Pick out your stop

West MacDonnell Ranges map: every stop from Alice Springs

Brief answer

The West MacDonnell Ranges run 161 km west of Alice Springs, from Simpsons Gap at 18 km to Redbank Gorge at 156 km, along Larapinta and Namatjira Drives.

Distances to know

  • Ormiston Gorge is 135 km west on sealed roads23
  • The Ochre Pits sit 110 km out3
  • Entry needs an NT Parks Visitor Pass5

Check out 51 stops

The West Macs, pin by pin

Choose a route and tap a pin or stop to see its note and open it in Google Maps.

Map of the drive west from Alice Springs to Redbank Gorge with the main gorges in order

  1. Alice Springs is where day trips start: the major stops range from 15 minutes to approximately 2 hours' drive away.

    Google Maps

  2. John Flynn's Grave, 7 km west of town, holds the ashes of the founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

    Google Maps

  3. Simpsons Gap is 18 km from Alice Springs, with red cliffs and a permanent waterhole where swimming is not permitted.

    Google Maps

  4. Standley Chasm is Aboriginal-owned land off Larapinta Drive, about 50 km west of Alice Springs, with its own entry fee.

    Google Maps

  5. Ellery Creek Big Hole is a flood-carved waterhole for swimming, believed to be up to 27 m deep.

    Google Maps

  6. Serpentine Gorge is 100 km west of Alice Springs; swimming is prohibited there for cultural and environmental reasons.

    Google Maps

  7. The Ochre Pits are 110 km west of Alice Springs, a colourful outcrop of ochre on a sandy creek bank.

    Google Maps

  8. Ormiston Gorge is 135 km west of Alice Springs on sealed roads, with a near-permanent waterhole for swimming.

    Google Maps

  9. Glen Helen Gorge is 132 km from Alice Springs, where the ranges part for the Finke River.

    Google Maps

  10. Redbank Gorge is 156 km west of Alice Springs; its last 5 km of road is unsealed and high clearance is recommended.

    Google Maps

Map © OpenStreetMap contributors

The ranges run west from Alice Springs along Larapinta and Namatjira Drives. This guide puts each gap, gorge and waterhole in road order, with its distance, its walk and the time worth giving it.

Editorial team, westmacdonnellrangestour.top · Updated November 8, 2026 · 7 mins to read

Essentials

  • How far it runsThe national park stretches for 161 km west of Alice Springs.1
  • First gapSimpsons Gap is 18 km from town, with a permanent waterhole.2
  • HalfwayThe Ochre Pits sit 110 km out, on a sandy creek bank.3
  • Far endRedbank Gorge is 156 km west, at the base of Mt Sonder.4
  • EntryVisitors need an NT Parks Visitor Pass for the park.5

How the ranges lie west of Alice Springs

Open any West MacDonnell Ranges map and the shape is easy to read: a long band of red ridges running west from Alice Springs, with the sealed road tracing its southern foot and the gorges cut through it like notches. Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park stretches for 161 km west of the town.1 Tjoritja is the traditional Arrernte name for these ranges, and official guides use both names side by side.6 Nearly every stop on this page hangs off that single line of road.

The road has two names along the way. The route to Ormiston shows the pattern: 47 km on Larapinta Drive, a right turn and 81 km along Namatjira Drive, then a final right turn and 7 km to the car park.7 Standley Chasm stays on the Larapinta Drive side, about 50 km out of town.8 Everything west of that junction, from Ellery Creek to Redbank, is reached from Namatjira Drive.

Distances on the ground are larger than the map makes them feel. Drive times to the big stops run from 15 minutes to roughly 2 hours.9 A 2WD reaches most of the park and all the best-known stops, and only a few natural sites call for a 4WD.10 There is no public transport to Standley Chasm, so a car or a tour is the only way in.11 Plan the day as a line, not a loop.

Stop by stop

The main stops west of Alice Springs at a glance

StopFrom townShort walkSwimming
Simpsons Gap18 km2Ghost Gum walk, about 15 minutes24Not permitted25
Standley ChasmAbout 50 km82.4 km round trip26Walk and look
Ellery Creek Big Hole80 km or 90 km19,205 minutes from the car park27Yes, cold and deep28
Serpentine Gorge100 km211.3 km path29Prohibited30
Ochre Pits110 km3Information shelter31Walk and look
Ormiston Gorge135 km23Waterhole Walk, 300 m32Yes, near-permanent33
Glen Helen Gorge132 km225 minutes to the water34Yes, permanent35
Redbank Gorge156 km42 km, 1.5 hours return36Yes, very cold37

Distances and walks as the official tourism bodies publish them; check road and closure reports before driving.

Distances from town, gorge by gorge

The Alice Springs to West MacDonnell Ranges distance depends entirely on which stop you mean, and the spread is wide. The first marker is the grave of John Flynn, a reserve just 7 km out of town and the start of the bicycle path to Simpsons Gap.16,17 Simpsons Gap itself is 18 km from Alice Springs.2 Tourism Central Australia puts it at around 20 minutes by car on a sealed road.18 It is the one stop close enough for a short morning or a late afternoon.

Further out, the two official tourism bodies do not always agree. Tourism Central Australia gives Ellery Creek Big Hole as 80 km west of Alice Springs.19 Tourism NT calls it only 90 km from town.20 Serpentine Gorge is 100 km west.21 The Ochre Pits follow at 110 km.3 Treat each published figure as approximate and allow for the last short stretch of access road at each site.

The western end holds the biggest names. Glen Helen Gorge is 132 km from Alice Springs.22 Ormiston Gorge is 135 km west, on sealed roads.23 Redbank Gorge, the last stop for most visitors, lies 156 km west at the base of Mt Sonder.4 A return drive to the far end is a full day before you have walked anywhere, which is why many travellers either take a tour or split the ranges across more than one day.

Distance from town

How far west each stop sits, in kilometers

  • Simpsons Gap18
  • Standley Chasm50
  • Ellery Creek80
  • Serpentine Gorge100
  • Ochre Pits110
  • Glen Helen132
  • Ormiston Gorge135
  • Redbank Gorge156

Distances from Alice Springs as published by Tourism NT and Tourism Central Australia; Ellery Creek is given as 80 km by one and 90 km by the other.2,8,19,20,21,3,22,23,4

What to see near town: the gap and the chasm

Asking what to see in the West MacDonnell Ranges usually starts with the two sites nearest town. Simpsons Gap pairs high red walls with water that never dries up and animals that live on the rocks.2 Come at first or last light and you may spot Black-footed Rock-wallabies near the path.41 Swimming is not permitted there.25 The site opens daily from 5am to 8pm.42

Standley Chasm is different in kind. The Western Arrernte people own and run it in full, through a land trust and an Aboriginal corporation.39 Its walls stand 80 m high and close to just 3 m apart.43 It keeps its own clock, with gates opening at 8 AM and the last walkers let into the chasm at 4:30 PM, except on Sundays, when the cut-off comes at 1:30 PM.44

Simpsons Gap also hides two short walks many drivers miss. Cassia Hill gives a view over the ranges for a loop of 1.5 km and roughly an hour on foot.45 For something gentler, a 15-minute Ghost Gum stroll starts behind the ranger station.24 Together with the chasm walk they make a half day that never strays far from Alice Springs, and they suit a first afternoon after a flight.

Pick your stretch

Which part of the ranges fits your day?

Match your time and wishes to a stretch of the road.

  • If I have a morning

    Simpsons Gap and the chasm

    Simpsons Gap is around 20 minutes from town, and Standley Chasm about 50 km out.18,8

  • If I want to swim

    Ellery or Ormiston

    Both hold swimmable water year-round, colder than you expect.38

  • If I want culture

    Standley Chasm and the Ochre Pits

    The chasm is Aboriginal-owned and the pits are a culturally active site.39,14

  • If I want the far west

    Stay a night

    Redbank Gorge is 156 km out at the base of Mt Sonder.4

  • If I do not want to drive

    Take the day trip

    It covers five main stops in 9 hours with hotel pickup.

Three ways to cover it

How much of the map each option reaches

Listing

Half-day tour

Gap and chasm

  • Length5 hours
  • StopsFlynn's Grave, Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm
  • Pricefrom $95
See this day

Site tour

Full day trip

Five main stops

  • Length9 hours
  • Furthest stopOrmiston Gorge
  • Pricefrom $175
See this day

Self-drive

Your own car

As far as Redbank

  • Furthest stopRedbank Gorge, 156 km4
  • RoadMostly 2WD10
  • EntryNT Parks Visitor Pass5
See this day

The middle stretch: Ellery, Serpentine and the ochre

Once you turn onto Namatjira Drive the stops change character. Ellery Creek Big Hole draws crowds for camping, walks, swims and picnics alike.91 Floods over thousands of years scoured its pool, now listed as a geological site of international importance.47 Its final 2 km is gravel that heavy rain can close to anything but a 4WD.13

Serpentine Gorge is the quiet one. In dry times its waterhole can be the only remaining water in a large area, and birds move in from the surrounding country.92,93 Swimmers stay out, for cultural as well as environmental reasons.30 The path in is a short, easy 1.3 km walk.29 The access road is not suitable for buses or caravans.94

Next come the Ochre Pits, a creek bank streaked in colour.3 A shelter at the site tells the story of the quarry and its use.31 Look and photograph, but leave the ochre alone, since it is a culturally active site and tampering is fined.14 There is no charge, and a sign marks the turn-off on the way to Ormiston.95

Road order

Driving west, stop after stop

  1. Alice Springs

    Head west

    Big stops lie between 15 minutes and roughly 2 hours away.9

  2. Larapinta Drive

    Gap and chasm

    Simpsons Gap turns off Larapinta Drive, and Standley Chasm sits about 50 km out.12,8

  3. Namatjira Drive

    Turn right

    For Ormiston, leave Larapinta Drive after 47 km and follow Namatjira Drive for 81 km.7

  4. Ellery Creek

    First swim

    Gravel for the final 2 km, and a 4WD helps after big rain.13

  5. Ochre Pits

    Look, never touch

    Photograph the colours and leave every grain in place.14

  6. Ormiston Gorge

    Walk and swim

    A 500 m stroll from the visitor centre to the water.15

The western end: Ormiston, Glen Helen and Redbank

At Ormiston the big draw is a pool that rarely dries and invites a swim on a hot day.33 It lies a short 500 m stroll from the visitor centre, and its deep southern end may reach 14 m.15 There is a kiosk at Ormiston, the only food stop between Standley Chasm and the far west while Glen Helen stays closed.96,87

At Glen Helen Gorge the Finke River breaks through the ranges.49 Its permanent waterhole is a summer refuge for all nine fish species recorded for the Finke and for migrating waterbirds.97 Its resort, Discovery Parks - Glen Helen, has shut its rooms and facilities for now, so check before counting on a meal or fuel there.87

Redbank Gorge ends most trips. Its pool lies up the creek bed, 2 km away, about 1.5 hours there and back.36 The last 5 km of road is dirt, and Tourism NT recommends a high-clearance vehicle.50 Mount Sonder rises behind it to 1,380 m above sea level.57 Its summit is the western end of the Larapinta Trail and a separate, very early climb.

Video

A road trip through the West MacDonnell Ranges

Han Travels Slow on YouTube · The clip loads only after you tap play.

You can find relics of a bygone tropical forest at many of the cool scenic gorges that act as a refuge for an assortment of plants and animals.
Tourism Central Australia40

Before you set off

A checklist for following the map

In the car4

  • Buy an NT Parks Visitor Pass for your dates5
  • Carry plenty of drinking water, more in summer88
  • Check unsealed stretches after rain, such as the last 2 km into Ellery13
  • Download the park map in the Avenza Maps app89

At the stops4

  • Reach Standley Chasm before last entry at 4:30 PM, Monday to Saturday44
  • Leave the ochre untouched at the Ochre Pits14
  • Swim only where it is allowed, never at Simpsons Gap25
  • Pack a hat, sunscreen and walking shoes90

Which stops the day trip covers

The tour this site sells is the GetYourGuide listing From Alice Springs: West MacDonnell Ranges Day Trip. It lasts 9 hours, collecting guests at 7:45am and dropping them back at about 5:30 pm. The stops run Simpsons Gap (30 minutes), Standley Chasm (1 hour), the Ochre Pits (15 minutes), Ormiston Gorge (1 hour) and Ellery Creek Big Hole (1 hour). It is listed from $175.

Read against the map, that is five of the main stops in a single day, with the far west left out. Serpentine Gorge, Glen Helen and Redbank Gorge are not on its stop list. The chasm is the morning-tea stop and Ormiston the lunch stop, while Ellery Creek is where guests can swim when the weather is warm. Each guest needs their own NT Parks Pass to show, and a copy on a phone is fine.

If you would rather drive, use this map as a menu. A half day covers the gap and the chasm, a full day reaches Ormiston and back, and the western gorges reward a night in the park. Tourism Central Australia points walkers to the Avenza Maps app to follow their position on the interactive park map, useful where phone signal fades.89 Mobile reception along the ranges can be highly unreliable and patchy.98

Turning the map into a plan

For a half day, stay on the Larapinta Drive side of the map. Simpsons Gap is a short run from town, about 20 minutes on sealed road, and the chasm is a 40-minute drive west.18,99 Walk Cassia Hill or the creek at the gap first, then reach the chasm before the gates lock. That loop has you back in Alice Springs by mid-afternoon, with energy left for the town.

A full day means committing to Namatjira Drive. Ellery Creek, the Ochre Pits and Ormiston sit in a row, and a day that reaches Ormiston and turns back takes in the core of the park. An adult pays AUD 10 for a single day's NT Parks Visitor Pass, or AUD 20 to cover 3 days, which is worth knowing before you decide how many days to spread the map over.100 Leave early, as the far stops are the long ones.

Two days let the western end breathe. Camp at Ormiston, where sites are first come, first served, or at Redbank, where the two designated campgrounds sit at the foot of Mt Sonder.82,70 Bring your own water for any night in the park, as Tourism NT advises.101 The second morning can then start at Redbank or on the Ghost Gum Lookout, long before the day-trip coaches arrive.

FAQ

Quick questions get quick answers.

How far west of Alice Springs do the ranges reach?
The first stops are close to town.

The park begins a 15-minute drive from town, and Redbank Gorge, out at the western end, lies 156 km away.102,4

Which stops in the ranges can you swim at?
Ellery, Ormiston, Glen Helen and Redbank.

Tourism NT names Glen Helen, Redbank, Ormiston and Ellery Creek, all inside a two-hour drive of town.103

Where is swimming not allowed?
Simpsons Gap and Serpentine Gorge.

Swimming is not permitted at Simpsons Gap, and it is prohibited at Serpentine Gorge for cultural and environmental reasons.25,30

Do I need a 4WD to see the main gorges?
Not for the main ones.

A 2WD reaches most of the park, but Redbank Gorge ends with 5 km of unsealed road where high clearance is advised.10,50

Can you see the whole range in one day?
The main stops, yes.

The site's 9-hour day trip reaches the gap, the chasm, the ochre, Ormiston and a final swim at Ellery.

Which stop charges its own entry fee?
Standley Chasm.

Tourism NT lists indicative entry of AUD 12 for an adult and AUD 10 for a concession, on top of the NT Parks Visitor Pass.104,5

Is there an offline park map?
Yes, through the Avenza Maps app.

Tourism Central Australia points walkers to the Avenza Maps app to track a walk on the interactive park map.89

Sources

  1. Tourism NT · Tjoritja / West MacDonnell Ranges ↩
  2. Tourism NT · Simpsons Gap ↩
  3. Tourism NT · Ochre Pits ↩
  4. Tourism NT · Redbank Gorge ↩
  5. Tourism NT · Tjoritja / West MacDonnell Ranges ↩
  6. Tourism Central Australia · Must-Do Stops in Tjoritja/West MacDonnell National Park ↩
  7. Tourism Central Australia · Ormiston Pound & Gorge Walk ↩
  8. Tourism Central Australia · Things to do at Standley Chasm ↩
  9. Tourism NT · Tjoritja / West MacDonnell Ranges ↩
  10. Tourism Central Australia · West MacDonnell Ranges ↩
  11. Tourism Central Australia · Things to do at Standley Chasm ↩
  12. Tourism Central Australia · A Guide to Simpsons Gap ↩
  13. Tourism Central Australia · Everything You Need to Know About Ellery Creek Big Hole ↩
  14. Tourism Central Australia · Ochre Pits ↩
  15. Tourism NT · Ormiston Gorge ↩
  16. Tourism NT · John Flynn's Grave Historical Reserve ↩
  17. Tourism NT · Simpsons Gap Bicycle Path ↩
  18. Tourism Central Australia · A Guide to Simpsons Gap ↩
  19. Tourism Central Australia · Everything You Need to Know About Ellery Creek Big Hole ↩
  20. Tourism NT · Swimming around Alice Springs ↩
  21. Tourism NT · Serpentine Gorge ↩
  22. Tourism NT · Glen Helen Gorge ↩
  23. Tourism NT · Ormiston Gorge ↩
  24. Tourism Central Australia · A Guide to Simpsons Gap ↩
  25. Tourism Central Australia · A Guide to Simpsons Gap ↩
  26. Standley Chasm (Angkerle Aboriginal Corporation) · Standley Chasm - Angkerle Atwatye ↩
  27. Tourism Central Australia · Everything You Need to Know About Ellery Creek Big Hole ↩
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  29. Tourism Central Australia · Swimming and Waterholes ↩
  30. Tourism Central Australia · Must-Do Stops in Tjoritja/West MacDonnell National Park ↩
  31. Tourism NT · Ochre Pits ↩
  32. Tourism Central Australia · How to experience all of Ormiston Gorge ↩
  33. Tourism NT · Ormiston Gorge ↩
  34. Tourism Central Australia · West MacDonnell Ranges Hiking ↩
  35. Tourism Central Australia · Swimming and Waterholes ↩
  36. Tourism NT · Redbank Gorge ↩
  37. Tourism Central Australia · Swimming and Waterholes ↩
  38. Tourism Central Australia · Visiting The Red Centre in Summer ↩
  39. Standley Chasm (Angkerle Aboriginal Corporation) · Our Story ↩
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  43. Tourism Central Australia · Things to do at Standley Chasm ↩
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  46. Tourism NT · John Flynn's Grave Historical Reserve
  47. Tourism NT · Ellery Creek Big Hole ↩
  48. Tourism Central Australia · Everything You Need to Know About Ellery Creek Big Hole
  49. Tourism NT · Glen Helen Gorge ↩
  50. Tourism NT · Redbank Gorge ↩
  51. Tourism Central Australia · How to experience all of Ormiston Gorge
  52. Tourism Central Australia · How to experience all of Ormiston Gorge
  53. Tourism Central Australia · Ormiston Pound & Gorge Walk
  54. Tourism NT · Finke River Trailhead
  55. Tourism NT · Finke River Trailhead
  56. Tourism NT · Glen Helen Gorge
  57. Tourism NT · Mt Sonder (Rutjupma) ↩
  58. Tourism Central Australia · Everything you need to know about the Larapinta Trail
  59. Tourism Central Australia · Everything you need to know about the Larapinta Trail
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  64. Tourism Central Australia · Everything you need to know about the Larapinta Trail
  65. Tourism NT · Ellery Creek Big Hole
  66. Tourism NT · Serpentine Gorge
  67. Tourism NT · Serpentine Chalet Dam
  68. Tourism NT · Finke River Trailhead
  69. Tourism NT · Finke River Trailhead
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  71. Tourism Central Australia · A Guide to Hiking Mount Sonder
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  73. Tourism NT · Standley Chasm Angkerle Atwatye
  74. Tourism NT · Ellery Creek Big Hole
  75. Tourism NT · Serpentine Gorge
  76. Tourism Central Australia · Indigenous Culture in the West MacDonnell Ranges
  77. Tourism Central Australia · How to experience all of Ormiston Gorge
  78. Tourism Central Australia · Your Guide to Glen Helen Gorge
  79. Tourism Central Australia · A Guide to Hiking Mount Sonder
  80. Tourism Central Australia · Everything You Need to Know About Ellery Creek Big Hole
  81. Tourism Central Australia · Everything You Need to Know About Ellery Creek Big Hole
  82. Tourism Central Australia · How to experience all of Ormiston Gorge ↩
  83. Tourism NT · Tjoritja / West MacDonnell Ranges
  84. Tourism NT · Redbank Gorge
  85. Tourism Central Australia · Your Guide to Redbank Gorge
  86. Standley Chasm (Angkerle Aboriginal Corporation) · Camping
  87. Tourism Central Australia · Your Guide to Glen Helen Gorge ↩
  88. Tourism NT · Tjoritja / West MacDonnell Ranges ↩
  89. Tourism Central Australia · How to experience all of Ormiston Gorge ↩
  90. Tourism NT · Tjoritja / West MacDonnell Ranges ↩
  91. Tourism NT · Ellery Creek Big Hole ↩
  92. Tourism NT · Serpentine Gorge ↩
  93. Tourism NT · Serpentine Gorge ↩
  94. Tourism NT · Serpentine Gorge ↩
  95. Tourism Central Australia · Indigenous Culture in the West MacDonnell Ranges ↩
  96. Tourism Central Australia · West MacDonnell Ranges ↩
  97. Tourism NT · Glen Helen Gorge ↩
  98. Tourism Central Australia · Everything you need to know about the Larapinta Trail ↩
  99. Standley Chasm (Angkerle Aboriginal Corporation) · Plan Your Visit ↩
  100. Tourism NT · Tjoritja / West MacDonnell Ranges ↩
  101. Tourism NT · Tjoritja / West MacDonnell Ranges ↩
  102. Tourism NT · Tjoritja / West MacDonnell Ranges ↩
  103. Tourism NT · Swimming around Alice Springs ↩
  104. Tourism NT · Standley Chasm Angkerle Atwatye ↩

Related guides

More to read before the ranges

GuideWest MacDonnell Ranges tours: half day, full day, pricesGuideWest Macs, East Macs or Kings CanyonGuideDriving the West MacDonnell Ranges yourselfGuideOne, two or three days in the West Macs

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