Demazure Forest Circular Loop

de fr

A 30-minute drive from Nouméa, this is a lovely circular route through the mining scrubland with beautiful, unobstructed views, and a section through very dense rainforest that requires a fair amount of attention. As always in the Southern Province, be careful on the red earth sections, which are very slippery in wet weather. A GPS is essential.

Details

n°98445515
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
–
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.32 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,273 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,280 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,857 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 748 ft
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Photos

Mountain scrub
Trees silhouetted against the light
Sunset at the summit
Panoramic view of the rainforest

Description of the walk

Park in a small lay-by on the left-hand side of the track; use your satnav to find this parking spot.

(S/E) Head up the track to the left, passing a fire brigade barrier with a sign warning of the risk of fire (incidentally, it is strictly forbidden to light fires anywhere in the area). On this first section, follow a fairly wide mining track, keeping to the left.

(1) Junction: take the path on the left which climbs up opposite. Then walk alongside a sort of rock wall, follow it to the end to rejoin the path climbing up to the left, then rejoin the track.

(2) Junction: head left, then quickly right. Head towards the wooden hut but do not go all the way to it; the path continues to the right through the scrub. You will then come to a lovely, wide mining track.

(3) Wooden structure, entrance to the rainforest. From here, there are no visible markings, so take care: navigation is difficult; at times the path is easy to follow, and at other times it disappears completely, so using a GPS is essential on this section.

(4) A few metres to your left is a stunning, unobstructed view to the east. Then retrace your steps to rejoin the path heading south; look out for a piece of plastic tied to a tree. There are red and white plastic markers on this section, but the path is easier to follow in this part of the forest anyway.

(5) Take the path on the left and continue to follow the gently ascending trail.

(6) End of the damp section; back to the scrubland.

(7) Unobstructed 360° panorama. Enjoy the view before starting the descent. This is along a wide mining track, so navigation is very easy on this section. Watch out for a few crevices, and especially for the red rock (laterite), which is very slippery when wet.

(8) Junction: do not continue along the path on the right; take the one opposite and then turn left to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 764 ft - Car park at the GPS point
  2. 1 : mi 0.47 - alt. 919 ft - Junction: turn left opposite
  3. 2 : mi 0.54 - alt. 965 ft - Junction: turn left, then immediately right
  4. 3 : mi 1.47 - alt. 1,060 ft - Wooden hut and entrance to the rainforest
  5. 4 : mi 2.4 - alt. 1,594 ft - Panoramic views just a few metres away
  6. 5 : mi 2.76 - alt. 1,644 ft - Turn left
  7. 6 : mi 2.84 - alt. 1,726 ft - Exit through the rainforest, return via the scrubland
  8. 7 : mi 2.97 - alt. 1,857 ft - panorama
  9. 8 : mi 4.04 - alt. 1,017 ft - Junction: opposite on the left
  10. S/E : mi 4.32 - alt. 778 ft - Car park at the GPS point

Notes

Please note: the final kilometre to the start of the hike is on a very stony and pitted track; an SUV or 4x4 will make your life much easier. It is passable in a city car but requires great care, and should definitely not be attempted in wet weather.

No water points along the route.

No shade on the scrubland sections.

Sturdy footwear is essential due to the slippery red earth and the trail through the rainforest, which is very muddy in places.

Worth a visit

Mountain scrub.

Three-quarters of the route offers views of the surrounding valleys, with the sea as a bonus.

A section of very lush rainforest

Other walks in the area

Walking Mont-Dore via the East, starting from Plum

Visorando Member
Le Mont-Dore par l'Est au départ de Plum
↔7.97 mi ↗+2,198 ft ↘-2,172 ft ◔5h 35 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from New Caledonia
Ascent of Mont-Dore from the east, following old mining tracks. Enjoy the magnificent views that unfold before you throughout the hike. The red earth stretches out before you as far as the eye can see across slopes scarred by mining activity.

Walking The Électriques Trail in the Rivière Bleue Provincial Park

Visorando Member
Sentier des Électriques dans le Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue
↔3.73 mi ↗+1,115 ft ↘-1,119 ft ◔2h 40 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from New Caledonia
In the heart of the Rivière Blanche valley (southern section of the Rivière Bleue Provincial Park or PPRB), this trail takes you through a beautiful stretch of rainforest and, in its final third, offers magnificent panoramic views across the entire southern part of the park. Several fords: please ensure you are properly equipped.

Walking Trails of the Filon de Chrome and the Houp Géant from the Locomobile

Visorando Member
Sentiers du Filon de Chrome et du Houp Géant depuis la Locomobile
↔3.93 mi ↗+745 ft ↘-741 ft ◔2h 25 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from New Caledonia
You can kill two birds with one stone by linking up two short, easy trails in the Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue (PPRB), as the road connecting them is magnificent. Why miss out? There’s a bit of rainforest, but you’ll mainly be walking on tracks.

Walking Mont Dore in New Caledonia

Association / Club / Walk leader
Le Mont Dore en Nouvelle Calédonie
↔4.28 mi ↗+2,257 ft ↘-2,257 ft ◔3h 55 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from New Caledonia
The climb up Mont Dore offers a bird’s-eye view of Nouméa and the bay. The colours are magnificent: the turquoise blue of the sea, the green of the vegetation and the red of the earth… A superb blend.

Walking Tour of Mont Algoué via the south-east

Visorando Member
Tour du Mont Algoué par le Sud-Est
↔7.10 mi ↗+1,860 ft ↘-1,841 ft ◔4h 55 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from New Caledonia
Attractive trail where areas of wet forest and dry forest alternate in a very pleasant way. At the summit, there is a beautiful panorama with unobstructed views to the south over the bay to Nouméa, and to the north-east towards the mountains. The descent is a little steep in places, so take care, especially on wet ground.

Walking PPRB - The Méliphages, Trois Forêts and Grand Kaori trails

Visorando Member
PPRB - Sentiers des Méliphages, des Trois Forêts et du Grand Kaori
↔4.76 mi ↗+735 ft ↘-722 ft ◔2h 50 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from New Caledonia
A route that takes you along three magnificent marked trails within the rainforest of the Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue (PPRB). The Sentier des Méliphages (birdwatching trail), the Sentier des Trois Forêts (magnificent views) and finally the Sentier du Grand Kaori, featuring a magnificent tree that towers over the forest: you may spot some cagous.

Walking Short circular loop on Pic Malaoui

Visorando Member
Petite boucle sur le Pic Malaoui
↔4.22 mi ↗+1,572 ft ↘-1,542 ft ◔3h 20 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Dumbéa (New Caledonia)
A hike in the hills, between Nouméa and Dumbea, to a peak known to all New Caledonians for its shape – and its nickname – the ‘gendarme’s hat’. Located in the Mont Koghi area and owned by the tribe of the same name, a fee of 500 Pacific Francs (just over 4 euros) will be charged for access.

Walking Sentier des Bois du Sud

Visorando Member
Sentier des Bois du Sud
↔1.49 mi ↗+315 ft ↘-312 ft ◔1h 00 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from New Caledonia
A discovery trail through the Bois du Sud nature reserve, which passes by the campsite. A very accessible trail, easily suitable for families (it climbs just a little). You start in the dry forest, enjoy a panoramic view over a branch of Lake Yaté, and finish in the wet forest.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.