Dales Campground — Karijini National Park

Dales Campground sits on the edge of Dales Gorge in the Pilbara, a short walk or drive from Fortescue Falls, Fern Pool, and Circular Pool. The country is hard red rock, spinifex, and snappy gums, and the gorges are some of the best swimming and scrambling in Western Australia. The camp is run by WA’s parks department (DBCA). Facilities are basic: toilets and designated sites, with no hookups. Bring your own water and plan on being self-sufficient. Generators and fires are restricted, so check the current rules.

The approach is sealed for the most part, so any vehicle can get in, though some other Karijini gorge access roads are corrugated gravel. The cooler dry season, roughly April to September, is the time to go. Summer is brutally hot and cyclone-prone. Sites are limited and sell out in peak season, so book through the DBCA parks booking system and verify current fees, rules, and road conditions before you leave Tom Price or Newman. Fuel and supplies are best topped off in town. Have a dirty day.

Pilbara gorge country starts at your tent flap