Weano Gorge is one of the easiest hiking trails at Karijini National Park
Walk through the base of Weano Gorge with large organge-red jagged rock walls and narrow passages or take the easier route and explore from the top without entering the gorge.
Weano Gorge is just a short distance from the car park and picnic area at the Weano day use area and once you reach the gorge, you can either get views from above and follow a trail that lets you glance in along the way or get a full downwards view from a lookout. For those that are a bit more adventurous, enter the gorge and hike through the centre where you’ll need to scale over rocks, around pools and swim.
Weano Gorge Handrail Hike
The Weano Gorge Handrail Hike begins by a steep decline down into the gorge, from there, it’s only about 500 metres to the end of the trail, where you’ll then walk (& swim) back the way you came from.
Trail details
Difficulty
From the car park to the entrance of Weano Gorge, it’s an easy walk along a gravel trail. If you then just stay above the gorge and walk to the lookout, it’s still a very low level of difficulty, it’s only when you enter the gorge that the trail becomes a bit more tricky.
As you enter Weano Gorge, you’ll need to go down a steep section, although no climbing is requited. Once you’ve made it inside the gorge, most of the trail is flat and easy to walk over, then at several times, you’ll be required to walk through large, shallow pools of water or if there hasn’t been a lot of rain, it’s possible to scale across the rocks on edge of the water.
There are plenty of areas that are extremely slippery, at times you’ll most likely be required to sit down and shimmy yourself across small sections as the mould won’t allow you to get across it by foot.
Near the end of the trail, you’ll go down a short steep section and then into a narrow passage before coming across a handrail. Here you’ll then need to hold on with both hands and climb down a vertical section, then walk across a very thin rock ledge that’s above a pool. To get to the last section of the trail (& the best part!), you’ll then be required to swim, so if you want to take along a camera, be sure to bring a dry bag.
Anyone fit and agile shouldn’t have a problem completing this trail, as long as you’re prepared to get wet! It’s quite short, but allow plenty of time as there’s a lot to see.
Length
The entire trail is about 1.5 kms return, which includes a walk for a couple of hundred metres from the car park and day use area to get to the start of the gorge. You’ll only need to swim for about 10 metres or so, depending if you’re tall enough to touch the bottom of the rock pool.
Keep in mind that the above distance includes returning back to the car park, whereas you can finish this hike and then head straight over to Hancock Gorge, which is another short trail and the highlight of the area.
If you’re to complete the walk inside the gorge and along the the top of the gorge, the entire trail is then about 3-3.5 kms.
Elevation
Other than a small decent to get down into the gorge and a few other very small, steep sections (for a couple of metres or so), there is very little elevation. The majority of the trail is along the base of the gorge.
Facilities
There’s a large car park with plenty of room and toilet facilities, although there isn’t any drinking water available.
Just next to the car park are barbecues, picnic tables and several shelters to escape the sun.
Closest place to buy food & drinks
Weano Gorge is the middle of the Karijni National Park, a very remote area. You won’t find any grocery stores or petrol stations, unless you head back out of the park, but there’s water and some basic snacks at the Karijini Visitor Centre, about 50 minutes away (you’ll also find phone and data service there too).
Dog Friendly
Dogs aren’t allowed anywhere inside the Kairjini National Park, although there are council operated kennels in Tom Price for just $20 per 24 hours.
Getting to Weano Gorge
It’s a bit more than an hour’s drive from Tom Price to the Weono Day Use Area, where you’ll find the start of the trail that heads out to both Weano Gorge and Hancock Gorge.
You’ll need to drive out of the south-west of Tom Price, about 10 minutes after exiting the town, turn left at Karijini Drive. You’ll follow this road for a long time, all the way until you reach Banjima Drive, where you’ll again turn left. Keep following Banjima Drive, which will eventually have a sharp turn to the right shortly before Joffre Gorge, although you’ll need to drive straight – the road past the sharp turn is then Weano Road. Drive past the Karijini Eco Retreat and stay on this road all of the way to the Weano Day Use Area.
Although just about any car can get there, large sections of the road inside the Karijini National Park are corrugated dirt tracks, so it’s best to allow a bit of extra time and leave the caravan behind. There’s caravan parking at a large roadside stop about half an hour before you enter the national park, then again at the Karijini Visitor Centre, but during peak periods, they don’t like you leaving it there.
Accommodation & Camping
There’s plenty of places to go camping inside the Karijini National Park, with the closest being the Karijini Eco Retreat.
At the Karijini Eco Retreat, you can find accommodation in the form of cabins and eco tents/glamping tents, some are quite luxurious and others are basic. There area also unpowered camping sites.
One of the most popular large camping areas is Dales Campground, within walking distance from Dales Gorge. Here, you’ll find many unpowered camp sites that are suitable for all types of campers, RVs and caravans. There are toilets and a small info centre, but you’ll need your own water and power.
It can be a good idea to set up base at one campground for several nights and explore the national park by driving to a different area each day. It doesn’t really matter which campground you choose, as the attractions at Karijini are all quite spread out, so a long drive is required. Dales Campground is a good choice as it’s so close to the gorge that has multiple natural pools to take a swim in, after a hot day of exploring.
Entrance to Dales Campground
Campsite at Dales Campground
