Queen Rose MTB Trail

About Queen Rose MTB Trail

Where: Queens View or Makesh Hut, just outside Barberton
Level: easy to difficult
Type of route: 13 km/18 km/22 km/33 km/45km mainly on plantation roads with some single track
Best: avoid during the heat of summer (Jan and Feb); autumn and winter are by far the best time to ride.

The Queen Rose trail is touted as one of the most scenically impressive of any trail in Mpumalanga. This knowledge will get you through the rather difficult forestry roads to reach the start of the trail, particularly the paths to Queens View Hut. Both huts are overnight hiking huts.

The routes run mainly through Komatiland forestry land, so expect lots of pine and eucalyptus plantation peppered by the odd waterfall, muddy river banks, grassland and the odd river crossing (plenty of spots for quick dips in river pools). You share some of the trail with the Queen Rose Hiking Trail.

Blue Route is 13 km return starting from Makesh Hut following the main road down to Barberton via plantations down to follow along the river bank of the Queens River. This meander soon crosses a river via a bridge until you reach a lovely picnic area. This is ideal for the family as the end destination is the picnic, followed by a return ride on the main road make to the hut (there are a few uphills on the return, so it isn't dead easy).

Yellow Route is a 33 km circuit with some technical areas (intermediate). This fairly tough route starts on the Blue Route. The route forks after a while. Take the yellow route climb through grasslands and plantations to the top of the mountain, where you can take a breather for the views over the De Kaap Valley. Descend to where the path again forks, either back to Makesh Hut, or on to Cupid Waterfall (wonderful for a swim and a picnic).

Red Route is a 45 km circuit for advanced riders that initially follows the Yellow Route (that follows the Blue Route). Do not take the downhill but continue instead through Nelshoogte, over the dam to Queensview Hut (a good place to stop and picnic or rest). Now you share the hiking trail for 5 km until you reach Cupid waterfall, before heading downhill back to Makesh Hut.