The Karkloof Forest is situated in the Karkloof Nature Reserve, 22 km north of Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This is a large (936ha) Mistbelt Forest containing Yellowwoods (Afrocarpus falcatus, Podocarpus latifolius and Podocarpus henkelii) and Stinkwood (Ocotea bullata).

Wildlife includes Samango monkey, Blue Duiker and Bushbuck. Crowned Eagles (Stephanoaetus coronatus) breed here, and the endangered Cape Parrot (Poicephalus robustus robustus) occurs here. Endemics to the area include a subspecies of Crested Guineafowl (Guttera edouardi symonsi), and a Dwarf Chameleon (Bradypodion sp.) which is related to the Natal Midlands Dwarf Chameleon and the Black-headed Dwarf Chameleon. Other birds found here include Knysna Turaco (Tauraco corythaix), Forest Canary (Crithagra scotops), White-starred Robin (Pogonocichla stellata), Orange Ground-Thrush (Zoothera gurneyi), Red-throated Wryneck (Jynx ruficollis), Golden-tailed Woodpecker (Campethera abingoni) and Martial Eagles (Polemaetus bellicosus).

The Karkloof River rises in the range and drops down through thickly wooded forests creating many small waterfalls. The beautiful and dramatic Karkloof Falls, 105 metres high plunge over the cliff at Shafton Grange, known by the early settlers as “the most beautiful waterfall in the land”.

The Karkloof Falls has an infant waterfall, about 10 metres high, just above it. In about 1885 a farmer named William Woodhouse was fording the river just above the small fall. His horse tripped and threw him. The horse scrambled out and the man was washed over the fall, which thenceforth was known as Woodhouse Falls, in memory of the tragedy.