We woke to a very chilly morning ready to do the Kings Canyon Walk.

Kings Canyon is very popular judging by the truck loads of tourists departing their busses in all manner of outfits from thongs to designer jeans. This is a far cry from the first explorers Ernest Giles and Samuel Carmichael who rode in on horseback naming the creek and its canyon after an old friend Fielder King.

Managing to get to the stairs first we began our climb to the top of the canyon for a 4 hour walk around the rim.  I can see why this place is so popular due to the spectacular gorge that has been cut through the ancient sandbed over 300,000 years. 

The path follows the edge of the Canyon, sometimes getting too close to the edge, as it disappeared into an never ending casm below. It was even more unfortunate to hear that a tourist fell only last week, a reminder that a beautiful place such as this can not be taken for granted.

The canyon rocks are a mix of shear vertical rock faces through to large mounds that looked like scoops of whipped cream.  Embed in the rocks are fossils and the ripples of sand dunes reminiscent of the skin of a snake.  It is easy to understand how the traditional Luritja people saw this as an important place created by the carpet snake. 

The bottom of the Canyon and its cool pools of water are a natural haven for plants and animals in an otherwise dry barren place.

The explorer Giles commented that:

Its springs, glens, ferns and Zambians and flowers would charm the eyes and hearts of toil worn men who are condemned to live and die in crowded towns.

It is the same reason we travel to these places to discover the wonders of this great outback that many in the city have never experienced.

Having finished the walk it was time to top up with fuel which was the most expensive fuel to date ($2.33/lt) which in the scheme of things was not to bad compared to $45 for a 6 pack of beer!

Then a quick walk to Kathleen Springs which was also used as an old stock grazing area due to the presence of permanent water.

The eavening we spent watching the sun slowly cast its red gaze over the face of the Canyon before retreating to the glow of another fire.  Unfortunately not enough time to savour its warmth as we had to pack ready for our next adventure tomorrow.