Tokai MTB Trails Closed untill further Notice

[marko35s]

3 minutes ago, Bro Derek said:

It's not a rant. Posting baited posts like this is extremely 'I'm a bikehub legend so I can say what I want because everyone knows me' kind of attitude that stops new people engaging.

The fact that the dedicated website still indicates that you can arrive between x hours, pay x and use the area is a shambles.

Radio is live, If you were masturbating or watching your kid playing sport then you've missed it. If you live elsewhere then you've missed it.

One also has no way of dictating how facebook display your posts, so it's even difficult to find up to date information using a search engine. 

They have said many times they were putting tape and signs up at trail entries etc but haven't done so.

Lots of people are using the mountain currently. It's unsafe and they don't want you up there, are complaining about it, yet also aren't taking reasonable measures to avoid it.

 

Please do not ask them to change the website, once done it will be another year before they change it to show open again.

As far as 'closed' signs we have asked them to put up signage, even just temporary stuff, so let's see if they do get around to it.

In the meantime Tokaimtb have started placing hazard tape on trail entry and exit points. The trails that have been worked on are now festooned in what has been described as a "Petulant" amount of tape. Believe me it is unmissable.

One thing to note - There are large parts of the horse riding area and levels 4 & 5 towards the Elephants Eye Trail that SANParks consider unstable and could be quite dangerous when the rain arrives over the weekend.

[Robbie Stewart]

33 minutes ago, Bro Derek said:

It's not a rant. Posting baited posts like this is extremely 'I'm a bikehub legend so I can say what I want because everyone knows me' kind of attitude that stops new people engaging.

The fact that the dedicated website still indicates that you can arrive between x hours, pay x and use the area is a shambles.

Radio is live, If you were masturbating or watching your kid playing sport then you've missed it. If you live elsewhere then you've missed it.

One also has no way of dictating how facebook display your posts, so it's even difficult to find up to date information using a search engine. 

They have said many times they were putting tape and signs up at trail entries etc but haven't done so.

Lots of people are using the mountain currently. It's unsafe and they don't want you up there, are complaining about it, yet also aren't taking reasonable measures to avoid it.

 

I don't listen to the radio. I don't read Propaganda24 or any of its affiliates, I don't social media. I have facebook and instagram accounts under pseudonyms which I may venture onto maybe once or twice a year when I need to have some info I can't find elsewhere. I am also a website user, but primarily I'm normally just a "pitch up and ride if no-one stops me" type of guy. 

But to be fair, in saying that, even I knew of the fires (well, I could see it from my home all the way just below Blouberg hill), and anyone living in Cape Town with more braincells than Taun Bewsher should know to keep well clear.

So just to be clear, what game was your kid playing?

[DieselnDust]

35 minutes ago, Bro Derek said:

It's not a rant. Posting baited posts like this is extremely 'I'm a bikehub legend so I can say what I want because everyone knows me' kind of attitude that stops new people engaging.

The fact that the dedicated website still indicates that you can arrive between x hours, pay x and use the area is a shambles.

Radio is live, If you were masturbating or watching your kid playing sport then you've missed it. If you live elsewhere then you've missed it.

One also has no way of dictating how facebook display your posts, so it's even difficult to find up to date information using a search engine. 

They have said many times they were putting tape and signs up at trail entries etc but haven't done so.

Lots of people are using the mountain currently. It's unsafe and they don't want you up there, are complaining about it, yet also aren't taking reasonable measures to avoid it.

 

It is a rant. You’re fixating on one communication media and dismissing all others because they don’t suit your narrative = lekker Bikehubs Friday post .

the primary means of informing you is face to face when you arrive to sign in AS REQUIRED BY THE Terms and Conditions of entry. Website be damned, if you’re entering the park after 5pm and or without a valid permit then you’re trespassing. The website you care to use as your primary source says so clearly as do the signs at the entrance. The ranger admitting you to the park will tell you “closed”. 
if you’re not following Tokaimtb, or SANParks or any other Tokai related channels on anymedia Then surely why would you type in www.blahdieblahbkah.com and hope for the best. So few companies update their websites in real time. Tokai manor house certainly doesn’t have the tech or the resources. 
unacceptable? Maybe but we’re only getting a fully online system to purchase activity permits via the SANParks website and even there is no hourly updates on park’s availability. 
this is what we face, it’s Africa. We have a drivers license printing machine out of order since January . So we work with what we have. Making it solely the responsibility of SAnparks to keep us out is a pipe dream that when we ultimately get what we ask for will Bring faaaar more restrictions than you would want.

 

[DieselnDust]

44 minutes ago, marko35s said:

Please do not ask them to change the website, once done it will be another year before they change it to show open again.

As far as 'closed' signs we have asked them to put up signage, even just temporary stuff, so let's see if they do get around to it.

In the meantime Tokaimtb have started placing hazard tape on trail entry and exit points. The trails that have been worked on are now festooned in what has been described as a "Petulant" amount of tape. Believe me it is unmissable.

One thing to note - There are large parts of the horse riding area and levels 4 & 5 towards the Elephants Eye Trail that SANParks consider unstable and could be quite dangerous when the rain arrives over the weekend.

Problem with the signage is the baboons will rip it off= wasted resources.

lock the gates and they may lose the key 

made security guards and they may never leave…

 

always we want the draconian measures in place and then complain when it remains

Edited Friday at 02:23 PM by DieselnDust

[Zebra]

Interestingly enough, i heard the ‘trails remain closed’ update on 567 Cape Talk yesterday (whilst en-route to buy a new bike); and i think it was the 3rd or 4th time i had heard the ‘update’…on radio, but have seen advisories elsewhere, and i am light on social media…

From my perspective after SUCH a major fire, there are 2 types of riders:

…those that will rightly ASSUME the trails may well be closed, after so much devastation, etc, until they hear the contrary…

…and those that suspect it may be closed, but it may be open, but rather than ENQUIRE, simply ride….

FFS, a c-u-r-s-o-r-y check will provide the answer….  ON THIS VERY FORUM…!

The Tokai mountain bike trails in Cape Town are currently closed due to fire damage, according to Bike Hub. The trails were closed by SANParks during and after the fires, and the TokaiMTB team is working to assess the damage and determine when and to what extent they can reopen, as stated in the same Bike Hub article.

 

 

 

 

[betaboy]

Can we just stop the bus, how do I become a BikeHub Legend?🤔 😁

[Bro Derek]

So many trail runners, dog walkers, hikers etc all up and down the mountain. I watched a whole group of elderly people head off yesterday while 10 or 15 runners jogged past them while I was on the school run.

@Zebra they aren't on this forum, very few people are actually actively on this forum. 

Baboons can't rip down a no entry sign thats stuck on the big signs. Seriously. 

I haven't listened to the radio in years. 

I see a news24 article was published yesterday. That is definitely a step in the right direction. 

You also all assume people from out of town or even just out of eyesight even know there was a fire. I certainly don't know which parts of Durban flooded recently. 

The reality is that many people are currently using the mountain, Parks and organisers are complaining, but the information on trail closures is not readily available unless you know where to look. 

Even then it's not easy to find the latest updates. 

I don't expect Parks to do anything, history shows that they probably won't. But I also wont defend them for not doing anything except making some facebook posts and then complaining that people don't know. 

Look from outside your bubble

If you're here from Russia, you check the website for opening times and access. If you're from out of town you likely aren't even aware there were fires and where they were, so you check the website OR just arrive and don't see anything telling you the trails are closed. 

But, I see people are unable to see this and will assume everyone just knows because they know and the small group they engage with knows. 

The country/world is a big place and most of the mountain users aren't cyclists on Bikehub and don't follow the Parks facebook page.

Should people be injured up there currently, with no signage and the current level of notification, Parks would have a hard time proving they have done their due diligence

[Eddy Gordo]

6 hours ago, betaboy said:

Can we just stop the bus, how do I become a BikeHub Legend?🤔 😁

Clearly you dont know about bike premium users

Only viewable by Bike Hub Premium Users 

[DieselnDust]

On 5/10/2025 at 8:55 AM, betaboy said:

Can we just stop the bus, how do I become a BikeHub Legend?🤔 😁

You need to be banned at least once and then rise from the ashes

Edited 5 hours ago by DieselnDust

[Headshot]

On 5/9/2025 at 3:28 PM, Bro Derek said:

It's not a rant. Posting baited posts like this is extremely 'I'm a bikehub legend so I can say what I want because everyone knows me' kind of attitude that stops new people engaging.

The fact that the dedicated website still indicates that you can arrive between x hours, pay x and use the area is a shambles.

Radio is live, If you were masturbating or watching your kid playing sport then you've missed it. If you live elsewhere then you've missed it.

One also has no way of dictating how facebook display your posts, so it's even difficult to find up to date information using a search engine. 

They have said many times they were putting tape and signs up at trail entries etc but haven't done so.

Lots of people are using the mountain currently. It's unsafe and they don't want you up there, are complaining about it, yet also aren't taking reasonable measures to avoid it.

 

Ever heard of common sense, Bro? Like why would it be okay to access a totally burned out trail network?  Do you and others need spoon feeding? You also forgot to mention Trailforks, which every self-respecting MTB rider should use and check for such things. The trails were marked as closed on TF very shortly after the fire.

[Headshot]

On 5/10/2025 at 8:09 AM, Zebra said:

Interestingly enough, i heard the ‘trails remain closed’ update on 567 Cape Talk yesterday (whilst en-route to buy a new bike); and i think it was the 3rd or 4th time i had heard the ‘update’…on radio, but have seen advisories elsewhere, and i am light on social media…

From my perspective after SUCH a major fire, there are 2 types of riders:

…those that will rightly ASSUME the trails may well be closed, after so much devastation, etc, until they hear the contrary…

…and those that suspect it may be closed, but it may be open, but rather than ENQUIRE, simply ride….

FFS, a c-u-r-s-o-r-y check will provide the answer….  ON THIS VERY FORUM…!

The Tokai mountain bike trails in Cape Town are currently closed due to fire damage, according to Bike Hub. The trails were closed by SANParks during and after the fires, and the TokaiMTB team is working to assess the damage and determine when and to what extent they can reopen, as stated in the same Bike Hub article.

 

 

 

 

Don't you bring your common sense and logic to this forum, Bru Zebra...

[Iwan Kemp]

On 5/10/2025 at 8:55 AM, betaboy said:

Can we just stop the bus, how do I become a BikeHub Legend?🤔 😁

If you have to ask, you're not ready yet. 

[Bro Derek]

1 hour ago, Headshot said:

Ever heard of common sense, Bro? Like why would it be okay to access a totally burned out trail network?  Do you and others need spoon feeding? You also forgot to mention Trailforks, which every self-respecting MTB rider should use and check for such things. The trails were marked as closed on TF very shortly after the fire.

I'm not talking about Tokai. I'm talking about the greater area.

You can't see it burned from many trail entrances as you go south. I also specifically mentioned hikers, runners and dog walkers, most of whom definitely don't use trailforks.

Again, look beyond your bubble. 

I'm not using the mountain, I am saying that complaining about people using the mountain but making no effort in the real world to close anything makes no sense.

I'm over it. 

Again, today, I engaged with many people today who have no idea that the part they are using daily is closed

The real world barely touches on the circles you have mentioned. From Boyes drive all the way to fish hoek there is almost no evidence of a fire from the trail entrance and there are streams of people in and out

[Headshot]

Bro, this thread is on a cycling site and specifically related to Tokai. That said my bubble is big and my comments relate to all areas that are burned out. The people you are meeting are just chance takers acting dumb to excuse their deliberate actions IMO. Or do they really not have phones, car radios and access to the internet? 

[Nick]

I really struggled for clarity with this situation too. I wanted to know the rules about my local unburnt section that isn't commonly called "Silvermine" (which is all they were offering at the time) but I simply couldn't find any communications to clear it up. It later turned out to be part of the restricted area.

Perhaps the situation for Tokai focussed users is much clearer but stepping out from that to the broader area, I found it an information void for days after the emergency was over.

Despite our perception of information being so easily shared, we seem to have forgotten to make it broadly accessible to those outside of the networks.

Anyway, from my experience of coming short with serious intent to find out, I can fully understand why there are reasonable mountain users who simply didn't know. I've informed a few since and they've seen the sense in complying once they know, which possibly points to a communication problem instead of an attitude issue.

[Anthem24]

SANParks - Table Mountain National Park

posted 6 May, 7.39 pm · 

 

POST FIRE UPDATE: UPPER TOKAI & SURROUNDING TRAILS CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

Following the recent fire in Upper Tokai and surrounding areas, several sections of Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) remain closed until further notice. This includes all hiking trails, horse riding tracks, and mountain biking tracks in Upper Tokai.

Silvermine East and West—both Gate 1 (Dam) and Gate 2 (Waterfall)—are also closed, along with all trails leading to Silvermine. Echo Valley, Peak’s Valley, Ou Kraal, Old Boyes Drive, and the Kalk Bay trails are not accessible at this time.

Although the fire has been contained, smoldering logs, unstable soil, etc continue to pose a threat.

Additionally, the fire has left wildlife vulnerable, without proper cover or forage, and with increased exposure to domestic animals like dogs, threaten their chances of survival.

While some areas remain restricted, there are still trails that are open and safe for use. These include the trails at Elsie’s Peak, Trappieskop, Peers’ Cave, Lower Tokai, Noordhoek Beach, and both the northern and southern sections of Table Mountain National Park.

More updates will be provided following the conclusion of burnt area assessments and rehabilitation.