Lebanon Forest MTB Trails

About Lebanon Forest MTB Trails

Where: Back 2 Basics, Lebanon Forest, near Grabouw
Level: easy to intermediate; trails for family and experienced cyclists
Type of route: circular routes, 10 km – 30 km
Best: the forest provide a fair amount of shade, but summer gets very hot

Wonderful trails through orchards, mountain fynbos and forests with views over the Elgin valley. These trails are aimed at all levels, with a good mix of technical aspects and tests of co-ordination. Expect bridges, roots, rocky sections, wide gravel roads and single track.

The trails pass through local forestry and privately owned farms in the area with a total of 60 km worth of trails. There is plenty of opportunity to practise riding up loose steep climbs, to master switchbacks and braking techniques.

The trails are versatile enough to have been included in Wine2Whales, the Houw Hoek Tour and the Cape Epic. Opening times are between 7am and 7pm.

You can register on the stoep at Back To Basics (an honesty system). Remember to write your registration number down when registering, or there is every chance your car will be towed (Oak Lane is private property).

Yellow trail – 7.3 km - an unintimidating ride through farms and mostly on jeep track
Green trail – 10 km – a slightly more taxing route
Blue trail – 17 km – single track with some technical difficulty
Red trail – 23.6 km – this trail heads through forest on mostly single track with a climb that is worth the views from the top. Aimed at seasoned riders.

Watch out for extreme joggers and trail runners, who also use the trails. As tempting as it might be the fruit on the trees in the orchards is not for picking, and the dams not for swimming in.

The Peregrine Farmstall is an ideal stop after the ride.

No helmet. No ride.