Trailwp

15/08/2025

Cape Town, South Africa will host the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in 2027.

20/05/2024

Camps Bay pipe track is ready to be tested out!

13/05/2024

Maintenance is underway on the Pipe track

13/05/2024

The trail between Smuts track and Echo valley is closed while SANParks - Table Mountain National Park assess and fix the trail

02/05/2024

Please avoid area above Fernwood and Newlands.

🔥Skeleton Gorge Fire Update 🔥 - Largely contained

Currently, firefighting efforts continue along the slopes of Fernwood Park and Newlands, involving more than 60 firefighters from Table Mountain National Park, NCC Environmental Services, Volunteer Wildfire Services, and Working on Fire, battling a large flare-up.

The priority remains the safety of residents, hikers, and firefighting personnel. Therefore, we encourage users to refrain from accessing these areas. SANParks is appealing to the public to please respect the trail closures in order not to endanger anyone or hamper firefighting efforts.

Updates will be provided as the situation progresses.

Ends
Issued by: SANParks - Table Mountain National Park

📸 Supplied

02/05/2024

Due to the changing wind conditions, please be vigilant (when you smell smoke/fire, turn back) and avoid areas affected by the recent fire, as flare-ups could occur

FIRE UPDATE ALONG TABLE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK - SKELETON GORGE

The Skeleton Gorge fire in Table Mountain National Park (TMNP), caused by a lightning strike due to inclement weather conditions on Sunday, April 28, 2024, is largely contained. The fire burnt approximately 283 hectares of veld.

Light rain and mist over the past few days have helped contain the fire's spread on the Back Table, but isolated hot spots, smoldering stumps, as well as falling trees and rockfalls, remain a concern. Following an assessment conducted by TMNP's conservation and fire management teams, hiking trails along Constantia Nek and Newlands, as well as trails along the Back Table between Camps Bay, Hout Bay, and Orangekloof, have been reopened. However, Skeleton Gorge and the contour path between Fernwood and Cecilia Forest remain closed.

Berg-like wind conditions are currently being experienced in the northern sections of the park; therefore, we ask hikers to be very vigilant and move to safe areas if they see or smell smoke while hiking. The priority remains the safety of residents, hikers, and firefighters.

South African National Parks (SANParks) has forty firefighters from NCC Environmental Services, Volunteer Wildfire Services, and Working on Fire who are actively engaged in various areas along the fireline throughout the day, concluding mop-up operations.

In case of emergencies or sightings of new fires, please contact 086 110 6417 or the Newlands Dispatch at 021 689 7438.

Ends

Issued by:
South African National Parks (SANParks)

📸 Volunteer Wildfire Services

29/04/2024

Co-ordinated rescue of stranded runner

Trail-runner surrounded by fire – mobilizing a dramatic rescue

• Co-ordinated rescue effort to fetch stranded runner from mountain peak
• Runner praises “heroic” fire-teams for their assistance
• Show your support - https://www.backabuddy.co.za/sos-for-life-saving-equipment
• Outdoor lovers are urged to memorise this crucial Emergency Number: 021 937 0300
• Please share the campaign – to increase wilderness safety awareness

Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR) Report – April 28, 2024.

A small Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR) team responded to Constantia Neck, after a trail runner reported that he was stranded on top of Junction Peak surrounded by fire on Sunday Morning.

According to runner James Norbury, he had intended to race from the coffee box at the base of Platteklip Gorge, starting at 08h00, across the back table to the coffee box at Constantia Neck and was not aware of the fire that had started above Kirstenbosch late on Saturday.

“I was running down Smuts Track from MacClears Beacon and turned right onto the Aquaduct Trail towards the Hely-Hutchinson Reservoir.
“I was focused on running the technical trail quickly and hardly noticed the mist as I descended the trail.
“It was only when I smelled the smoke and felt the heat, that I realised that I’d run into a fire.”

“I immediately turned back and followed the trail away from the fire, but when I got back to the Smuts Track junction I was surrounded by flames and smoke,” said Norbury.

With the fire driven by strong winds, now on all sides and no safe escape possible, Norbury was forced up the side of Junction Peak.

He called the emergency number – 021 937 0300 shortly before 10h00.

In a co-ordinated rescue effort with fire agencies, a small rescue team accompanied by NCC Wildfires fire fighters set out from the Waterworks Museum on the back of Table Mountain, across the dry Hely-Hutchinson Reservoir, to find Norbury.

Rain had extinguished the fire on Smuts Track, and Norbury was able to make his way down to meet the rescue team. Fire fighters expertly guided the team back through the smoke and smouldering fire to the vehicles.

Norbury praised the heroic fire teams for their unending dedication and the valuable advice they shared telephonically while he waited to be rescued.
“They told me to look for a burnt or rocky area to shelter in, where the fire wouldn’t reach me and to stay put until they could coordinate a rescue.
“To avoid moving too much in the thick smoke and to cover my face and eyes.
“I could hear helicopters, and at one point one of the helicopters water-bombed the area where I was sheltering, drenching the area, and extinguishing the flames.

He was driven back to Constantia Neck and the incident was concluded shortly after before 14h30.

• Save and share the Emergency Contact Number - 021 937 0300
• Donations can save lives - now via special WSAR Back-A-Buddy platform - https://www.backabuddy.co.za/sos-for-life-saving-equipment
• Please support us - https://wsar.org.za/support-us/
• Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR) is a network of government agencies, and civilian volunteer organisations, who partner in search and rescue.

Photo by Tim Lundy

28/04/2024

Please avoid skeleton gorge and surrounding area

Skeleton Gorge Fire - Update at 13:30pm

In addition to previously communicated hiking trail closures, Table Mountain National Park management has closed the NEWLANDS FOREST ACCESS AREA AND SURROUNDING TRAILS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

The fire has burnt below the contour path leading towards Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

Affected Hiking Areas in Table Mountain National Park due to fires

* Back Table / Window Ravine / Constantia Nek - Table Mountain
All footpaths leading to Back Table from Camps Bay and Hout Bay, Constantia Nek, Cecilia Forest, Kirstenbosch Gardens, and Newlands Forest hikinh trails have been closed.

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens has issued a notice temporarily closing the garden in the interest of public safety

* Cape of Good Hope
Hiking routes from Gifkommetjie to Circles Vlei and any trails originating from Olifantsbos, as well as Sirkelvlei hiking trail and Link Road cycling route closed in the Cape Of Good Hope section have been affected and are closed to hikers until further notice.
Circular Drive has also been closed as a precautionary measure.

Ends

28/04/2024

Please avoid affected areas

23/04/2024

Skeleton gorge has been reopened

19/04/2024

Update on skeleton gorge maintenance

17/04/2024

Multi volunteer groups search for overdue trail runners