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Best Forest Hikes in Spain

327 routes in Spain qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 12.2 km and 348 m (1,142 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 166 km.

That is 7 percent of the 4,951 routes we map in Spain. They are shorter than the local average, 12.2 km against 20.4 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day. They also climb less than the area average, 348 m (1,142 ft) against 507 m (1,663 ft), so they suit a recovery day or a group with mixed fitness.

Forest trails are the dependable choice: shade when it is hot, shelter when it is not, and a completely different character once the leaves turn. The mix is broad: 111 are rated easy and 68 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day.

Trails

Ermita de la Virgen de Pineta
Hard

Variante Faja de las Olas

Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park · Aragon

Distance
15.8 km
/ 9.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,811 m
Typical duration
6 hr 3 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Les Fonts del Desert

Parc Natural del Desert de les Palmes · Valencian Community

Distance
13.4 km
/ 8.3 mi
Elevation gain
295 m
Typical duration
3 hr 14 min
  • Forest
  • Desert
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Hayedo de Las Ilces

Picos de Europa National Park · Cantabria

Distance
9.8 km
/ 6.1 mi
Elevation gain
215 m
Typical duration
2 hr 21 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Las Cascadas

Parque Natural de la Sierra de las Nieves · Andalusia

Distance
9.8 km
/ 6.1 mi
Elevation gain
216 m
Typical duration
2 hr 22 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Solidario El Avión

Parque Nacional de Sierra Nevada · Andalusia

Distance
11.9 km
/ 7.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,203 m
Typical duration
4 hr 18 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Montaña Negra

Teide National Park · Canary Islands

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
68 m
Typical duration
45 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Chavao

Teide National Park · Canary Islands

Distance
3.9 km
/ 2.4 mi
Elevation gain
86 m
Typical duration
56 min
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
2019-11-16 PR-TE 1 Bezas - Guadalaviar a Tramacastilla
Easy

Barranco de las Cuevas

Aragon · Spain

Distance
5.0 km
/ 3.1 mi
Elevation gain
165 m
Typical duration
1 hr 17 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Cumbres de Ucanca

Teide National Park · Canary Islands

Distance
8.1 km
/ 5.0 mi
Elevation gain
177 m
Typical duration
1 hr 57 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Las Escaleretas

Parque Natural de la Sierra de las Nieves · Andalusia

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
30 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

El Anillo Vindio

Picos de Europa National Park · Asturias

Distance
56.8 km
/ 35.3 mi
Elevation gain
3,900 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Forest
Hard

Senda de las Cinco Lagunas

Castile and León · Spain

Distance
12.1 km
/ 7.5 mi
Elevation gain
913 m
Typical duration
3 hr 54 min
  • Lake
  • River
  • Canyon and gorge
Hard

Etapa 17: Castronuño – Toro

Castile and León · Spain

Distance
20.0 km
/ 12.4 mi
Elevation gain
11 m
Typical duration
4 hr 19 min
  • Forest
  • Wildlife watching
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Camino Natural de Las Villuercas

Extremadura · Spain

Distance
76.4 km
/ 47.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,681 m
Typical duration
20 hr
  • Forest
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Camino de Las Merindades

Castile and León · Spain

Distance
135 km
/ 83.7 mi
Elevation gain
2,962 m
Typical duration
36 hr
  • Forest
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Etapa 02: Vinuesa – Soria

Castile and León · Spain

Distance
46.2 km
/ 28.7 mi
Elevation gain
236 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Etapa 18: Toro – Zamora

Castile and León · Spain

Distance
37.5 km
/ 23.3 mi
Elevation gain
237 m
Typical duration
8 hr 50 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

Etapa 39: Vilvestre – Saucelle

Castile and León · Spain

Distance
9.1 km
/ 5.7 mi
Elevation gain
281 m
Typical duration
2 hr 19 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Etapa 8: Peralvillo - Las Casas

Castile-La Mancha · Spain

Distance
21.4 km
/ 13.3 mi
Elevation gain
470 m
Typical duration
5 hr 21 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Etapa 9: Las Casas - Valverde

Castile-La Mancha · Spain

Distance
15.9 km
/ 9.9 mi
Elevation gain
351 m
Typical duration
3 hr 53 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Mikeldi Durangaldea

Autonomous Community of the Basque Country · Spain

Distance
91.4 km
/ 56.8 mi
Elevation gain
2,012 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Ruta de las Peregrinaciones

Asturias · Spain

Distance
106 km
/ 66.0 mi
Elevation gain
2,335 m
Typical duration
28 hr
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Ruta de les vint ermites

Catalonia · Spain

Distance
83.2 km
/ 51.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,830 m
Typical duration
22 hr
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Ruta de los Sentidos

Castile and León · Spain

Distance
166 km
/ 103 mi
Elevation gain
3,643 m
Typical duration
44 hr
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

Camino de los Arrieros

Andalusia · Spain

Distance
10.5 km
/ 6.5 mi
Elevation gain
449 m
Typical duration
2 hr 52 min
  • Coastal
  • Forest
  • Pilgrimage route

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Variante Faja de las OlasOrdesa y Monte Perdido National Park15.8 km1,811 m6 hr 3 minHardJuly to September
Etapa 09: Arcos de las Salinas - Camarena de la SierraAragon23.6 km975 m6 hr 39 minHardJune to October
Degollada de Guajara - Parador de las Cañadas del TeideTeide National Park3.6 km79 m52 minEasyOctober to May
Etapa 08: Abejuela - Arcos de las SalinasAragon22.1 km557 m5 hr 39 minHardApril to October
Tramo03 - Las Laderas - Acuche (urb. Vista Graciosa)Parque Natural Archipiélago Chinijo1.8 km40 m26 minEasyOctober to May
Les Fonts del DesertParc Natural del Desert de les Palmes13.4 km295 m3 hr 14 minModerateOctober to May
Hayedo de Las IlcesPicos de Europa National Park9.8 km215 m2 hr 21 minModerateOctober to May
Las CascadasParque Natural de la Sierra de las Nieves9.8 km216 m2 hr 22 minModerateOctober to May
Solidario El AviónParque Nacional de Sierra Nevada11.9 km1,203 m4 hr 18 minHardOctober to May
Tramo09 - Las Laderas - Urbanizacion de FamaraParque Natural Archipiélago Chinijo1.4 km30 m20 minEasyOctober to May

If you only have time for one, start with Variante Faja de las Olas, Etapa 09: Arcos de las Salinas - Camarena de la Sierra, Degollada de Guajara - Parador de las Cañadas del Teide. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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