To the highest peak of La Palma: Roque de Los Muchachos
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 15.61 mi
- Elevation gain
- 5,397 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation loss
- 5,397 ft
- Max elevation
- 7,977 ft
- TrailRank
-
39
4.7
- Min elevation
- 3,271 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Time
- 8 hours 39 minutes
- Coordinates
- 3453
- Uploaded
- February 25, 2017
- Recorded
- January 2017
near Tijarafe, Canarias (España)
Viewed 1621 times, downloaded 50 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
This hike takes you from El Pinar (near El Jesus) to the highest peak of the island La Palma, the Roque de los Muchachos at 2426 m.
The Roque de los Muchachose can also be reached by car, but of course there's no fun in that!
With a length of 27 km and 1700 m climbing, this is a demanding hike and therefor exactly how approaching any highest peak should be done!
The first part is through pine forest.
At some moment you'll be above the clouds...From here on it suddenly was a sunny walk, while the rest of the island was covered in clouds :-)
At the end you'll encounter some space observatories. Allegedly there is even a law on La Palma that does not allow bright lights into the sky, in order not to interfere with the observatories.
After about 12.5 km climbing through the forest, you'll have to walk the last 3 km to the peak on the asphalt road. Not the most scenic route, but actually not unwelcome after the ascent through the forest.
After the Roque the los Muchachos, the best part of the hike starts, with great views over the Caldera de Taburiente, covered in clouds.
The Teide volcano on the neighboring island Tenerife was clearly visible.
The last part of the hike goes very steeply downhill (500 meter descent in 1.7 km!). It's through pine forest again and well do-able, but I was glad I had my walking sticks at this point in order to support the tired knees!
The Roque de los Muchachose can also be reached by car, but of course there's no fun in that!
With a length of 27 km and 1700 m climbing, this is a demanding hike and therefor exactly how approaching any highest peak should be done!
The first part is through pine forest.
At some moment you'll be above the clouds...From here on it suddenly was a sunny walk, while the rest of the island was covered in clouds :-)
At the end you'll encounter some space observatories. Allegedly there is even a law on La Palma that does not allow bright lights into the sky, in order not to interfere with the observatories.
After about 12.5 km climbing through the forest, you'll have to walk the last 3 km to the peak on the asphalt road. Not the most scenic route, but actually not unwelcome after the ascent through the forest.
After the Roque the los Muchachos, the best part of the hike starts, with great views over the Caldera de Taburiente, covered in clouds.
The Teide volcano on the neighboring island Tenerife was clearly visible.
The last part of the hike goes very steeply downhill (500 meter descent in 1.7 km!). It's through pine forest again and well do-able, but I was glad I had my walking sticks at this point in order to support the tired knees!
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Information
Easy to follow
Scenery
Moderate
A must do in La Palam