Serpentine Gorge Lookout

West MacDonnell National Park

Serpentine Gorge is a sacred site to Western Arrernte Aboriginal people, who call it Ulpma.
The Dreaming Story of the Carpet Snake and this place is associated with an Eaglehawk ancestor, the full story of which can only be told to initiated Aboriginal men.

Lookouts
No Swimming
Bird Watching
Heritage Sites
No Dogs Permitted
Arid or Desert
Eucalypt Forest
809m
Maximum Elevation
67m
Total Climb

Getting there:

From Alice Springs, head west out of town on Larapinta Drive/Namatjira Drive (Red Centre Way) towards Glen Helen for 101km before turning right (signposted) and travelling 1.8km on a graded track to the car park.

Maps:

West MacDonnell National Park

Route/Trail notes:

From the car park, follow the well trodden path in towards the gorge. After 900m, take the stepped pathway to your right, that snakes its way up 65m to the lookout above the gorge and waterhole. Return by the same route.

Permits/Costs:

None.

Other References/Comments:

If you really want something special, then take the 1.5hr return climb onto the western ridge of the gorge (section 8 of the Larapinta Trail).

This is just one of a dozen or more walks that are accessible along the 130km stretch of Larapinta/Namatjira Drive from Alice Springs to Glen Helen. Recommendation is to spend two/three days completing all the walks by taking an overnighter at the Glen Helen pub.

Comments

Time was running short on our one day in the West MacDonnell Range, so this has to have been the fastest walk ever, but a bit more of a challenge given the climb to the lookout.

F.A.B. on 8 Jun, 2019

Where

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