Glen Helen Gorge

Disappointing. Made a special stop to find that the usual access was not available due to Discovery putting up a barricade.

The walk was now advised as a 800m track and lacking signage at the far end. We were unable to work out where to go to get to where all of the great photos are taken.

Perfect spot to use as a base whilst exploring the West MacDonnell Ranges. Facilities are excellent. Quieter during the week.

At the moment the water is a bit low so you can walk up to the gorge. Be sure to wear proper shoes as you’ll not be walking on a track but it can be done in thongs. There’s toilets there supplied by the caravan park (has free wifi and a cafe) right next to it that were open to public.

We visited this along with many other places on the West Macdonell Range. This was one I would skip, the water was low and you couldn't even see anything that well due to the high grass. We walked as far as we could and just thought it was a waste of our time. Head to Ormiston Gorge nearby for better views and walk options.

Another beautiful Gorge on the Western Macs. Plenty of parking near the start of the trail. Path quickly devolves into a sandy/creek bed walk. Can swim when water levels are good. Water level does impact how far up the Gorge you can go.

Another amazing place in Western McDonnell ranges, do stop for a quick view. There is a quick walk (40 min return) before the parking which is quite nice and takes you up close to the gorge and the water

Fantastic place to stay for a few days for hiking eating. Incredible views well worth the the road trip.

Glen Helen big 4 meals were very poor when you ordered a steak for $37 and you can't even get chips and when it came it was under cooked and they missed one of our kids meals.
The staff was very poor and not friendly at all, and the morning coffee guy was just plain rude.
Accommodation which we camped in swags again terrible conditions and not to mention the stink from the effluent pond blowing all around made us feel sick.
Would not stay there again.

Beautiful and well worth the trip. We stayed at the caravan park and it was great - wonderful facilities, food and staff. Highly recommend for a couple days to enjoy the surrounding gorges - we then travelled to Kings Canyon via the mereenie loop which was an experience itself.

We were very much looking forward to visiting Glen Helen Gorge, although once we arrived we came to a road closure. We were only making a day trip there so we were unaware that the whole gorge is closed due to Discovery Parks renovating the area up until June 2022 (the Discovery Park website is the only place that has a closed notice). Looking forward to seeing it next time.

Stunning and worth a look. I should have gone for a swim as many did. See separate less positive comments about the Discovery Parks Glen Helen campgrounds.

Glen Helen Gorge
Visited on 9/6/2021

Glen Helen Gorge is a gorge on the Finke River, located 132 kilometres (82 mi) west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.

The gorge is about 200 m from the Glen Helen Lodge, which is closed temporarily until 4 August 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The path towards the river that cuts through the gorge is neither sandy nor pebbly. It is covered with small to medium-size stones, some having rather sharp edges. There are also patches of "overgrown" grass. It is not advisable to walk bare-footed or with tongs.

The water is cold, clear and appears blue and calm at a distance. It is very scenic, but I do not think that the rocky, walls of the hills on either side of the river not that spectacular.

Near to the bend of the river is an open sandy area, ideal for picnic, sunbathe and meditation.

Appreciate the stillness and sacredness of this site. Very thankful to have walked through here with Benji as a guide, and forever grateful for this experience.

Access road is closed so have to take a walk to the gorge, about 2km return. If you have time do it, if not there are other nice gorges on the drive.

At the end of the Bitumen section of the Namatjira Drive is a small general store, where you can have a refreshing drink.
Behind the store is a short walk along a river bed which takes you to a pretty gorge with water in it.
You can also cool down in the water if you wish.

A wonderful place in the middle of desert, white clouds, blue sky, red rocks, green grasses and fresh water. In case you are really thirsty, just jump into the water and drink like a cow.

Permanently closed now as the lodge has closed as of 4th August and access is no longer allowed to the gorge.

If you had asked me what the oldest river in the world was, I would have guessed the Nile, Colorado or the Indus. However these are relative new comers when compared to the Finke which takes the prize at 350-400 million years. While not a particulary large river is it a spectacular landscape. Had a great stay at Glen Helen Gorge and while the facilities are aged the friendly atmosphere and stunning scenery made it memorable.

The Gorge itself is fairly peaceful, lots of birds and easy to get to, take lunch and enjoy it at you leisure. We stayed in the Glen Helen Lodge caravan park and it was fine for us. This is a great place to base yourself to visit Ormiston Gorge and other areas yet want a little comport (and electricity). The food in the restaurant is good. Remember that this is OUTBACK AUSTRALIA, so if you are expecting the Paris Hilton, maybe its not for you, if you want to experience some great scenery, then its worth the 4 stars.

Great place to visit. If you have a canoe you can paddle thru the gorge & take a walk to see the window & the organ pipes.