Our first full day at Kings Canyon.

 Because of my bad knee Mark and I did the shorter walk up towards the south rim ( the south rim return walk). The others did the full walk. We started early to avoid the worst of the heat.

Kings Canyon is part of the Watarrka National Park.

   Looking up the path.

Looking back towards the carpark.

There were also some cycads growing up amongst the rocks.

 The views were amazing.

Climbers on the opposite side of the canyon.

The sheerness of the cliff face at the end of the canyon is breathtaking.

I couldn't decide on which photo I liked the best so have posted all three.

Back down in the carpark.

After the walk we went back to the campground to relax and wait for for the others to finish their longer walk. When they returned we had lunch and a rest before tackling an easier and shorter walk at Kathleen Springs. This is a bit further down the road from the canyon but well worth the visit.

First we spotted this skinny dingo pup
 near the restaurant.

The Kathleen Springs trapping yards. The stockmen fenced off the entrance to the narrow gorge so that they could trap and brand the cattle before transporting them to market.

There were many flowers to be seen on this walk including a desert lantern bush,4th down on the right, and golden everlastings, bottom right. 

The ripple in the rock is believed by the aboriginals to be a sign left by a spirit being,
 in this case a Inturrkunya, a carpet snake.
This is where he rested before moving through the gorge.

The waterhole was a lovely, peaceful place to visit.

That evening we enjoyed the sunset over the ranges at the sunset viewing platform at the camping ground.

A brown falcon settled in the bush not far from us keeping an eye out for prey.

We had tea that night at the restaurant where we saw the skinny dingo pup again.