Modderfontein Reserve Solo Hike: The Trail I Keep Crawling Back To

If you’d told me at the very start of my hiking journey that Modderfontein Reserve would become my go-to backup trail, I would have laughed.

Out loud.

Maybe even spit water on you.

And yet… here we are.

I overdid it in my early hiking days, swore I was over it, moved on to “bigger and better things”….. but somehow, whenever a Plan A collapses, I keep finding myself back at Modderfontein.

When Your Planned Hike Gets Cancelled

The Iron Throne hike planned for the day was cancelled last minute.

The previous day, our 20 km Cradle Moon guide, Tim, mentioned that attempting the Iron Throne in rainy or muddy conditions would be “risky.” Either that, or he actually said just plain stupid - the exact wording is a little blurry.

So yes. Last-minute backup required. Because as we all know: not hiking is simply not an option.

Why Modderfontein Reserve Is Always the Safe Choice

I hadn’t been there since last season, and I picked it mainly because I didn’t feel like driving driving too far to test out a new solo hike on my list, in case the heavens decided to open up,and I’d end up soaked, sulking, and having wasted both my time and my petrol.

Modderfontein is reliable, safe, always open, and guaranteed to deliver a solid 5 km or 11 km walk when everything else goes sideways.

Sometimes… that’s all you need.

Also, bonus: it’s perfect for solo hikes.

5 km vs 11 km

I initially planned the 5 km. My first solo 11 km there took nearly three hours to reach halfway.

For the first time, I could stop whenever I wanted, take photos whenever I wanted, and annoy absolutely no one. Bliss.

When it came time to pick my route, I convinced myself I was mature enough to exercise some photographic restraint, and briefly considered the 11 km.

Then I realized… I’d left my earphones in the car.

Eleven kilometres alone with my thoughts? Absolutely not.

I’ve met me.

So, 5 km it was.

Slightly Underwhelmed (But Still Worth It)

After the rains, Modderfontein usually transforms into a wild, green, moody wonderland, full of dramatic colours and tiny creatures popping out everywhere. It’s magical… most of the time.

Maybe it was the time of year. Maybe my expectations were too high. But this time around, there wasn’t as much to gush about as I remembered.

Still beautiful, yes - just not mind-blowing.

But here’s the thing: Modderfontein doesn’t owe me anything. It shows up every time, dependable and ready.

And sometimes… that’s all you need.

I ran into another female solo hiker along the way. It's always reassuring to see I’m not the only one out here hiking solo, being "mildly" obsessive.

We did the usual hiker thing—chatted briefly, exchanged trail pleasantries, and then happily parted ways, each continuing our own dramatic solo quest to reconnect with nature.

Of course, boots got wet and muddy. But honestly, at the moment… if your shoes are clean when you leave a trail, did you even hike?

Final Thoughts: Why I’ll Always Return to Modderfontein Reserve

Modderfontein Reserve, you biscuit.

You may not always knock my socks off, but you’ll always give me a solid walk, some decent scenery, and a reminder that sometimes, the backup plan is exactly where we’re supposed to be.

And yes…

I’ll be back.

Again.

For anyone who has no clue what Modderfontein Reserve is (seriously, are you okay?), there’s a Farmer’s Market, a restaurant, bike trails, picnic spots… basically everything you need to convince the world you’re a wholesome adult for a few hours.

Perfect for a family day out.

The trails are more like gentle walks, but if you’re not up for a proper hike - or tagging along with your auntie with arthritis - there’s plenty of space to mosey around without committing to a full trail.

Unfortunately Modderfontein is not dog-friendly, so Fido will have to sit this one out.