HomeDestinationsAustraliaSerpentine Gorge Larapinta Hike
Hard
Hiking
🇦🇺 Australia
Recorded Trail

This track was recorded on the ground by an actual expedition vehicle.

ID: AU-NT-02
NT Parks Pass required for non-residents
Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory

Serpentine Gorge Larapinta Hike

Added on 9 Oct 2026
Logged by @trailxon27 July 2014

16.8 km rocky hike along the West MacDonnell Ranges near Serpentine Gorge, climbing 571 m to about 1,115 m.

Trail Map

Initialising Map Engine...

Trail Profile

General Instructions

Carry at least four litres of water and avoid hiking in the summer heat.

Weather check

At Start
736m

Sampling Micro-Climate...

-23.7595, 132.9791

Slide to preview conditions across the entire route • Point: -23.7595, 132.9791 @ 736m

Quick Stats

Distance
16.8 km
Type
Hiking Trail
Elevation Range
736m - 1115m
Max Elevation
1115 m
Max Gradient
41.4%
38.3%

Highlights

  • Serpentine Gorge
  • Counts Point
  • Ellery Creek Big Hole

Field Radio Protocol

VHF-UHF Communication

Emergency Simplex
146.520MHz
Team Coordination
446.006MHz
Scout Primary
146.400MHz

Propagation Telemetry

Ridge Line

92%

Gorge Floor

18%

Sector Relay: Sector Alpha Relay• 12-18 KM Range

Regulatory Compliance

VHF/UHF frequencies are for monitoring and emergency coordination only. Transmitting on these bands may require an Amateur Radio License or regional government permits. Check local telecommunications laws before operation.

Technical Analysis

Total Ascent

+571 m

Total Descent

-529 m

Ruggedness Index

Terrain Roughness Index

Vertical displacement per km. Typical range: 0 (Smooth) to 100+ (Extreme Mountain).

0 (Smooth)50 (Steep)100+ (Extreme)
65.5

65.5

Tortuosity Index

Route Curviness Index

Ratio of actual path to straight line. Typical range: 1.0 (Direct) to 3.0+ (Switchbacks).

1.0 (Direct)2.0 (Winding)3.0+ (Serpentine)
2.29

2.29

Gradient Distribution

Flat (0-3%)23%
Moderate (3-8%)28%
Steep (>8%)50%

Surface & Hydrology

Paved2%
Unpaved98%

Surface Spectrum Analysis

Asphalt
2%
Dirt Track
59%
Rugged/Rock
39%
Water Crossings

Includes only technical water fords where the vehicle actively enters a stream or riverbed. Permanent bridges are excluded from this count.

0

Difficulty Analysis

SCORE: 51

Difficulty is determined by a technical multi-vector analysis of elevation profile, surface quality, and topographic intensity.

Resulting CategoryHard

Bounding Box (WGS84)

MIN LAT: -23.759529
MAX LAT: -23.724926
MIN LON: 132.909617
MAX LON: 132.979095

Point Spacing: 3.6 m • Engine: TrailX Precision GPX ANALYTICS v1.0.0

Reviews & Discussion0

Expedition notes, route modifications, and surface updates shared by the community.

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Plan this trip

Before you go: Serpentine Gorge Larapinta Hike

Best time to go

May–Sep

The best season depends on the region: May to September for the Northern Territory and tropical Queensland, and November to April for Victoria's high country and Tasmania. Avoid the Larapinta in summer, when heat can be extreme.

Navigate it offline

Download this trail and its map in the free TrailX app for turn-by-turn guidance, off-route alerts and GPS recording without signal.

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