Arkaroola

We drove along the Outback back hwy turning off at Copley to finally arrive at the ancient, jagged peaks of Arkaroola. This place feels like another planet—the rock formations are so craggy and dramatic, glowing with an intense orange-red hue in the late afternoon sun.
We laced up the hiking boots for a couple of hikes within Arkaroola. Friday afternoon we tackled the Acacia Ridge walk. It was a steep, prickly climb, but the 360-degree views of the entire sanctuary were breathtaking thanks to the recent winter rains, the usually stark desert ranges are brushed with a surprising, vibrant layer of green not seen here since 1989.
The next day we tackled the Bararranna Gorge Trail. The geology here is mind-boggling—walking past rock layers formed by melting icebergs 700 million years ago makes you feel incredibly small. The trail led into the towering walls of Bararranna Gorge and opened up to Stubbs Waterhole, which perfectly reflected the ghost gums against the blue sky.Read more