Friday September 6, 2019
Road video and map – Erldunda to Kings Canyon
Today delivered the first disappointment of the trip. The “red centre” of the country is famous for Uluru (Ayers Rock) but there are also several other National Parks in the area and one that caught my attention was Watarrka National Park and its Kings Canyon. In reviews so many people raved about the rim walk and the incredible views of this amazing canyon and so I decided to spend a day driving here, doing the 4 hour rim walk and then staying at the Kings Canyon Resort before heading to Uluru tomorrow.
I was not expecting the equivalent of a Zion Canyon but I was expecting something special and, if Kings Canyon was moved to the desert southwest of the US it would be just one of hundreds of canyons that garner no special attention. The rim walk itself was very pleasant and the resort is good but my schedule is so tight that I wish I had used the day for something else. However, if this is my only disappointment, I will regard myself as very lucky.
The canyon is about 130 metres (425 feet) deep and, in places, the sheer rock faces of the upper half seem about to fall.
The red colour of the rock is pretty intense in areas.
The rim walk initially climbs from the canyon floor to the rim on the north side then, sort of, follows the rim before descending into this lush area, called the Garden of Eden, near the closed end of the canyon before climbing back to the south rim. A lot of elevation change but the canyon is only 1.3 km (0.9 miles) long.
Were you the only one there? Looks like you have the whole place to yourself. Snakes and other creatures?
There were quite a few people on the trail with me. No snake or spider bites yet.
Your car must need a wash with all that red dirt and the dirt road yesterday. Or is that considered a frivolous use of water where it must be scarce?
My shoes certainly needed cleaning but the car can wait. I have seen a car wash or two but I expect they recycle the water. At Erldunda the tap water was not potable and they do take measures to preserve as it is pumped from a aquifer.