Hobby Park Trail: A Dog Friendly Suburban Gem

I first hiked here a while back and remember being pleasantly surprised by what I found.

Recently, it popped into my brain while I was doing my new favorite hobby - researching dog-friendly hikes for Boris, the self-declared off-lead monarch of the universe.

Naturally, I informed Basil (Boris’s human) that we absolutely had to revisit this trail for a very serious “Boris Compatibility Assessment.”

Because obviously, science demands it.

Early Morning Trails

We arrived at 7 am.

Perfect.

The world is quieter, the air is cooler, and there are fewer people - which, frankly, improves almost any environment.

I asked the trail guy about the 10 km option.

He didn’t hesitate.

“Yes, there’s a 10 km trail,” he said. “But the shorter one is actually better. The long one just zig-zags to make up the distance.”

I respected him immediately.

Let’s Talk About Zig-Zags

I hate them.

Not the natural, interesting kind.

The “we’ll add pointless zig zags so the sign can say 10 km” kind.

It always feels… "shady". - and not in a pleasantly sheltered-from-the-sun kind of way.

I understand that some people enjoy clocking kilometres. That’s fine.

But at least tell us upfront and let us decide.

I hike for scenery, fresh air, and mild reflection - not to brag about distance.

(Mostly.)

The Trail

The trail starts by passing a small fishing dam, followed shortly by a larger dam.

After that, a gradual climb.

Not flat.

Not brutal.

Just politely uphill.

The reward? A shockingly good view of the city.

The first time I hiked there, that view completely caught me off guard.

This time I got to see it through Basil's eyes which was almost as satisfying.

The Walter Sisulu Trail Connection

Once we reached the top, I noticed a sign that reminded me of something from my previous hike here.

The trail leader back then had mentioned that you could connect to the extended trail system of Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden from here.

At the time, I nodded politely, filed the information under “interesting but unlikely,” and carried on walking.

Turns out you can - when we returned to the start, "Honest Trail Guy" confirmed it.

Although it is also a cycling venue, with multiple trail options available, we saw no bikes, no people and plenty of peaceful trail

Absolute heaven.

After finishing, we had a stop at the on-site coffee shop.

Every hiker knows, coffee and food taste better after a hike.

This is just science.

The trails work well for both beginners and more experienced hikers, with routes winding through lush vegetation and gentle hills.

RATINGS

Trail Information

AREA

Krugersdorp

COST

R 50

Trail Details

TRAIL DIFFICULTY

Easy - Moderate, but not flat.

TRAIL LENGTH

We landed up doing 7, 5 km

TRAIL MARKERS

The markings are exceptional.

Not “mostly fine if you squint.”

There were clear markers the entire way.

No confusing detours.

No guesswork.

Frankly, other trails should take notes.

WEATHER CONDITIONS TO CONSIDER

The trail is mostly exposed, so weather will matter.

We scored a cool, breezy day which made it very pleasant.

ABLUTIONS

SAFE FREE PARKING

AMENITIES

Enough activities that you could accidentally spend an entire weekend here and still not get through the list.

4x4 trails

Trail running

Mountain biking

Fishing dams

Paintball

Family events and team-building

Restaurant

WILDLIFE & BIRD LIFE

We saw birds, but no wildlife.

Basil confidently identified one of the birds as an “African Harrier Hawk.”

I had a strong suspicion she was simply arranging bird-related words into a sentence, so I filed the information under "possibly true, possibly nonsense, definitely unprovable."

NOTE TO SELF

The extended trail at Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens will absolutely be happening.

Unless I forget.

Which is… statistically likely.

FAMILY FRIENDLY

Yes

PET FRIENDLY

Obviously.

They did mention off lead only if the dog has a good recall because of bikers.

Boris has excellent recall.

Everyone should know their dog well enough to make that decision responsibly.

ON A FINAL NOTE

What I loved about this trail the first time still holds true.

It looks modest.

It behaves modest.

Then it quietly delivers more than expected.

(TO)SOLO OR (NO)SOLO

(NO)SOLO for me - because I lack the confidence to tackle something like this solo.

(TO)SOLO for frequent solo hikers -  because some people have the confidence to tackle something like this solo.

Both approaches are valid.

Unlike zig-zags.

Which remain suspicious.