Monachil Cahorros. Circular

The route is one of the most beautiful you can do in Granada.
It is circular and if the first part follows the course of the Monachil river, the
second part is on the high area enjoying impressive views.

We pass through Monachil which is located in the south-central part
of the Vega de Granada region, about 8 km from the provincial capital.
It borders the municipalities of Huétor Vega, Cenes de la Vega,
Pinos Genil, Güéjar Sierra, Dílar, La Zubia and Cájar. It belongs to the
Monachil river Commonwealth.

The Monachil municipality is formed by the nuclei of Monachil, Barrio de la Vega and Sierra Nevada (Pradollano).

Its name comes from the Arabic, Monastir, a term of Latin origin meaning "monastery".

In its municipal area there is an archaeological site corresponding to the Argárica culture: Cerro de la Encina.
In
Monachil is located the Sierra Nevada Ski Resort, where the 1996 Alpine Skiing World Championship was held. Despite being
municipal territory of Monachil, several slopes are owned by the
Granada City Council.
Its vast territory, 90.13 km2, is
crossed from east to west by the Monachil river and presents an
elongated morphology with elevations ranging from 3,394 m of the Veleta peak
to 740 m where the lowest point of its
valley is found.
Monachil hosts in its municipal territory the Sierra Nevada ski resort,
the southernmost in Europe, offering more than one hundred
kilometers of slopes.
The population is located in a
fertile valley of the massif of the Sierra Nevada National and Natural Park and
facing the Granada valley. Its vast territory is crossed
from east to west by the Monachil river and presents an elongated morphology
with elevations ranging from 3,394 meters of the Veleta peak to the
740 meters of the lowest point of its valley.
Its attraction lies in preserving its character and structure as a mountain village, embedded in a
unique environment close to the city of the Alhambra. The various
landscapes of great ecological value are shaped by the flow of the
waters of the Monachil. Three exceptional landscapes can be distinguished: the
high mountain, with elevations above 2,000 meters altitude and
elements such as lagoons, pastures and borreguiles; the mid mountain, with great
landscape diversity; and the lower altitude area, dotted with a
fertile valley and variety of crops.
The range of activities is very
wide and obviously goes from the practice of alpine skiing, cross-country skiing,
snowboarding and other snow activities, to hiking routes by foot,
bicycle or horse, climbing and paragliding. In addition to enjoying a
wide range of sports and leisure, and active tourism in general, the
municipality has typical handicrafts and rich culinary
specialties.
The course of the Monachil river treasures one of the most
spectacular spots of Sierra Nevada: the Los Cahorros gorge.
Located only two kilometers from Monachil, it offers a landscape of
steep cliffs, stone tunnels, a waterfall and its famous hanging bridge
over 55 meters long. It is one of the most visited places in the
province by hikers.

A good part of
the fertile native flora of Sierra Nevada can be seen in the botanical garden of La Cortijuela, where more than
a hundred of the most representative plant species of the National
Park have been gathered for research and study, such as holm oaks, cork oaks,
rowans, hawthorns, honeysuckles, dog roses and brooms. This garden is
located near Trevenque mountain, between the La Cortijuela Forest House
and Huenes Creek. It is accessed through a two-kilometer pedestrian trail starting from the Hervidero Fountain
crossing picturesque places such as the Seven Eyes Bridge.

Trail start

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820 m height


2,690 f







Photo

Trail start.

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1040 m height



3,412 f






Photo

Cortijo del Cerrillo

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Sierra Nevada National Park



3,428 f






Photo

Era

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Monachil



3,385 f






Photo

Palomas Viewpoint

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Sierra Nevada National Park

Monachil

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Los Cascares



2,662 f






Photo

Hanging bridge crossing

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980 m height



3,215 f






Waypoint

Hanging Bridge

Monachil



2,990 f






Photo

Monachil River

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Monachil River