Golden Gate Highlands National Park

"Golden Gate" refers to the sandstone cliffs found on either side of the valley at the Golden Gate dam. In 1875, a farmer called J.N.R. van Reenen and his wife stopped here as they travelled to their new farm in Vuurland. He named the location "Golden Gate" when he saw the last rays of the setting sun fall on the cliffs. In 1963, was proclaimed as a national park, specifically to preserve the scenic beauty of the area. In 1981, the park was enlarged to , and in 1988, it was enlarged to . The amalgamation of QwaQwa National Park was completed in 2007, increasing the park's area to . The park is from Johannesburg and is close to the villages of Clarens and Kestell, in the upper regions of the Little Caledon River. The highest peak in the park (and also in the Free State) is Ribbokkop at above sea level. The park has a relatively high rainfall of per year. ==Vegetation==

The park is an area of rich highveld and montane grassland flora. It has more than 60 grass species and a large variety of bulbs and herbs. Each of these species has its own flowering time, meaning that veld flowers can be seen throughout the summer. The park also has Afromontane forests and high-altitude Austro-Afro alpine grassland, which is scarce in South Africa. The ouhout (Leucosidea sericea), an evergreen species, is the most common tree in the park. Ouhout is a favourite habitat of beetles and 117 species occur on these trees in the park. The Lombardi poplars and weeping willows in the park are introduced species, but are kept because of their cultural and historic connection with the eastern Free State. Other exotic species in the park, for example wattle and bluegum, are systematically eradicated. ==Wildlife==

Instead of reintroducing one of the "big five" into the park, the sungazer lizard and water mongoose were reintroduced. Twelve species of mice, 10 species of carnivores, and 10 antelope species have been recorded in the park. The grey rhebok and the mountain reedbuck were present when the park was established. Mammals File:Taurotragus oryx.jpg|Eland File:Bergriedbock 2007-08-16 201.jpg|Mountain reedbuck File:Ourebia ourebi cropped.jpg|Oribi File:Black Wildebeest.jpg|Black wildebeest File:Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi.jpg|Blesbok File:Burchell's Zebra (Etosha).jpg|Burchell's zebra File:Antidorcas marsupialis, male (Etosha, 2012).jpg|Male springbok File:Chacma baboon (Papio ursinus griseipes) male head.jpg|Chacma baboon Birds Over 210 bird species have been observed in the park, including the rare bearded vulture and the endangered Cape vulture and bald ibis. Gyps coprotheres1.jpg|Cape vulture Bartgeier Gypaetus barbatus front Richard Bartz.jpg|Bearded vulture Witkruisarend.jpg|Verreaux's eagle Blue_Crane.jpg|Blue crane Sagittarius serpentarius Sekretär.JPG|Secretary bird Snakes and fishes Seven snake species, including the puff adder, mountain adder, and rinkhals, are found in the park. Kopf einer Puffotter.JPG|Puff adder Bitis atropos, Berg Adder in the Cedarberg.jpg|Mountain adder Hemachatus-1.jpg|Rinkhals Common carp.jpg|Carp Trout.jpg|Rainbow trout Barbus anoplus.jpg|Chubbyhead barb ==Geology and palaeontology==

The geology of the park provides very visual "textbook" examples of Southern Africa's geological history. The sandstone formations in the park form the upper part of the Karoo Supergroup. These formations were deposited during a period of aeolian deposition towards the end of the Triassic Period. The eggs were from the Triassic Period (220 to 195 million years ago) and had fossilised foetal skeletons of Massospondylus, a prosauropod dinosaur. More examples of these eggs have since been found in the park. Other fossils found in the park include those of advanced cynodontia (canine toothed animals), small thecodontia (animals with teeth set firmly in the jaw), and bird-like and crocodile-like dinosaurs. == Accommodation ==

Accommodation in the park is available at Glen Reenen and Brandwag Rest camps. Caravan and campsites with all amenities are available at Glen Reenen camp. The hotel was formerly part of the Brandwag camp, but since its recent refurbishment, it is managed separately by SANParks as Golden Gate Hotel. The nearest town to Golden Gate Highlands National Park is Clarens (17 km to the west), but Phuthaditjhaba is also easily reached by a good tar road, driving through the access gate to the east of the park. File:Golden Gate Hotel.jpg|Golden Gate Hotel File:Basotho Cultural Village - Golden Gate Highlands National Park, Jihoafrická republika - panoramio (1).jpg|Basotho Cultural Village landscape File:Basotho Cultural Village - Golden Gate Highlands National Park, Jihoafrická republika - panoramio.jpg|Basotho Cultural Village hut == Notes ==