01 March 2006

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The Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve is situated between Johannesburg and Heidelberg in the south. Its quite a large reserve and provides even backpacking trails. However this report covers the 17km Bokmakierie trail. A 10km version also exits. Its a great trail to do if you dont want to travel far and just need to get out into nature for a few hours. The trail starts at the visitors center and is well marked with green and yellow footprints.

Although the area is mostly hilly grassland it provides a rich variety of smaller plants and if you get there in spring after the first rains, you can usually see a lot of wild flowers. The first piece of the trail is fairly flat and there was some very tall grass around in this section, especially now after the rains. The trail then climbs a small hill.

At the top of the hill a small plateau is reached.

At the end of the plateau a long decent into the next valley follows.

At the bottom the vegetation was quite dense.

There is a small earthen dam at the bottom that in years gone by I remember did contain some water. Even after the rain we had this year there was no trace of water in it. Maybe the ground water level had been so low that it has just sunk in and disappeared.

Along this section I came across some Baboons.

After a couple of hundred meters hiking a climb up another hill follows.

From here the trail goes around a hill.

Some Geckos could be seen along this stretch.

Another small climb up a hill follows and then its gently downwards.

Some dung Beetles. From here a few meters further, the 10km section of the Bokmakierie trail branches off.

I carried on straight with the 17km section. A large stretch of flat grassland follows.

Here I came across what looked like a Bontebok at the distance. Sometimes one comes across large herds of antelope in the reserve.

Towards the end of the flat grassland is a clump of trees. This is a great place for a break.

Upon exiting the trees a short stretch of grassland follows and the trail turns right towards the hills.

The trails crosses one of the reserve roads and dips towards a stream. Another nice place for a stop.

From here a climb up a hill follows, and shortly after that another one.

Here you follow a ridge at the end of which you cross a valley.

Once across, the trail makes a steep decent. In the distance you can see the visitors center again. Another small stream is crossed before you finally get back to the center.