Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve

Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve
The Three Rondavels promontory of the Drakensberg escarpment
Map showing the location of Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve
Map showing the location of Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve
Location in Mpumalanga
Map showing the location of Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve
Map showing the location of Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve
Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve (South Africa)
LocationNorthern Mpumalanga, South Africa
Nearest cityGraskop
Coordinates24°36′00″S 30°49′30″E / 24.60000°S 30.82500°E / -24.60000; 30.82500
Area29,000 ha (290 km2)
EstablishedNovember 1965
Governing bodyMpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA)
www.mtpa.co.za/index.php?parks+1811

Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve (or Motlatse Canyon Provincial Nature Reserve) is situated in the Drakensberg escarpment region of eastern Mpumalanga, South Africa. The reserve protects the Blyde River Canyon, including sections of the Ohrigstad and Blyde Rivers and the geological formations around Bourke's Luck Potholes, where the Treur River tumbles into the Blyde below. Southwards of the canyon, the reserve follows the escarpment, to include the Devil's and God's Window, the latter a popular viewpoint to the lowveld at the reserve's southern extremity.

The Mogologolo (1,794 m), Mariepskop (1,944 m) and Hebronberg (1,767 m) massifs are partially included in the reserve. Elevation varies from 560 m to 1,944 m above sea level.[1] Its resort areas are F.H. Odendaal and Swadeni, the latter only accessible from Limpopo province. The area of approximately 29,000 hectares (290 km2) is administered by the Mpumalanga Parks Board.[1]

  1. ^ a b Lötter, Mervyn C.; Beck, Hans T. (2 August 2004), "Preliminary inventory and classification of indigenous afromontane forests on the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, Mpumalanga, South Africa", BMC Ecology, 4: 9, doi:10.1186/1472-6785-4-9, PMC 512296, PMID 15287991