Hikes in Cazorla

Scenic circular hike with views into the gorge of the Rio Guadalquivir. The path passes by the Cascada de Linarejos.

​There are many beautiful hikes in the Sierra de Cazorla, among which the trail to the Poyos de la Mesa plateau is particularly worth mentioning. Right at the start of the hike, as soon as the forest clears, you can see the 400–500-meter-high cliffs and rock outcrops: That’s where we’re headed—soon we’ll be looking down from there! At first, the trail winds leisurely through a lush pine forest dotted with a few kermes oaks. This is followed by two short, pathless sections and the first unique viewpoint. On the Poyos de la Mesa plateau stand ancient, gnarled pines, and we admire the magnificent view into the distance. Particularly impressive is the plateau’s distinctive geological formation, which slopes down into the valley—right down there, where we were standing just a moment ago. A detour through rough terrain leads us on the way back to a point of interest: a semi-cave about 3 meters high that has been sealed off over the millennia by limestone formation caused by groundwater seeping in from the high plateau. You can only glimpse inside the cave through a remaining peephole in the limestone wall, which is a little eerie, since you never know what might be hiding in there!> We leave the parking lot and cross 01 El Puente de las Herrerías (bridge), walk back a few meters along the access road, and turn slightly right onto the trail that begins here, which is signposted toward Refugio Fuente de Acero. The hiking trail joins a wider path, which you leave again by turning slightly to the right at the next fork. We ignore a trail on the left that crosses the stream. We cross the stream via a bridge. Where our path joins a wide road, we continue slightly to the left. We reach a key point. In the left-hand curve of the road—from here, a white-and-red marker post is visible about 50 m away—where stones are piled up at the side of the path, looking a bit like steps, we leave the road to the right and continue off-trail (I). After a few meters, we cross a dirt track and then follow the course of a stream bed, where dams have occasionally been built. After a very steep section—the most technically challenging part of the route—we leave the stream bed before reaching another stone dam ( 02 ) and head sharply uphill to the right along the road. We pass a trail coming from the right and two stone piles, taking care not to turn sharply left but to continue straight ahead. As soon as the road begins to descend again, we come to another stone pile and reach the second pathless (II) section. From here, the trail climbs steeply to the left up to a rock ledge, which we pass on the left, and then pass the next rock ledge on the right. At the top of the hill, another stone pile awaits us; we continue straight ahead for a few more meters and then turn right onto the crossing path. Behind a concrete boundary marker, we cross a clearing toward a wall-like row of stones. For the first few meters, the path ahead is hard to make out, but then it leads through a gully to a small rocky plateau ( 03 ) located west of the summit of Cerro Galán, offering a magnificent view of the Rastrillo de la Vibora. Without gaining or losing elevation, we now cross the slope heading south. A white, slightly weathered marker faintly indicates a path through the forest that ends at a dirt track. Crossing the Lomo de la Mesa plateau, we reach a trail junction marked by a cairn. From here, we take a detour to the right and initially follow the course of the dirt road. After a long stretch, we come to a cairn on the trail. Here, we do not continue on the road, nor do we turn sharply to the right; instead, we continue straight ahead off-trail (III), crossing the subsequent 20-meter-high rock ledge and the depression ahead of us until we reach the right edge of the high plateau. There, we climb the final few meters to the summit ( 04 ) of Pico Poyos de la Mesa. A few meters above the summit plateau, a dirt road begins heading southwest; we follow it until we reach the trail junction with the cairn. Here, we continue to the right on the road, but only until the first 05 left-hand curve, where we climb over a pile of sand and descend on a narrow trail below steeply rising rock faces. Soon it becomes impossible to tell whether we are following a cattle trail or a footpath. We reach the landmark described in the introduction and continue downhill to a cairn. Here we begin descending to the left, definitely off-trail (IV), past numerous cairns. At the valley floor, we follow the hiking trail downhill. We ignore a path branching off to the left and, after a long stretch, reach the forest road, on which we walk to the right until we reach the starting and ending point 01 El Puente de las Herrerías.

ATTENTION! Route in project phase not yet signposted.  Stage 6. CAZORLA - BELERDA

ATTENTION! Route in project phase not yet signposted.  Stage 5. COTO RIOS - CAZORLA

An interesting circuit with a spectacular walk way half way round over a deep gorge with unbridled views.

Ruta sencilla al pico Gilillo (1846 m.) desde el Parador de Cazorla. Con alguna trepadita sencilla al subir a la cima.

A route recommended by Parador de Cazorla. Following wide path. The description is from the Parador handout.

A route recommended by Parador de Cazorla. Following wide path. The description is from the Parador handout.