Simpson Desert

Read the post on page 2 regarding exactly the same thing
Post 54850 Will give u good info

HI, Have you had lots of experience towing a camper in sand? The sand in the simpson is very fine red sand. When the desert is dry it can be very difficult. We crossed a few years ago without a trailer and just planned a route across utilising as many tracks as possible, ie, didn't just go straight across. We sort of zig zagged our way across.
Good Luck, Pete and Lez

Friends of mine are just back from the simpson last september...I too have a camper trailer and asked them what they thought of me taking mine accross...

They said i would have a very hard time trying to get it through, going up all the sanddunes would be really difficult. Some vehicles have trouble going up some dunes without a trailer...and so trailers are not recommended.

I have a brand new landcruiser, so it wasnt because of my car. It was just a basic thought amongst those that travel the trek..they suggest no trailers.

They also said they only saw one vehicle pulling a campertrailer during the whole simpson dessert trek...although they saw many pulling trailers along the oodnadatta trek.

that being said, I wouldnt be taking a tent>

April can bring pretty varied temps from 10 at night up to 37 during the day. Also it can be quite windy which blows fresh crests on the dunes making it difficult to get over particually with a trailer. The track can be obscure in places at that time as there is very little traffic up till May when it starts to cool down. Check the BOM site for weather conditions.
I wouldn't normally recomend anyone tow a trailer accross the Simpson while travelling alone particually if they haven't been there before.
To get a better idea of your vehicles ability what car do you drive & what trailer are you towing???
Cheers Craig...............

We crossed Simpson second half of April last year. Temp was between 35 - 38 degC from memory. You NEED to take fly nets for each person.

Sand is very soft due to warmth generally and also, as of about 11am each day, dunes became much more challenging due to warmth / sand softening up - this was very noticeable. Needed to take 30km diversion at Eyre Crk which was fine (trailer or not) - with Qld rain that might be the case again.

It was definitely harder travelling east at that time last year, but as others have said most difficult dunes have an easier option for trailer units etc.

Otherwise you'll find plenty of info on this site on all subjects e.g. water.

Have a wonderful trip. JD

Hi abchelle
The earliest that we have ever made any Simpson trips was early May. Like above, the sand will be very fine and soft if there is no rain. It will be very early in the season and some tracks will be blown over from the previous summer winds and very high temperatures. As for day time temperatures, how long is a piece of string. We had a few days of 43ºC, with most days between 36ºC and 38ºC.
At that time of the year you should be looking at about 14psi tyre pressure, lower if towing, and do not forget to lower your camper trailer tyres by at least 2psi lower than your vehicle. DO NOT travel by your self, and take some Maxtrax, as you will get bogged many times because of the very soft sand.
The easyiest tracks to follow will be the Rig Road, but the last big Sand dune before you reach the K1 line can be very hard early in the season.
Make sure that you also take extra fuel and lots of water.

Cheers

Stephen

Thanks everyone for your valuable comments and opinions. Some really good things to consider have been raised, and in light of this we may consider postponig the trip to July holidays (just wanted to avoid the 'busy' season, but it does have soem advantages!)
Thanks again for your time and input! abchelle

Hi,

Me and my son will be across Simpson around 14- 15th April, just same as your way, so far just one car going and plan back to Sydney 25th. I have some soft sand driving experience as well. also we have prepared: 6 new BFG tyre (2 spare), over 100L water, long rang tank (270L), Satellite Phone, GPS, UHF radio, and all the recover gears, and just need find some company, so if you will keep April trip plan, we can go together.

Alex
LC100 V8
M: 041 220 8966