West Coast National Park MTB Trails

About West Coast National Park MTB Trails

Where: Langebaan Gate, West Coast National Park, 90 minutes' from Cape Town
Level: easy to slightly taxing
Type of route: circular routes (13 km green and 17 km red)
Best: August to October for the flowers and the whales, but otherwise all year round

Note: All bike routes start at the Langebaan gate (there are also two cycle routes – Geelbek 30 km and Kraalbaai 70 km).

The West Coast National Park lies alongside the Langebaan Lagoon, immediately south of Saldanha Bay's harbour. For bikers it promises routes through fynbos, and alongside salt marshes with thousands of sea birds, strandveld flowers during the annual flower season, and whales (August to December).

The two MTB trails follow similar routes that are not difficult. The green route is slightly easier than the red:

Green Trail – follow the signs from the Langebaan gate initially along the rather hilly tar road of the park, a peaceful ride with plenty of scenery and not too much traffic. From the tar turn onto a gravel jeep track that heads down to the shore of the lagoon. The route then leads to the Seeberg bird hide (take a break to spot for birds) and then returns to the Langebaan gate.

Red Trail – follows much the same route as the Green trail, with two detours that present some challenge. The initial detour is probably the toughest part of the ride and takes you up a steep dirt road to the Seeberg lookout point; the views are worth it. Then comes a downhill back to join the tar road. The second detour is just past the old farmstead onto open grassy plains (look out for antelope). Join a sand single track and then the jeep track before rejoining the green route.