Kings Canyon

Today we started our drive across the outback. We drove to Kings Canyon which was above 4 hours away. The roads were perfectly straight and flat which was stark contract to New Zealand’s windy roads. It was a beautiful sunny day and the red hues of the desert were really coming out. We arrived at Kings Canyon and set out for a 10km hike around the canyon rim. The walls of Kings Canyon are over 100 metres high, with Kings Creek at the bottom. Part of the gorge is a sacred Aboriginal site and visitors are discouraged from walking off the walking tracks. The gorge kind of felt like a mini grand canyon. There were serval oasis pools that we were tempted to jump in but of course they were all off limits. Along there rim, there were several sections that felt like you were in a Star Trek movie on another planet. There was also no shade along the walk and it was quite warm so we took our time so not to overheat. The trailhead had many warnings trailhead about dehydration and sunstroke. I can imagine how brutal this hike could be in peak summer.

From Kings Canyon, we backtracked a short distance to our camp for the night. It was a strange assortment of animal farm/campground in the middle of nowhere. Gas prices were ridiculous but when in the middle of nowhere you have no choice. We grabbed a beer at the cafe and ended up cooking our dinner over a fire. I think this is our first fire on this trip. It was nice stay, just like car camping back home. Oh, and we also got up close to feed some camels.Read more