Watarrka National Park, on Luritja Road in Petermann, is a living cultural landscape for the Anangu ngurraritja. Kings Canyon is a highlight for visitors to Central Australia. The walking trails bring different questions to the fore: How much time should you allow, what level of difficulty applies, and what do you need to carry yourself?
Culture and Landscape
Along the Kathleen Springs Walk, interpretive signs tell the story of Aboriginal culture and more recent cattle farming. Visitors who want to explore these topics as well as the landscape will find a tangible layer of information along the trail.
Kings Canyon and the Rim Walk
The ancient red walls of Kings Canyon rise 100 m above Kings Creek to a plateau of rocky domes. The Kings Canyon Rim Walk is a 6 km circuit that takes 3 to 4 hours. After a steep initial climb, it offers spectacular views from the canyon rim; it is graded 4—moderate to difficult. The combination of a circuit, a steep start and a hike lasting several hours makes it a hiking plan in its own right.
Another landscape feature is the Garden of Eden, a beautiful rock waterhole surrounded by rare plants. The pool provides a distinctive feature alongside the canyon walls, Kings Creek and the plateau. Nature lovers can take in both expansive rock formations and a named rock waterhole with its rare plant surroundings.
Trails with Different Levels of Difficulty
The Kathleen Springs Walk is a 2.4 km, fully sealed return trail. It takes about 1.5 hours and is graded 1—easy. The entire trail is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers. Kathleen Springs is 21 km by road from Kings Canyon. Compared with the Rim Walk, its stated duration and grade are considerably lower. As trail details can change, check the latest information before your visit.
The Giles Track is also graded 4—moderate to difficult. It is suitable for experienced hikers of average fitness who can carry their own food, water and sleeping equipment in a remote area. Having the same grade as the Rim Walk does not mean the same level of planning is required: the remote location and the need to carry your own supplies are part of the Giles Track.
So difficulty grades are not the only important factors to compare. Kathleen Springs offers a sealed, accessible trail with a short stated duration; for the Rim Walk, the steep start and several hours of walking are key considerations; on the Giles Track, carrying your own supplies is essential. This lets you weigh up the time required, trail profile and preparation separately.
Discover more destinations: Lake Bennett, Stuart Park, Jabiru, Ludmilla, Nhulunbuy, Mataranka, Mt Zeil, Katherine
For the broader travel overview: Northern Territory.
