Central Valley Campground 2

Overview

About Central Valley Campground 2

Why stop

Broad shallow river pools make the camp setting memorable
More spacious, spread-out sites than the tougher-feeling Central Valley camps

Heads up

Locked-gate high-clearance 4WD access makes it a commitment
Visitors must carry their own water and supplies

Map

Where it is

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Full map

CampgroundCentral Valley Campground 2-13.24407, 130.83707

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Plan your stop

Before you go

Best time to go

Central Valley is usually accessible between about May and November because of seasonal conditions. Outside that pattern, access depends on the weather and seasonal road closures apply, so confirm conditions before committing to the drive.

Getting there

Central Valley is roughly 142 km southwest of Darwin. From inside the park, continue on Litchfield Park Road, turn onto the Lost City track, pass through the key-access point, follow the unsealed road to the Escarpment Lookout, then take Track 2 to Campgrounds 2 and 3. A high-clearance four-wheel drive is required for Campgrounds 1 and 2, and all-wheel-drive vehicles are not recommended. Check road conditions before setting out.

3 active Litchfield alerts

CautionReynolds River Track: deep water crossingsThe Reynolds River Track is open to 4WDs only, but rough conditions and water crossings about 500–600 mm deep require care.Official details
ClosureTabletop Track closedThe Tabletop Track is closed because an Excess Heat Warning is in effect and there is no accessible drinking water. - Permit access only; do not plan an unpermitted walk on the track.Official details

See all 3 alerts

A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone — Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Litchfield Tour Guide

Your drive to Central Valley Campground 2, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Litchfield National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

More about Central Valley Campground 2

Why choose this campCentral Valley Campground 2 sits beside the East Reynolds River in a remote corner of…

Central Valley Campground 2 sits beside the East Reynolds River in a remote corner of Litchfield reached only by a locked-gate four-wheel-drive track. It has 12 unpowered, drive-in designated sites, and the river through this stretch widens into broad, shallow pools that give the camp its character. Swimming is permitted in designated areas only.

How it compares with Campgrounds 1 and 3Of the three Central Valley campgrounds, Campground 2 is generally described as the more…

Of the three Central Valley campgrounds, Campground 2 is generally described as the more forgiving one, with larger sites spread further apart than the tighter, tougher-feeling camps nearby. All three sit along the same river, so the difference is one of space and approach rather than a different landscape.

What you see and doThe setting is dry tropical woodland: red earth clearings, native trees and rocky riverbed.

The setting is dry tropical woodland: red earth clearings, native trees and rocky riverbed. The listed activities here are four-wheel driving, camping and swimming in designated areas. Fires are permitted only as small fires in the designated fireplaces.

Booking, gate and keyEntry requires a booking.

Entry requires a booking. The gate is locked and the access key is needed to get in, with booking and payment completed online, and an NT Parks Visitor Pass is required. The booking permits direct access to and from Campgrounds 1, 2 and 3 only. Rules include one vehicle and trailer per site, a maximum of six people per site, and stays of up to 14 nights. Four-wheel-drive camper trailers are permitted; caravans, hybrid caravans and generators are not.

Facilities and what to bringFacilities are minimal.

Facilities are minimal. Sites are unpowered, pit toilets are provided in each campground, and there are no showers and no water supplied at any of the campgrounds. Bring all your own drinking water, food and cooking supplies, make a plan for firewood given that fires are only allowed as small fires in the designated fireplaces, and take your rubbish out with you.

Honest drawbacksThe locked-gate, high-clearance four-wheel-drive approach makes this a genuine commitment…

The locked-gate, high-clearance four-wheel-drive approach makes this a genuine commitment rather than a casual overnight stop, and complete self-sufficiency is required once you are through the gate. River levels and pool conditions change with the seasons, so treat the swimming holes as part of a variable landscape and stick to designated swimming areas.