Patches of forest can be found in most of the deep gorges that are so characteristic of the area.

These gorges provide the ideal micro habitat (cool, moist and sheltered from fire) for the forest which is in fact relics of a bygone era when the climate was wetter than present and forests covered much of the southern part of the continent. 

Common trees include the yellowwoods (Podocarpus falcatus and Podocarpus Latifolius), Cape fig (Ficus Capensis), white stinkwood (Celtis Africana), wild elder (Nuxia Floribunda), milkwood (Sideroxylon Inerme) and red alder (Cunonia Capensis). 

Many of the reserve's 32 fern species can be found in these forest patches. Accessible patches can be found in the Poortjies, Geelhoutboskloof and Drinkwaterskloof.