Nicknamed The Macs, the MacDonnell Ranges stretch out on either side of Alice Springs. To the west, the West Macs are part of the West MacDonnell National Park, which are a hit with hikers. Their orange summits, weathered by 800 million years of erosion, provide a striking contrast with the surrounding flat desert and expanses of spiky spinifex grass. Dotted with gorges and natural swimming pools, the Alice Springs-Glen Helen Gorge road is gloriously solitary.