For a day hike in the Red Centre not far from Alice Springs one can do worse than to head for Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park. The park has some of the more amenable options in the area. There is no need to put in a multi-day expedition to get to a cool waterhole or make your way up to a good vantage point; you can also put in a short stint on the Larapinta Trail or simply put in some miles along a creek bed in the red rock gorges.
Simpsons Gap is an easy way to start, Ellery Creek Big Hole is where you will want to be for a swim and a brief gorge walk, while Ormiston Gorge makes for the most complete walking day. Those in search of something more rugged and less populated might prefer Serpentine Gorge. But conditions are subject to rain, the heat or maintenance work so the figures here should be taken as a rough guide for your plans; see what the park notices have to say before you set off.
By Evelyn Marlowe
Choose Your Walking Day
Variety is what you will find on the trails at Tjoritja. With several of the bigger sites being on or near Larapinta Drive it is possible to mix in a short walk with time at the lookouts and picnic spots instead of devoting the whole day to a single track. See these recommended walking schedules for longer outings.
While the majority of walks are fine for the reasonably active, do not be under the impression that “short” equates to effortless. Two kilometres back and forth over loose rock and hot ground or a steep finish is a different proposition to the same distance on a suburban path.
| Walking Area | Approximate Distance | Time (realistic) | Difficulty | What it offers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simpsons Gap | 1-2 km return | 30 min – 1 hr | Easy | Wildlife, ghost gums and the walls of the gorge |
| Ellery Creek Big Hole | 1-3 km return | 30 min to 1.5 hrs | Easy/moderate | Creek and red rock country, the waterhole |
| Ormiston Gorge Lookout | 2-3 km return | 1 to 1.5 hrs | Moderate | Mountain ranges and views of the gorge |
| Ormiston Pound Walk | 8-9 km loop | 3.5-5 hrs | Moderate/hard | The scale of the valley and range |
| Serpentine Gorge | 1-2 km return | 30 min – 1 hr | Easy/moderate | Seasonal water in a narrow gorge |
| Redbank Gorge | 1-2 km return | 30 min – 1 hr | Easy/moderate | Rocky gorge and views of Mount Sonder |
These are the usual options from the main points of access. Put in 30 minutes extra for a photo opportunity or a careful crossing if you like. It is sensible to have your water and wait for the day to cool down before making your way back to the car.
Simpsons Gap
One of the first places to put in a day’s walking in the West MacDonnell Ranges is usually Simpsons Gap. The road in is not far from Alice Springs and the walk is unpretentious, giving you a good initial view of the pale sand, ghost gums and red rock of the gorge.
The route to the gap and the creek is well defined, if not sealed. Sand and odd stones will slow down children and older folk or those in smooth shoes. Go in the early morning for the soft light on the rock and to see any wildlife about.
A Word On Expectations
A word on expectations: this is not a wilderness trek. It is an accessible, compact affair which is all to the good for a quick stop en route to other sites or a first time out. An hour or so will see you take your photographs and have a look at the creek bed. Do not count on there being running water in the gorge, that is a matter of recent rain, but the formations and ranges are ample reason to make the trip even when it is dry.
Ellery Creek Big Hole
Here you have a short walk and one of Tjoritja’s more famous waterholes in one. It is well suited to those who would like the scenery without having to hike all day, though swimming may be on the cold side and rain can alter the water or your access to it.
From the car park the track will take you to the waterhole and the gorge beyond. You will encounter some shallow creek-bed and rocks, so leave the fashionable trainers at home and wear something with substance. An hour is all it should take to do the walk, yet one will find most putting in more time over a meal or to get some photographs in, or for a paddle of a sort.
Water Conditions: Plan Accordingly
Do not assume you will be able to swim with any degree of comfort or safety on each visit, or that it is even allowed. A storm will leave the waterholes cloudy and put debris in motion; the cold can get to a confident swimmer too. Heed local notices and exercise good judgement instead of regarding the water as an open invitation to make a dash for it.
For a day trip Ellery Creek Big Hole makes a convenient base with room to rest and the necessary facilities. But there is little shade to be had in the more exposed parts when it is hot. Put in your rucksack more drinking water than seems called for, especially with children in tow or if you are linking up with another walk.
Ormiston Gorge: Do It Right
If a visitor is after a single area to put in some solid walking, Ormiston Gorge is hard to beat. There are short vantage points, the creek bed and imposing gorge walls, and from here you can put in the longer Ormiston Pound Walk without strain. The shorter options are handy for a late arrival, the loop is for those who want to spend hours on the track. You will see the close confines of the gorge give way to the mountain ranges and the pound once you put some distance between yourself and the main waterhole.
A Matter Of Route
The Ghost Gum Lookout is a sensible compromise. One has to put in a moderate climb over uneven terrain and the return will be warmer. Make an allowance of an hour to 1.5 with stops in, do not be guided by the fastest times they put out.
Then there is the Ormiston Pound Walk which is no picnic. At 8 to 9 km the loop will eat up 3.5 to 5 hours contingent on your fitness, the heat and how much time you have for pictures. Not something to undertake on a late start or if you do not like having to find your way over exposed ground. Most make the error of thinking of it as a stroll in the park. Be sure to have enough water and a time cushion before the sun goes down; if you are already feeling the heat on arrival the lookout is the better option.
Serpentine Gorge
Those wanting the feel of a rough bush track and a measure of quiet will be suited to Serpentine Gorge. The route takes you to a narrow gorge flanked by red rock and rugged slopes where rain may have left some seasonal water.
As for the length of the walk, the usual one from the access point is in the order of 1 to 2 km return, subject to the state of the track. Figure on 30 minutes to an hour for the walk proper and then some for the approach road and a careful return over the unevenness.
Rough Track Ahead
Visitors are sometimes unprepared for the access route, after bad weather in particular. Inspect your tyres in Alice Springs and do not come with the tank nearly dry; go slowly over the corrugations. Mobile service is at best patchy so a satellite device or the like is prudent.
This is no urban reserve with a café at hand, but proper bush. Leave the thongs at home and put on enclosed footwear. Keep an eye on the children around the pools and rock edges.
Redbank And Standley Chasm
Mount Sonder looms over Redbank Gorge for a compact excursion. The last bit of the road can be unsealed or otherwise rough, so make sure your 2WD is up to it or 4WD is in order. The walk is rocky and the narrowness of the place is cooler than what is open country; a fine way to round off an Ormiston Gorge day provided you have made the necessary checks on the road first.
Standley Chasm is of a different order, with its own entry and management, not just a free stop in the park. The narrow gorge draws crowds at certain hours for the light on the walls. Before you set off from the main park route to allow for the drive, look into the opening times and what admission will cost.
Larapinta Trail
For those who would like to sample a longer-distance walking route but have no desire to be encumbered with camping gear, the day walks on the Larapinta Trail are well suited. One is treated to some of the West MacDonnell Ranges’ most familiar country on the trail, from gorges and rocky ridges to creek beds and vantage points for Mount Sonder.
There is no call to put in an entire section of the trail to take in the landscape. Make your way out from an access point for so far as you have planned and be back before it gets too hot. Do make sure you have a map of the Larapinta; what looks like a short distance from the road can be more than it seems between access points.
A Manageable Section
The independent day hiker will find the shorter options in the vicinity of the main visitor areas to be the most practical. An experienced walker might put in some miles at Ormiston, Serpentine or Redbank Gorge, though that is a matter of what the weather and road and water conditions allow, not to mention how one is getting back.
It is easy to make the error of thinking a one-way distance is a return walk. A sign may indicate a feature is a few kilometres off but you still have to make it back to the car. Unless you have made prior arrangements for a shuttle, err on the side of caution and turn back while daylight and water are in ample supply.
Put Distance In Perspective
One has to weigh the difficulty, the views and the length of a walk, but the heat is often the deciding factor. What is a flat creek bed at midday can be more of an undertaking than a brief climb in the morning cool. And there is the temptation of a waterhole to put in more time than intended.
As a quick guide to the better walks in the West MacDonnell National Park: for variety head to Ormiston Gorge, for a quiet and rugged affair try Serpentine or Redbank. If accessibility is the order of the day, go to Simpsons Gap; for a short scenic interlude with the chance of a swim, Ellery Creek Big Hole is the place.
Who Is It For?
Simpsons Gap, Ellery Creek Big Hole or a viewpoint at Ormiston are where a beginner should start. The seasoned walker will likely opt for the Ormiston Pound Walk or a short Larapinta segment. Families would do well to see to matters of shade, footwear and water before they set out.
Those not used to remote walking, or who are on their own without means of communication, or are in the throes of illness, should think twice about a long route when the heat is on. There is nothing to be won by completing a walk that has turned unsafe. The ranges will be there tomorrow as smug as ever.
Safety And Access
The usual way into the park is by road from Alice Springs via Larapinta Drive and its connections. While some of the more frequented sites have the requisite car parks, toilets and picnic tables, do not expect the same level of service once you are some distance from town.
Before leaving, consult the official Northern Territory parks information to verify current standing on any closures, warnings or road notices, and to be clear on NT Parks Visitor Pass requirements.
- Have food, a first-aid kit, a hat and sun protection, enclosed shoes and a phone or other emergency device with charge to spare.
- Put in word as to your route and when you will be back and set off early to miss the worst of the day’s heat.
- Heed the forecast, particularly in the wet season, and stay out of creek beds if there is any talk of rain or flooding.
- Mobile coverage cannot be counted on, nor should one put oneself near wildlife or in water that does not look safe.
The dry season is more congenial for a walk but it is wise to book accommodation in Alice Springs early as the popular spots get crowded. In the wet season a storm can alter the roads and the ground underfoot in short order. Access in the height of summer is subject to the vagaries of extreme heat and any bushfire closures.
Practical Walking Days
A sound walking schedule will have time to spare for lunch, a few photographs, road conditions and the odd “five more minutes” at a waterhole. Do not be tempted to put too many far off sites on one day’s agenda; what seems orderly on a map is not so when you are on the road.
- With a single day to make of it, go from Simpsons Gap to Ellery Creek Big Hole and put in the bulk of your walking at Ormiston Gorge. From there pick the lookout or the Ormiston Pound Walk as the hour, the heat and your fitness allow.
- Two days would see you do the same three places on the first and then head to Serpentine or Redbank Gorge on the second, or perhaps a Larapinta Trail day walk if access permits.
- The simplest option is to pair off a short gorge with Simpsons Gap and not undertake the Ormiston Pound loop in the late afternoon.
Transport expenses will vary according to whether one opts for a private hire, a shared transfer or an organised tour. Put some money aside for fuel, accommodation in Alice Springs, food and any fees levied by attractions like Standley Chasm. An old itinerary is no guide to present day prices for park passes and facilities which can change, so verify them before you leave.
Walking Questions
To clear up some of the usual confusion over practicalities, here are some of the questions we get asked. There is a ready answer but in the end the conditions of the day are what make a walk sensible or not.
Serpentine Gorge: How Far?
The route most people take is in the order of 1 to 2 km return, destination and all. Factor in 30 minutes to an hour on foot and some more for getting good photos and treading carefully on uneven terrain.
Where To Begin?
On a first trip one would put Simpsons Gap, Ellery Creek Big Hole and Ormiston Gorge first. You get your views of the West MacDonnell Ranges, the gorge walls and ghost gums, as well as the waterholes, all in good measure.
Is Kings Canyon Hard Going?
Do not let the brief walks in Tjoritja set your expectations for Kings Canyon. It is a different proposition in the Red Centre, with its rim walk involving steady climbing and steep steps, and is not part of the Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park. See what Watarrka National Park has to say on the matter before you plan.
What Of Simpsons Gap?
Most will find the 1 to 2 km return takes them 30 to 60 minutes, though you can easily put in more time with a leisurely pace and some wildlife to be had.
Are All Waterholes For Swimming?
Not at all. There is debris to contend with and variations in quality, temperature and levels, not to mention local warnings. While you might be able to swim in Ellery Creek Big Hole if it is right for it, do not suppose a pool looks safe without checking.
Make Of It What You Will
There is no need for the best of Tjoritja’s short walks to be the longest. A hasty kilometre count does not compare with a relaxed morning at Ormiston Gorge or a well timed stop at Simpsons Gap.
Be prepared for the roads and the heat and pack accordingly. In Tjoritja the patient walker is rewarded. Take your time on the track, let the light play on the red rock and save some for the drive back to Alice Springs.