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George/Wilderness Routes


Jako De Wet

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Hi everyone

 

We are going to Wilderness on Tuesday and want to take the bikes with. Looking for trails to ride, but not sure what is open after the fires? I see that the Cape Nature reserve says no MTB trails are currently open?

 

Anyone from that area that know of places that we might be able to get a few trails and singletracks?

 

Thanks.

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Hi

Download the trail forks app. It helps a lot.

But i will definitely recommend to call Jacques at knysna cycle works. I rented a bike from him and also paid him to take me out in knysna one day. Definitely worth it.

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Hi everyone

 

We are going to Wilderness on Tuesday and want to take the bikes with. Looking for trails to ride, but not sure what is open after the fires? I see that the Cape Nature reserve says no MTB trails are currently open?

 

Anyone from that area that know of places that we might be able to get a few trails and singletracks?

 

Thanks.

 

Your best bet would be to drive into George and play around at Witfontein, some of the best trails in the area. They are still open.

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Witfontein is actually the one I was looking at, but according to the website it’s closed. Guess they haven’t updated it in a while. Will go and have a look there. Thanks.

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Witfontein is actually the one I was looking at, but according to the website it’s closed. Guess they haven’t updated it in a while. Will go and have a look there. Thanks.

They are "officially" closed and you won't be able to enter at their "official" entrance. There are numerous entry/exit points into the forest along the border where the forest meets the town.

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Dunno at all about the current state of Witfontein - I rode them June last year. Honestly such fun trails, what makes them awesome is that they are in the forest, and instead of just a jeep road climb (there is that) there are also some really techy, rooty singletrack climbs that are very challenging. Goes without saying the trails pointing downhill are super fun too - quite a variety of difficulty too.

 

It will definitely be worth your while if you can get there.

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Hi Jaco

 

Saasfeld/George dam - There are lots of nice trails around the NMMU campus (Saasfeld). You can access these from the Garden route dam entrance. Some of the tracks are currently closed while they cut the burnt trees.

 

Witfontein - From the Arbour road or Botanical gardens you can go up to the Witfontein trails. There are also some dropped trees on the witfontein trails. As said, from the official entrance to Witfontein access is closed but you can get to the trails from Arbour rd in George.

 

Or go up towards Montagu pass or across the Outeniqua pass from the toll house onto the contour road.

 

Riding from George to Wilderness is a nice scenic ride. There are also nice options for longer gravel rides from George to Wilderness or towards Grootbrak side.

 

PM me of you need more info.

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Please be vigilante. There have been a few instances of muggings or attempted muggings in Witfontein near the area close to where you start to go up the pass. Safety in numbers

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Hi Jaco

 

Saasfeld/George dam - There are lots of nice trails around the NMMU campus (Saasfeld). You can access these from the Garden route dam entrance. Some of the tracks are currently closed while they cut the burnt trees.

 

Witfontein - From the Arbour road or Botanical gardens you can go up to the Witfontein trails. There are also some dropped trees on the witfontein trails. As said, from the official entrance to Witfontein access is closed but you can get to the trails from Arbour rd in George.

 

Or go up towards Montagu pass or across the Outeniqua pass from the toll house onto the contour road.

 

Riding from George to Wilderness is a nice scenic ride. There are also nice options for longer gravel rides from George to Wilderness or towards Grootbrak side.

 

PM me of you need more info.

From George through Jonkersberg plantation there are nice routes in the plantation towards the Jonkersberg MTO forestry offices and from there back to George nice gravel roads with nice long climbs and downhills. I'm sure one can check them out on Strava or just pop into one of the many cycle shops in George. Even the routes around Saasveld is on Strava.

 

Witfontein - From the Arbour road or Botanical gardens you can go up to the Witfontein trails.

 

Just make sure about the safety in this area, I haven't cycled there but nowadays there were quite a few attacks in the plantation areas around George. Not exactly sure where exactly.

Edited by BSG
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Thanks everyone. Will be riding with my wife so will take the safer options. Might ask around the LBS for someone to join maybe Thursday/Friday for a longer route.

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Hi Jaco

Saasfeld/George dam - There are lots of nice trails around the NMMU campus (Saasfeld). You can access these from the Garden route dam entrance. Some of the tracks are currently closed while they cut the burnt trees.

Witfontein - From the Arbour road or Botanical gardens you can go up to the Witfontein trails. There are also some dropped trees on the witfontein trails. As said, from the official entrance to Witfontein access is closed but you can get to the trails from Arbour rd in George.

Or go up towards Montagu pass or across the Outeniqua pass from the toll house onto the contour road.

Riding from George to Wilderness is a nice scenic ride. There are also nice options for longer gravel rides from George to Wilderness or towards Grootbrak side.

PM me of you need more info.

What Ruru said. Lots of options at the Garden Route Dam. I hiked up to Tierkop last week and back via the Old George Dam. Came across Hillbillies sign boards to the Railway Elbow on the West side of the dam. This looks worth exploring, will head there on my bike next week. Pop into Ride Life on Courtney street, sure they will help you.

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Thanks everyone. Will be riding with my wife so will take the safer options. Might ask around the LBS for someone to join maybe Thursday/Friday for a longer route.

The Missus and I are in our 50’s and very happy to hike/ bike the Dam area. Seems the muggings have been toward the Witfontein side. Sad, as I see a George Peak hike in my near future and I do not want to give up on that.

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  • 5 months later...

All the clubs and all over FB people are asked to stay away from this area. Some people are just so bleddie self righteous.

And yes, they can get into the area by just cycling through Saasveld college grounds.

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