Check if a park is open: Alice Springs region

Heat warning

Temperatures across the Northern Territory can be very hot between October and April, it can exceed 40 degrees Celsius.

Check for active heatwave warnings before you visit, go to the Bureau of Meteorology website.

Central Australia has dry heat, and the Top End is humid. Both can cause exhaustion and dehydration.

Find out how to prepare and stay safe in the heat.

Conditions and access to parks in the Northern Territory (NT) can change at short notice.

Extreme weather conditions can be experienced in the region.

When you plan your trip and before you leave home, you should check:

this page if the park is open
the road conditions on the Road Report website
for active weather warnings on the Bureau of Meteorology website.

For more information and condition updates, each area has a phone number you can contact below.

You can also contact Parks and Wildlife Alice Springs by calling 08 8951 8250.

The office is open from Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm, except for public holidays.

Alice Springs Desert Park

Phone: 08 8951 8788.

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Alice Springs Desert Park	Open		-
Cafe	Open	7:30am to 4pm daily	-

Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve

Phone: 08 8951 8250.

Park sites	Status	Forecast opening
Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve	Open	-
Reserve	Open	-
Historic precinct	Open	-
Cafe	Open	-
Wigley’s Waterhole and Gorge	Open	-
Mountain bike trails	Open	-
Bradshaw Walk	Open	-
River Side Walk	Open	-

Anna's Reservoir Conservation Reserve

Phone: 08 8951 8250.

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Anna's Reservoir Conservation Reserve	Closed	No access until further notice	-

Arltunga Historical Reserve

Phone: 08 8951 8250.

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Arltunga Historical Reserve	Open		-

Chambers Pillar Historical Reserve

Phone: 08 8951 8250

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Chambers Pillar Historical Reserve	Open	High clearance 4WD only	-

Corroboree Rock Conservation Reserve

Phone: 08 8951 8250

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Corroboree Rock Conservation Reserve	Open		-

Finke Gorge National Park

Phone: 08 8951 8250

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Finke Gorge National Park	Open		-
Palm Valley access road	Open	4WD recommended	-
Palm Valley Campground	Open		-
Finke River 4WD Route (Boggy Hole Track)	Open	High clearance 4WD only	-
Finke River 4WD route campground	Open		-
Boggy Hole	Open		-
Boggy Hole Finke River campground	Open		-
Kalarranga Walk	Open		-
Mparra Walk	Open		-
Arankaia Walk, Palm Valley	Open		-
Mpulungkinya Walk, Palm Valley	Open		-

Henbury Meteorites Conservation Reserve

Phone: 08 8951 8250

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Henbury Meteorites Conservation Reserve	Open	High clearance 4WD only	-
Campground	Open		-

Illamurta Springs Conservation Reserve

Phone: 08 8951 8250

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Illamurta Springs Conservation Reserve	Open	High clearance 4WD only	-

Mac Clark (Acacia peuce) Conservation Reserve

Phone: 08 8951 8250

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Mac Clark Conservation Reserve	Open	High clearance 4WD only	-

N'Dhala Gorge Nature Park

Phone: 08 8951 8250

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
N'Dhala Gorge Nature Park	Open	High clearance 4WD only	-
Campground	Open	High clearance 4WD only	-

Napwerte / Ewaninga Rock Carvings Conservation Reserve

Phone: 08 8951 8250

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Napwerte / Ewaninga Rock Carvings Conservation Reserve	Open		-

Native Gap Conservation Reserve

Phone: 08 8951 8250.

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Native Gap Conservation Reserve	Open		-

Owen Springs Reserve

Phone: 08 8951 8250

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Owen Springs Reserve	Open	High clearance 4WD only	-
Lawrence Gorge Camping Area	Open	High clearance 4WD only	-
Redbank Waterhole	Open	High clearance 4WD only	-

Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve

Phone: 08 8951 8250

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve	Open	4WD recommended	-

Ruby Gap Nature Park

Phone: 08 8951 8250

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Ruby Gap Nature Park	Open	High clearance 4WD only	-

Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park

Find out more about Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park.

Before you leave home, check road conditions on the NT Government's Road Report website.

You should also check the status for each activity and site below.

Activity / Site	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Birthday Waterhole	Open	High clearance 4WD only	-
Dolomite Walk	Open		-
Glen Helen Gorge	Open		-
Glen Helen Gorge Walk	Open		-
Finke River Two Mile	Open	High clearance 4WD only	-
Hugh Gorge	Open	High clearance 4WD only	-
Ochre Pits	Open		-
Aranda Walk	Open		-
Tyler's Pass	Open		-
Roma Gorge	Open	High Clearance 4WD only	-
Standley Chasm	Closed	A private facility with entrance and camping fees, visit the Standley Chasm website for more details.	Easter

Ellery Creek Big Hole

Activity / Site	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Ellery Creek Big Hole	Open		-
Ellery Creek Loop Walk	Open		-

Ormiston Gorge

Activity / Site	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Ormiston Gorge	Open		-
Ormiston Gorge campground	Open		-
Ormiston Gorge Kiosk	Open	Open daily 10am to 4pm from Easter Saturday onwards	-
Ormiston Pound Walk: Ormiston Gorge	Open		-

Ghost Gum

Activity / Site	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Ghost Gum Lookout	Open		-
Ghost Gum Loop Walk	Open		-

Redbank Gorge

Activity / Site	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Redbank Gorge	Open	4WD recommended	-
Redbank Gorge Walk	Open		-

Simpsons Gap

Activity / Site	Status	Forecast opening
Simpsons Gap	Open	-
Simpsons Gap Bicycle Path	Open	-
Woodlands Trail	Open	-
Cassia Hill Walk	Open	-

Serpentine

Activity / Site	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Serpentine Gorge	Open		-
Serpentine Chalet Dam	Open		-

Larapinta Trail

Activity / Site	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Larapinta Trail	Open	Heat safety: Hiking the Larapinta Trail is only recommended between April and September. Conditions outside these months can be dangerously hot. It may be safe to plan shorter early morning walks, but careful planning and attention to weather forecasts is required. Read more about staying safe in the heat in parks. Maps and communication: Hikers must be prepared with maps and emergency communication. Download the free Avenza Maps for each section of the trail before you commence your walk. Find out how to get free interactive park maps on your mobile phone and tablet. Trail site bookings: Campground bookings are now made online. Find out how to use the parks booking system.	-
Section 1 - Telegraph Station to Simpsons Gap	Open		-
Section 2 - Simpsons Gap to Jay Creek	Open	Impacted by recent bushfire; temporary signage and flagging tape in use in some areas	-
Section 3 - Jay Creek to Standley Chasm	Open	Impacted by recent bushfire; temporary signage and flagging tape in use in some areas. Access to Jay Creek via the Hamilton Downs Road is no longer possible. Standley Chasm is a private facility with entrance and camping fees, visit the Standley Chasm website for more details.	-
Section 4 - Standley Chasm to Birthday Waterhole	Open	Impacted by recent bushfire; temporary signage and flagging tape in use in some areas.	-
Section 5 - Birthday Waterhole to Hugh Gorge	Open	Impacted by recent bushfire; temporary signage and flagging tape in use in some areas.	-
Section 6 - Hugh Gorge to Ellery Creek	Open	Impacted by recent bushfire; temporary signage and flagging tape in use in some areas.	-
Section 7 - Ellery Creek to Serpentine Gorge	Open		-
Section 8 - Serpentine Gorge to Serpentine Chalet	Open		-
Section 9 - Serpentine Chalet to Ormiston Gorge	Open		-
Section 10 - Ormiston Gorge to Finke River	Open		-
Section 11 - Finke River to Redbank Gorge	Open		-
Section 12 - Redbank Gorge to Mt Sonder return	Open		-

Tnorala (Gosse Bluff) Conservation Reserve

Phone: 08 8951 8250

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Tnorala (Gosse Bluff) Conservation Reserve	Open	High clearance 4WD only	-

Trephina Gorge Nature Park

Phone: 08 8951 8250

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Trephina Gorge Nature Park	Open		-
Walks	Open		-
Gorge Campground	Open		-
Bluff Campground	Open		-
Panorama Campground	Open		-
John Hayes Rockhole	Open	High clearance 4WD only	-

Watarrka National Park

Phone: 08 8951 8250

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Watarrka National Park	Open		-
Kathleen Creek Crossing at Luritja Road	Open	Open with conditions, traffic hazard (sand over the road). Motorists are advised to drive to the conditions.	-
Kings Creek Crossing at Luritja Road (Kings Canyon Resort East)	Open		-
Kings Canyon Access Road	Open		-
Kings Canyon Picnic area	Open		-
Kings Canyon Rim Walk	Open		-
South Wall Return Walk	Open		-
Kings Creek Walk	Open		-
Kathleen Springs Walk	Open		-
Giles Track	Open		-

Yeperenye / Emily and Jessie Gaps Nature Park

Phone: 08 8951 8250.

Park sites	Status	Comments	Forecast opening
Emily Gap, Yeperenye Nature Park	Open	Swimming at your own risk due to poor visibility	-
Jessie Gap, Yeperenye Nature Park	Open		-
Yeperenye Trail	Open		-

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