10/450 Petrified Falls Loop

Turn to narrow path

Take this path!

Gorge-ous view

Petrified Falls

Loose translation of sign: The Cascade of the Petrified Trees NATURAL PARK Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama This spectacular waterfall is even more remarkable for the petrified tree trunks lying in the water. How did they get here? In the 1920s, logging companies in the Sierras used the river network to transport resin pine logs, cut in the forests upstream, to the sawmills of Cázulas downstream about 20km inland from Almuñécar. During their journey, some logs were left stuck in areas that are difficult to access, such as this waterfall. With the passage of time – and the lack of oxygen within the waterfall to rot the wood – the limestone-rich water here filled the cells and other empty spaces of the trunks, which are coloured yellow by minerals such as iron or manganese. The petrified wood that resulted preserves the original structure of the stem in all its detail, from tree rings down to the microscopic level. These curious creations of nature are a rare site in Spain, as the majority of these old trees, thanks to the skills of the loggers, made their way to the sawmill to be transformed into railway sleepers.

Sign

With your back to this sign, just above the falls, take the narrow footpath to the right. The left path goes to a cave, best explored with a torch. Loose translation of sign: The Cascade of the Petrified Trees NATURAL PARK Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama This spectacular waterfall is even more remarkable for the petrified tree trunks lying in the water. How did they get here? In the 1920s, logging companies in the Sierras used the river network to transport resin pine logs, cut in the forests upstream, to the sawmills of Cázulas downstream about 20km inland from Almuñécar. During their journey, some logs were left stuck in areas that are difficult to access, such as this waterfall. With the passage of time – and the lack of oxygen within the waterfall to rot the wood – the limestone-rich water here filled the cells and other empty spaces of the trunks, which are coloured yellow by minerals such as iron or manganese. The petrified wood that resulted preserves the original structure of the stem in all its detail, from tree rings down to the microscopic level. These curious creations of nature are a rare site in Spain, as the majority of these old trees, thanks to the skills of the loggers, made their way to the sawmill to be transformed into railway sleepers.

Start of climb

Railing

Rope

Above the trees

Ups and downs

Cliff

Sign 2

Bend

L’Opera view

Climb

La Cabra

End of walk sign

Congratulations!