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It is as if the Highveld was made for mountain biking. Some of the best trails snake along the Vaal River, up and down Vanderbijl, and all over the the Free State. Here are some of our favourite dirt tracks to drift through.

mountain biking vaal

Thabela Thabeng 10km MTB Trail

Within the Thabela mountain sanctuary, there is a 10 km mountain biking route that is neither too hard nor too easy This fact holds the promise of an enchanting, fun ride no matter your skill level. There is quite a big climb on the track but the descent is a rare treat. The view from the crescent is amazing and worth all the sweat pumped out to get to the top.

The Otter’s Haunt Adventure Centre Trails

One of our favourite adventure spots along the Vaal would be the Otter’s Haunt (as mentioned in our RriverRrafting down the Vaal article). Otter’s offers a couple of starting points for different skill grades, so give them a call to find out more about that. The routes are picturesque as some of them pass through quarries and low flowing streams. Be sure to pack an emergency kit as there is limited cellphone signal in the area (MTN struggles a bit). A word of advice, stick to the track as getting lost in the dome is no fun at all.

Dampoort Farm MTB Trails

The cool thing about farm life is the outrides you can take. Thanks to Dampoort Farm you can now live that life every weekend. They offer 10Km or 20Km intermediate trails that pack a punch and are an excellent ride. There’s been a rumour running that there’s a cave off the trail which is home to a leopard… so stick to the track. OK?

By Shawn Greyling

Have you cruised any of these MTB spots? Let us know what you think of them in the comments section below. Sharing is caring so share this with your offroad cycling buds.

Remember that our “Top Picks” are not paid for and are compiled at the discretion of the journalist. We only write about what we love.