There are a few walks you can do at Kings Canyon, but by far the best and the only one really is the Rim walk. This takes you from the canyon mouth, up to the rim and you walk right around to the other side. The start is steep, quite steep, with lots of little stop spots for all us people that have issues breathing after 10 steps. You can see from the first pic that they don’t muck about, you just go straight up to start with. Eventually when you get to the top though things flatten out and you start to appreciate the size and grandeur of the canyon. This is no Grand canyon, nothing like it, but it is still impressive and very beautiful from many angles.
The usual central Australian colours of ochre red, blue sky, green trees set off the canyon beautifully. The odd white barked ghost gums stands out starkly in the rocky environment. There are many places where you can fall a good 300 metres to your death if you so please and there are no rails or boundaries of any sort.
Halfway along the walk you have to cross down into a smaller canyon and then up again via stairs. Down in the canyon though you can visit the garden of Eden. This is a not a biblical spot and there was no apple tree. The garden is a couple of great water holes carved into the rock by heavy water flows over the years. The water holes are surrounded by sheer smooth cliffs back up to the canyon rim. There were multiple hungry spinifex pigeons by the water holes and lots of people tempted to swim in the very cold water.
The walk was amazing with so many cool views and scenery. It is actually hard to encompass the views into a photo, panorama or not.
The start of the walk, straight up, with a few false peaks along the way to disappoint you.
Brilliant Ghost Gum, blue sky, red rock and daytime moon
Corinne and Kaz, on the edge of a 300 metre cliff. The other side of the canyon is in the background.
Corinne and I, again on the edge.
The sheer smooth cliffs on the other side of the canyon, many walkers gathering.
Corinne sneaking over the edge, Kaz, strangely brave.
Kaz standing very close too or on a piece of sandstone that will one day fall, probably with a stupid tourist standing on it waving. Kaz was lucky and is still with us.
The ledge on the left and a view of the cliffs opposite.
The bridge crossing a smaller canyon near the garden of Eden.
Panoramas of the mouth of the canyon
and looking down the canyon.
Hard work but worth the effort. Fabulous scenery.
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