- Distance
- 19 km circuit
- Duration
- 9 hours return
- Suitable for
- Hiking
- Grade 4, Hard Hike
- Terrain
- Steep
- Park
- Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park
- Region
- Flinders Ranges & Outback
- Download maps & GPS files
- 1 map PDF
- 2 GPS files
- Photos
- 6 photosJump to Photos section
- Travel options
- Car
- Total climb
- 600m
About the Walking Trail
This hike is closed from 30th November to 1st March each year.
A challenging circuit hike to the summit of the Flinders Ranges highest mountain – St Mary Peak/Ngarri Mudlanha at 1,171m. Rewarding panoramic views of the Flinders Ranges, Aroona Valley, and the salt plains to the west.
Hike times:
- The direct route (up the on the escarpment edge) is 6 hours and 14.6km return.
- The loop route is 9 hours and 21.5km.
- Rangers recommend you leave on this hike no later than 9am (10am during daylight saving).
A good option is to make it into a two day hike by camping at Cooinda Camp inside Wilpena Pound, but note there are no water or toilet facilities at this campsite. 1 April 2020: the campsite at Cooinda has been closed. The site was a largely a historic, informal camping area. The conditions had become unhygienic and it was in close proximity to a cultural site. (An alternative campsite for hikers has been established further along the Heysen Trail at the Wilcolo Track – but note this is not relevant for the St Mary Peak hike.)
St Mary Peak is central to the Adnyamathanha creation story. For this reason the Adnyamathanha people of the Flinders Ranges would prefer that visitors do not climb to the summit of the peak [beyond Tanderra Saddle]. The shorter option to Tanderra Saddle also affords spectacular views.
