Nature Reserve Guide
Natuurreservaat Smeetshof is a nature reserve situated on the Belgian-Dutch border, characterized by its unique and diverse landscape. This area features a mosaic of wet forests, extensive marshes, lush meadows, and winding streams, with elevated wooden boardwalks providing access to its wetland environments. The reserve's successful ecological restoration efforts have created a thriving ecosystem, making it a compelling destination for several sports like hiking, mountain biking, road cycling, gravel biking, and more.
Natuurreservaat Smeetshof…
136
Routes
4.4
(276)
Average rating
2549
People visited

4.5
(68)
297
hikers
Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.5
(11)
79
hikers
5.86km
01:29
10m
10m
Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.9
(20)
65
hikers
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.4
(16)
58
hikers
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
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4.6
(18)
318
riders
58.3km
03:58
200m
200m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.

28
riders
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.

4.0
(1)
15
riders
63.3km
04:16
150m
150m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.

5.0
(1)
2
riders
15.3km
01:05
20m
20m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Advanced riding skills necessary.
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48
riders
69.0km
03:01
60m
60m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

5.0
(1)
45
riders
49.8km
02:11
60m
60m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

40
riders
49.4km
02:15
110m
110m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride.

3.0
(2)
43
riders
32.8km
01:25
40m
40m
Moderate road ride. Great for any fitness level. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
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5.0
(5)
54
riders
44.3km
02:57
60m
60m
Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

45
riders
82.5km
05:02
170m
170m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

32
riders
69.8km
03:39
90m
90m
Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.5
(4)
26
riders
36.1km
02:06
50m
50m
Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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5.0
(5)
28
riders
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.8
(5)
26
riders
52.0km
02:58
90m
90m
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.6
(5)
14
riders
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(1)
12
riders
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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30
runners
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

27
runners
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

14
runners
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

14
runners
7.21km
00:52
10m
10m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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Natuurreservaat Smeetshof is a nature reserve located on the Belgian-Dutch border. It features a diverse landscape of wet forests, marshes, meadows, and streams, with significant ecological restoration efforts since 2003. The reserve is known for its unique wetland character and biodiversity.
Natuurreservaat Smeetshof offers a variety of outdoor activities, primarily hiking. The broader Kempen-Broek region, which includes Smeetshof, also provides opportunities for mountain biking, road cycling, gravel biking, touring cycling, and jogging. Komoot lists 98 routes in the area.
Yes, hiking is the primary activity in Natuurreservaat Smeetshof. There are at least five marked hiking routes, ranging from 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to 6.5 miles (10.5 km). Paths consist of hardened sand and wooden boardwalks, with sturdy footwear recommended. Explore popular routes like Boardwalk Smeetshof – Stramprooier Heath loop.
While the core reserve focuses on hiking, the wider Kempen-Broek region offers mountain biking opportunities. Routes often traverse less-wet, hardened paths. An example is the Harmonie Trail, a moderate 36.3-mile (58.3 km) loop. More information is available in the MTB Trails in Natuurreservaat Smeetshof guide.
Road cycling routes are available in the broader area surrounding Natuurreservaat Smeetshof, utilizing hardened paths. An example is the Zuid-Willemsvaart Canal loop, a moderate 33.4-mile (53.7 km) route. Consult the Road Cycling Routes in Natuurreservaat Smeetshof guide for more options.
Natuurreservaat Smeetshof offers easy hiking routes suitable for families. The presence of wooden boardwalks provides accessible paths through wetland areas. The Boardwalk Smeetshof – Stramprooier Heath loop is an easy 4.4-mile (7.1 km) option. For more choices, refer to the Easy hikes in Natuurreservaat Smeetshof guide.
The reserve features wet forests, extensive marshes, lush meadows, and winding streams. Wooden boardwalks provide access to the unique wetland environments. Visitors can observe diverse flora such as marsh marigolds and purple loosestrife, and fauna including brown frogs, butterflies, roe deer, and various bird species.
Information regarding specific dog policies for Natuurreservaat Smeetshof is not provided. Visitors should check local signage or the official Natuurpunt website for current regulations on bringing dogs into the reserve.
Natuurreservaat Smeetshof is a popular destination on komoot, with more than 2,400 visitors having explored its routes. The 98 available routes have an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars, based on over 190 ratings. This indicates a high level of satisfaction among users.
Komoot offers several guides for Natuurreservaat Smeetshof, covering various activities. These include Hiking in Natuurreservaat Smeetshof, MTB Trails in Natuurreservaat Smeetshof, Road Cycling Routes in Natuurreservaat Smeetshof, and Running Trails in Natuurreservaat Smeetshof.
The official website for Natuurreservaat Smeetshof is managed by Natuurpunt. Further information about the reserve can be found at www.natuurpunt.be.
For inquiries related to Natuurreservaat Smeetshof, the contact number is +32470901928. This number can be used for general questions or feedback regarding the nature reserve.

