Visitors to the West MacDonnell Ranges usually have their first taste of its spectacular scenery with a visit to Simpsons Gap, as it is the first "stopping point" on the drive to the ranges from Alice Springs. Maybe it is because this is the first Central Australian gap they see, but for many visitors  to the area, it is often the image of its jagged rocks shone shades of orange and red and reflected peacefully in the pool of water below, the red sand and the vividly contrasting green vegetation that they recall when speaking of this starkly beautiful area.

The area is an important spiritual site to the Arrarnta Aboriginal people, where several dreaming trails and stories cross.  At dawn or dusk Simpsons Gap it is renowned as a place to see Black-footed Rock-wallabies along the gap's short walking track beside a permanent waterhole, fed by Roe Creek. Good examples of many of the vegetation communities of the MacDonnell Ranges are found in the Simpsons Gap area, including large stands of Mulga, and the area around the gap is a major stronghold for some of the rare and relict plants of the region. A Visitor Information Centre is just past the entrance gate and offers a good introduction for first time visitors.  The displays highlights points of interest within the park and provides information on the areas natural and cultural history.

The best time to visit is either in the late afternoon or early morning, when the incredible reds and oranges of the sun on the ranges makes for some of the most incredible photographs you’ll ever take.