
- If you are looking for singletrack in the middle of Pretoria, Wolwespruit is the place.
- The park boasts 23km of excellently crafted mountain bike trails.
- Wolwespruit is conveniently located alongside the N1, in the centre of Pretoria.
Living in a big city like Pretoria has its disadvantages for mountain bikers. With space at a premium, getting your singletrack fix near home can be tricky.
Wolwespruit is a mountain bike and trail park in the heart of Pretoria, close to the popular Menlyn Shopping Centre.
Due to the property being home to the spruit that is part of a crucial drainage system for the N1 highway, it was never developed.
A chance meeting of the right people in a local bar, a few years ago, saw trail builders get permission to start carving trails into the hillside and they have never stopped.
Lots of trails and low potential for conflict
Wolwespruit now boasts 23km of mountain bike singletrack with 300m of climbing and 10km of running and walking trails. The park has become immensely popular, especially with dog walkers and trail runners. Fortunately, the separate routes mean walkers and mountain bikers can enjoy the space in harmony.
The recent expansion of the trails with a world class flow line ensures that the Wolwespruit trails have something for everyone, from novice riders to professional mountain bikers. It is an ideal venue place to polish your skills or get a mid-week adrenalin fix.
In addition to this network of trails, Wolwespruit also boasts one of the largest pump tracks in Gauteng and a proper jump line designed to improve rider skills and provide hours of fun.
ALSO READ: Great South African road rides: Pedaling around Pretoria
Mix and match trails to tailor your ride
There are four mountain bike trails to choose from, starting with the short and tame 3km Wolf Cub trail. The 10km Wolfpack Safari trail is easy and relatively flat while the 13km Trailwolf trail is of intermediate difficulty with some steep sections.
The 23km trail combines the Wolfpack and Trailwolf for maximum distance and meters ascended. A number of advanced short loops, dubbed the Werewolf Traverse, are marked with black boards and branch off from Trailwolf trail.
Wolwespruit trails are a mix of forest singletrack littered with roots alongside the spruit, rocky climbs and loamy singletrack. The berms are solidly built and bridges that have been constructed to be safe to use at all speeds for riders of diverse skill levels.
Beyond its riding appeal, Wolwespruit’s The Pltfrm restaurant offers great coffee and an extensive menu and has become a destination for non-trail users too, who love the feeling of being out in nature, in the middle of Pretoria.
A day pass for mountain bikers is R50.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Cyclist.