The MacDonnell Ranges are popular with hikers, as the 140-mile (223-kilometer) Larapinta Trail runs along the ridge and into the plains below. You don’t have to be a long-distance walker to enjoy the natural beauty of the ranges, however. Day trips from the town of Alice Springs show off the highlights of the range, from red rock formations and cold rock pools to the Ochre Pits where Australian Aboriginal people quarried for ochre pigment. Tours into the desert, whether on camel by day or to spot wildlife at night, typically include the MacDonnell Ranges as their backdrop.