Diepwalle Elephant Hiking Trails
If you visit the Garden Route and do not enough time for a multi-day hike, do head to the Diepwalle Forestry Station and go lose yourself in the Knysna forest on one of the Elephant hiking trails. Usually when one thinks of hiking in the Garden Route area, the first trail that springs to mind is the Otter Trail. Give it some more thought and the Tsitsikamma and Outeniqua Trails start to feature.
With Bayside Lodge so quiet at the moment, we have taken the opportunity to explore all the hikes in our area. This blog post will be about one of many day hikes which are easily accessible from Plettenberg Bay. They require a moderate level of fitness and do take snacks for en route as well as sufficient water in your day pack.
OUR VISIT IN MARCH 2021
On arrival at the Forestry station we were advised to combine the black and white routes. These should have totalled 17km. We however took a left turn off Kom se Pad and therefore ended up on the road to Uniondale. Thankfully a motorist came past and told us to turn around and so we added only 5km to the hike! It is important to follow the white footprints and not your gut feel. The map provided states it is not to scale and it was difficult to see the road when it co-incides with the track. Many people have told us it is very very easy to get lost in these forests and now we know why!
The picnic sites, toilets, museum and tea-room are all excellent but we didnt have time to visit them all.
An extract from the Garden Route Adventure Guide
The White Elephant Trail has the most enticing rock pool where you can stop for a picnic and even have a dip in summer. Please do be sensitive to the environment. The Black Elephant Trail pass through both the Ysterhoutrug and King Edward VII picnic sites. The Red Elephant Trail crosses a little stream exactly halfway ideal for a lunch stop.
If you feel really energetic you can link the routes into one long route of 18.2km which takes approximately 6-7 hours to walk. This includes rests, a slow pace and lots of time to look around.
Apart from just walking, give attention to the huge yellowwoods, the stinkwood trees that topple over and just keep on growing. There is a vast variety of fungi and fynbos and do look out for vervet monkeys and the elusive Knysna Loerie.
When you have finished, it is a good idea to linger a little longer by having a braai or a picnic at one of the designated areas. These include the Diepwalle Forestry Station, the King Edward VII Big Tree, or at the Velbroeksdraai and Ysterhoutrug picnic spots.
Diepwalle is also a popular start, finish or overnight point on the Outeniqua Overnight Hiking Trail. There is also a new campsite at the forest station where you can camp on wooden decks amongst the trees.
Enjoy and remember your camera!
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Black Elephant is 9km, easy, circular route, start at forestry station.
White Elephant is 8km from forest station or 6.5km from Diepwalle picnic site, easy, circular route.
Red Elephant is 7km, moderate, circular route, start at forestry station.
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult.
Route markers: These trails follow the Outeniqua Hiking Trail (white/yellow shoeprint) in places. Elephant Walks are marked with colored elephants on yellow plastic signs or on trees.
Permits & Cost: Permits are obtainable from the Diepwalle Forestry Station. If closed, issue yourself a self issue permit from the wooden box under the tree in front of the offices. Free for Wild Card members.
Contact numbers: Diepwalle Forestry Station – 044 382 9762/3
Directions: From Knysna take the N2 towards Plettenberg Bay. About 4km from Knysna take the R339 Uniondale turnoff to the left and follow this road for 15.5km. Take the Diepwalle turnoff to the right. Continue for 1km and stop at Diepwalle Forestry Station.
Coordinates: S33 56.909 E23 09.434
Other: The water in the streams is drinkable. The dark colour is because of the tannins and the humic acids from the leaves on the forest floor.