Harkerville Mountain Biking: Which Trail Should You Ride?

Before driving out from Knysna or Plettenberg Bay, ask SANParks which individual Harkerville routes and entrances are open on your dates. Compare only the routes the park confirms are available. If Yellow is open, it is the gravel and jeep-track option. If Blue is open, it offers a shorter loop with some singletrack and roots. If Green or Red is open, allow more time and check whether the more technical terrain suits your group.

Choose a loop by terrain and time

The SANParks mountain-biking guide gives the following distances, times and difficulty ratings. The ride times are planning estimates. Add time for getting to the correct entrance, arranging permits, sorting bikes and taking breaks.

• Yellow: 13 km, about 1 to 1½ hours, 3/10. Gravel forestry roads and jeep track are the main draw. Choose it when the group wants time in the forest without making technical singletrack the point of the morning. SANParks warns that it can become muddy after rain.
• Blue: 11 km, about 1 to 1½ hours, 4/10. The shortest colour-coded loop includes singletrack and roots. Compare terrain before picking it over Yellow just to save two kilometres.
• Green: 14 km, about 2 to 2½ hours, 6/10. The step up from Yellow is about the character of the riding. Use the longer time estimate and technical description when deciding whether everyone in the group wants this loop.
• Red: 22 km, about 3 to 5 hours, 8/10. The coastal scenery comes with longer riding and rougher, rooted sections. Pick it as the main event for that part of the day, especially when the group is visiting from different bases.

The separate Harkerville forest overview gives different distances for Blue, Green and Red. Use the activity-specific figures to compare the rides, then ask the gate team which map and route markings apply on the day.

Check access before you organise bikes and transport

A SANParks storm notice dated 3 June 2026 temporarily closed Harkerville's cycling and hiking trails. A trail appearing in the online guide tells you what the park normally offers. For the routes and entrances operating on your dates, ask the Knysna section office directly on +27 44 302 5600.

Ask about the exact route colour, its current start, the permit point, the latest departure time and any affected sections. The park's directions page describes separate approaches for Kranshoek and Garden of Eden. If friends are coming from opposite ends of the Garden Route, send one shared start pin once the office confirms it.

The cycling guide lists day cycling permits at designated points and the SANParks Thesen Island office. SANParks says its Wild Card and activity card do not cover cycling charges. Ask for the current amount and where to pay for your chosen route, especially if you intend to arrive early or start somewhere different.

Make a separate plan for a linear ride

When you have several days near Knysna, give Harkerville's loops their own morning and plan Petrus-se-Brand separately. SANParks lists Petrus-se-Brand as a linear ride of about 22.4 km. Before paying for bikes or agreeing on pickup, confirm its current start and finish, how to get back from the finish and how many bikes your transport can carry. An old route upload is a poor basis for an unconfirmed link between two forest rides.

Graspad is another ride listed on the cycling page, at about 12 km starting at Kranshoek gate. Keep its name and start separate from the colour-coded comparison when you call. That helps the office give you the correct permit and access information.

Set the day around the group

For a mixed group, agree in advance whether everyone wants a relaxed forest morning or whether some are deliberately looking for technical singletrack. One shared Yellow outing and a separate harder ride later in the holiday can be easier to organise than two groups with different start times and one vehicle. If you do split the group, confirm both starts and a pickup or meeting place before departure.

If you are renting, coordinate pickup with your actual start, and ask the rental provider about fit, equipment, transport and the return time. Red's five-hour upper estimate, plus getting to and from the start, matters if your afternoon has a firm handover or another booking. If access changes, adjust the itinerary rather than looking for an unofficial entrance.

Choosing where to stay for several days? Our Knysna versus Plettenberg Bay guide compares the towns as coastal bases. Consider where the rest of your holiday is based as well as where your preferred ride starts.

Featured photo: Indigenous forest canopy north of Plettenberg Bay, a regional landscape photograph from 2016. Abu Shawka, CC BY-SA 4.0. Display may be resized or cropped.

Reviewed by Aqua Terra on 3 November 2026 using SANParks visitor information. Contact the park for current route and permit arrangements.

Continuing to the Cape Peninsula?

If Simon's Town is a separate stop after your Garden Route holiday, check Aqua Terra availability. Aqua Terra welcomes guests aged 12 and older.