Grootkloof Hiking Trail - A Hike That Went From Meh to Magic

Oct 19, 2024
4 min read

Updated: Apr 29

So, I was privileged enough to have my second MCSA hike.

Now, I’ve already explained what this amazing club is about in a previous post, so I’m not repeating myself.

Don’t be lazy - Google it.

Or, here’s a thought... READ MY BLOGS!

Anyway, back to the hike.

On this hot and dry day, we were set to meet at Grootkloof in Magaliesburg.

Side note: can Magaliesburg please scoot a little closer to Johannesburg? It has all the best hiking spots, and frankly, the commute is a petrol-guzzling nightmare that's seriously testing my patience.

My last MCSA hike was at Dome Pools - chef’s kiss, by the way - and they have a few other gems too.

These are the hikes I live for: remote, varied terrain, stunning landscapes.

Sure, I hate inclines with a burning passion, but I’ve accepted they’re part of the deal. Gotta take the good with the bad apparently.

When we arrived, it had a familiar vibe to Dome Pools, but with its own twist.

There was a farmer collecting R 50 for parking, a cute dog wandering around, a chicken here and there, and yes, there were toilets.

So, same-same, but different.

So there I was, ready to be wowed...and then I wasn’t.

The landscape initially resembled a set for the next "Mad Max" sequel - thank you, recent fire.

A little too much "post-apocalypse chic" for my liking, and I was mentally preparing to chalk this hike up as a dud.

I mean, I get that hiking comes with the "roughing it" package, but I wasn’t ready for "scorched earth."

It gave me serious déjà vu from the Hoogland Hiking Trail a few weeks earlier - except, you know, I was over the whole "Walking Dead" vibe by this point.

But just as I was sinking into hiker’s despair, the universe decided to throw me a bone. The trail shifted

We stumbled upon these incredible rock formations that looked eerily similar to the ones Salt and I saw at Milorho a few months ago.

Probably because they were..... because this trail is practically a stone’s throw (or, more accurately, a rock formation away) from Milorho.

And I’m telling you, those formations never get old.

Same vibe, same awesome "I-could-stare-at-this-all-day" energy.

Then things really kicked up a notch: streams appeared, waterfalls made their entrance, and it became a full-on rock scramble - a hiker's dream (well mine anyway).

What made this hike truly special, though, was the day as a whole. We kicked things off at around 8:30 AM and just made a day out of it - well, more like a 3/4 day, but you get the point.

Now, I’ve never been on a multi-day hike, but this experience gave me a taste of what I imagine it to be.

We hit all the high notes - trekking, lounging by streams, scrambling over rocks like we’re auditioning for Survivor - without the commitment of actually roughing it overnight.....or you know - being on Survivor.

It was just enough action to feel badass, but plenty of streamside lounging to remind you that you’re still a civilized human who enjoys a soft bed at the end of the day.

Some brave souls went for a swim, while others (not naming any names here) dunked their tracksuit tops in the water to cool off. Absolute genius, by the way.

I literally refilled my bone-dry water bottle with fresh stream water. Oh boy, I felt like such a wilderness goddess - channeling my inner nature queen.

I mean, flowing water is practically nature’s Brita filter, right?

Sure, it might have been the local wildlife's Jacuzzi and possibly a public pool for other hikers, but let’s focus on the positives here.

It was fresh, it was flowing, and you didn’t have to lug extra water in your pack like a hydration mule.

That, my friends, is a win.

Plus, a little wilderness immunity-building never hurt anyone (okay, maybe a few people, but let's not go there).

Bottom line it was clean...ish and I survived to tell the tale.

The day wrapped up perfectly, with good company and even better views.

COST - R 120

DIFFICULTY

There were inclines, there was scrambling (yes I put my superhero cape on)...technical in parts - but do-able.

Just, you know, not for the hiker expecting a leisurely flat trail with their trekking poles.

LENGTH

Approximately 10 km - out and back.

Normally, I’d feel a bit shortchanged with a route like that, but not here, you’re too busy grinning like an idiot to care about seeing the same rocks twice.

TIME

Honestly, it's up to you. We took around 5 ½ hours, but no one should care about rushing through this trail.

It’s too good to speed through.

ELEVATION - 215 m