Standley Chasm guide: Walk, tours, swimming & camping
In the Northern Territory’s Red Centre, Standley Chasm offers spectacular scenery, an easy walk, Aboriginal cultural tours and outback camping.
Standley Chasm is one of the best tourist attractions in the West MacDonnell Ranges of the Northern Territory’s Red Centre. Also known by its Indigenous name of Angkerle Atwatye, it is a highlight of the long distance walk along the Larapinta Trail.
Standley Chasm is part of a private flora and fauna reserve owned by the local Aboriginal community. The Arrernte people have lived in the area for tens of thousands of years and Angkerle Atwatye means “the Gap of Water”.
How long is the Standley Chasm walk?
The Standley Chasm walk is 1.2km long, taking about 15 minutes each way. It follows the natural creek bed past the 80 metre-high sheer rock face of the chasm. It is a well-maintained, wheelchair-accessible trail set up for tourism, with seating and interpretive signs along the route.
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These signs explain how Angkerle Atwatye has always been an important cultural site for Arrernte women.
Can you swim at Standley Chasm?
It is not possible to swim at Standley Chasm. There’s only deep enough water for swimming after heavy flooding, and then the site is closed off for public safety anyway. If you want to swim in the West MacDonnell Ranges, try Ormiston Gorge or Ellery Creek Big Hole.
This Red Centre site is all about the walks and cultural experiences.
Are there any Angkerle Atwatye tours?
The Aboriginal owners of Standley Chasm offer a series of tours and cultural experiences. Depending on which one you pick, you might have a bush tucker-tasting experience or dot painting workshop.
There are also guided walks of the chasm and discussions about Aboriginal life in contemporary society.
The basic self-guided walk of Angkerle Atwatye costs $12. The add-on tours cost extra. Visit the Standley Chasm website for more information and prices.
What is the best time of day to visit Standley Chasm?
The best time of day to visit Standley Chasm is around noon. This is when the sun best shows off the colours of the chasm walls. However, it rather depends on what you’re coming to see. You’ve got a better chance of seeing wildlife if you come early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Most desert creatures prefer to escape the hot sun.
Alternatively, you could come for midday, retreat to your tent and then look for wildlife in the evening.
Standley Chasm camping
The Standley Chasm camping experience is not exactly luxurious, but there are some facilities provided. There are bathrooms, washing machines for laundry and kitchens. Campers also have access to the picnic tables and barbecues.
Tent pitches cost $18.50 per night, and it’s an extra $5 for a powered site.
Getting to Standley Chasm from Alice Springs
It’s a 50km drive from Alice Springs to Standley Chasm, and the road to Standley Chasm is sealed. From Alice Springs, you drive 38km along Larapinta Drive, then turn into the Standley Chasm road and continue for 9km.
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