Gun Barrel Highway
Arrow-straight across the red center
The Gun Barrel Highway earned its name from running arrow-straight for hundreds of kilometers across the desert between Alice Springs and Newman — 1380km of gravel and dirt that cuts right through Australia’s empty heart. This isn’t a scenic route; it’s pure utilitarian transport across the continent’s most unforgiving real estate. You’ll cross the Tropic of Capricorn, pass through tiny settlements like Yulara (Uluru turnoff) and Carnegie, and experience the kind of horizon-to-horizon emptiness that makes some people lose their minds.
Any decent vehicle can handle the Gun Barrel in dry conditions, but fuel planning is critical — there’s serious distance between reliable fuel stops. Carry spares for everything and enough water for emergencies. The road gets rough after rain and can be impassable during rare desert storms. It’s not about the journey here — it’s about proving you can cross one of the world’s great empty spaces and live to tell about it.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Overland Route |
| Surface | Gravel |
| Features | Desert, Historic, Remote |
| Length (miles) | 858 mi / 1380 km |
| Duration | 2-3 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 2297 ft |
| Best season | April-October |
| Minimum vehicle | Stock 2WD with high clearance |
| Nearest town | Alice Springs, NT |
| Land manager | Multiple state authorities |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock 2WD high-clearance vehicle handle Gun Barrel Highway, or do I need 4WD?
A stock high-clearance 2WD can manage the Gun Barrel in dry conditions, but 4WD is strongly advisable — corrugations, soft sandy patches, and isolated boggy sections after rain will punish a 2WD fast and far from help. If you're driving a 2WD, you better know exactly what you're doing and carry recovery gear anyway.
What months is Gun Barrel Highway passable and what does rain actually do to it?
April through October is the reliable window — dry season in the Western Australian interior. Summer (November–March) brings heat above 45°C and sporadic but violent rain that can render the track impassable for days, with no rescue timeline you want to test.
Do I need any permits to drive Gun Barrel Highway?
Sections of the route cross Aboriginal lands requiring a permit from the Central Land Council and/or the Western Desert Lands Aboriginal Corporation — sort these well in advance as processing takes time and driving without one is illegal. No entry fee applies to the highway itself, but skipping the permit process isn't a grey area.
What's the hardest section of the Gun Barrel and what should I actually expect?
The western half toward Newman throws the worst corrugations and the longest stretches of absolute isolation — if something breaks here, you are genuinely on your own for potentially 200–300km. The track is not technically difficult, but the relentlessness, heat, and zero-margin-for-error remoteness is what breaks people and vehicles.
How much fuel do I need to carry and where can I actually refuel along the 1380km?
Fuel stops are extremely limited and unreliable — Warburton (roughly the midpoint) has fuel but stock it accordingly and do not assume it's available. Carry enough for at least 800km range minimum; many drivers fuel up in Alice Springs, carry extra jerry cans, and treat Warburton as a bonus top-up rather than a plan.
Trail track
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