Glen Helen Resort - West Macdonnell Range

Hi Glen,

Just joined the Explore website about 1 minute ago so glad I can contribute already!!

Last was at the Glen Helen Resort for the Folk Festival mid 2011. Have been there several times. When you take into account that you are in the middle of Australia - literally, Glen Helen is paradise!! There is a pub serving counter meals and there is a spectacular view!! Access is not a problem with a caravan either.

We prefer to camp off the beaten track a few kms further down past the turn off to Glen Helen, along the Finke - but it is true camping and you will need a 4WD and off road camper.

A much nicer spot to camp is Ormiston Gorge. The turn off is about 5km before Glen Helen. It has great facilities and the Gorge is beautiful by day and especially at dawn and dusk. There are a couple of walks you can go on too.

I'd recommend staying there first and then pop into Glen Helen for a cold beer and counter meal, or vice versa!

Just planning our return trip to Alice and getting excited! Hope that helps.

Wozza

Was there 6 weeks ago, did the loop from Kings Canyon to Glen Helen. Coming up Great Central, Glen Helen resort then onto Alice, road from Kings canyon to GH was pretty rough even by Gibb River, Tanami etc standards. was towing camper trailer and was really no problem.

Alice to Glen Helen easy. Kings Canyon loop to Glen Helen do able, lots of peeps did it. Amenities were ok, not spectacular but clean, caravan sites on gravel, but we put our camper on grassed area, can't put your Caravan there though. Good bistro w live music, not loud.

Go to Ormiston Gorge and then do a day trip to Glen Helen Resort, yes nice cold beer & counter lunches not to mention the views. All excellent roads.

I would rather use the bush than use in their amenities.

This makes for good reading, TRIP ADVISOR all 16 pages.

Stay at Ellery Creek big hole instead much nicer and cheaper.

Phil

Glen Helen Resort was a bit of a shock for us when we went there last year as we heard people rave about it. I suppose it depends on where you have been previously, but don’t expect too much. The camp ground was a bit of a squeeze with our camper trailer as there were a few campers already there, but there were good caravan spots nearby. But the lounge beside the fire place inside the resort was brilliant, plus a couple of red wines! The meal in the restaurant was also good. But really, I am not sure why they call the place a resort? Kevin

We stayed there for 3 nights in our camper trailer, back in August and were happy with the set up and location.

Good - location to other gorges, homestead, food, bar, back deck, creek, swimming hole and the owners were most helpful.

Not so good - ground was rock and hard, back-packers (a general problem in central Oz), and only 3 showers which at peak times were extremely busy and dirty (ie backpackers).

Bad - Flys (in 3+ weeks of traveling) by far the worse we came across

We were tossing this up with Ormiston Gorge, however on a visit to Ormiston, we were pleased that we stayed at Glen Helen, as Ormiston was much smaller, not as open or as flat.

We would definitely go back to Glen Helen. Enjoy!

Thanks for taking the trouble to respond. In balance I think it's worth giving it a go.

Thanks again.
Glenn

Yup, agree to camp elsewhere, especially at $ 40-00 a night no power, and no designated camp site either. You pick your own spot and have to carry you water 50 metres. Then others come in , no supervision and block you in.
Just my thoughts though.....

We bypassed there a couple weeks ago, prefering a return to Alice, as the tent sites were rocky, there were a number of sites already occupied with more young, noisy kids than we were happy with.
We'd just driven from Alice through Hermansburg and around. Ormiston was by far the pick of the sights.

Wot others have said.

Campground and facilities are pretty ordinary.

And if you like quiet, you won't enjoy the chopper taking cashed-up tourists overhead.

The gorge itself is a bit of magic. Swim through it and back; a great experience.