Lichens Pass: The Ultimate Road Trip Guide
Lichens Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.953m (6,407ft) above the sea level, located in the Free State of South Africa.
Is the road to Lichens Pass paved?
Set high in the Maluti Mountains range, within the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, the road to the summit is totally paved. It’s called R712. The road has lovely banked corners but some of them are sharp, with some steep sections at 1:15. The speed limit ranges between 60 and 80 kph. The pass is named after the lichens which grow on the cliffs in the area.
How long is the road to Lichens Pass?
The pass is also known as Golden Gate Pass. The pass road is 47.8km (29.70 miles) long, running west-east from Clarens to Phuthaditjhaba. The zone is prone to heavy mist and can be dangerous in low visibility conditions. It gets bitterly cold here in mid-winter. The corners near the pass are quite sharp, but the road is nicely engineered making for a safe drive.