and Pound NP to Neil Hargrave Lookout 30.48 km SE 128° 33 min
Neil Hargrave Lookout to Ellery Creek Big Hole 18.37 km E 101° 17 min
Ellery Creek Big Hole to Point Howard Lookout 11.98 km E 104° 19 min
Point Howard Lookout to Hugh River, Namatjira Dve 21.63 km E 92° 16 min
Hugh River, Namatjira Dve to Namatjira Rd & Larapinta Dve 9.42 km E 97° 6 min
Namatjira Rd & Larapinta Dve to Iwupataka (Jay Creek) 5.9 km NE 41° 4 min
Iwupataka (Jay Creek) to Alice Springs 41.65 km E 75° 45 min
Palm Valley (Mpulungkinya) to Alice Springs 297.86 km     6 hr 10 min
Distance is GPS recorded driving distance (not straight line), Direction is straight line from start to end, Time is calculated from actual GPS driving data.

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