Suggestions for Autumn

Autumn is a great time for hiking in the Sierra Nevada. Leaves turn gold, the trees are laden with fruit and the high mountains are dusted with the first snowfalls. Daytime temperatures are ideal for walking at intermediate altitudes. Come prepared for rain, although with any luck you will enjoy pleasantly warm, sunny days.

We have picked out a few of the best walks to do in autumn. This is only a small selection of our hikes – for a full list of walks that you can do in autumn, click here.

Instituto Geográfico de EspañaPlease note that the information sheets provided for download may not be altered or sold. Topographic base maps © Instituto Geográfico Nacional de España, original scale 1:25,000.

List of Hikes: Suggestions for Autumn

Acequias del Poqueira

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20 km   7-8 hours   1237 m   Hard   Medium   Medium    

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Starting and finishing in the picturesque village of Capileira, this walk takes you up one side of the Poqueira Gorge, and back down the other side. For much of the walk you have great views up to the high peaks of the Sierra Nevada, and as you get higher you can also look down to the Alpujarras below you. The walk takes you through scrubland, into a lush river valley and past grazing sheep and goats. And of course you will see the acequias – traditional irrigation channels – that give the walk its name.

Cahorros

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8 km   2 h 30 mins   400 m   Medium   Medium   Medium    

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With its wild flowers, fruit trees heavy with apricots, almonds, cherries, apples and pomegranates, a cascading river and lavender, thyme and rosemary, the lush Monachil valley is a beautiful area for walking. Kids will love the hanging bridges and the dramatic gorge, and this walk is particularly recommended when the flowers are out in spring and when the leaves turn gold in autumn.

Cañada Sereno

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12 km   3 hours   358m   Easy   Easy   Easy    

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Great family walk with a lovely meadow where you can stop for a picnic half way round. Stone benches with fantastic views mean that there are plenty of places where you can stop for breather. Refill your water bottles at the source of the River Darro, one of the two rivers that run through Granada.

Canal de la Espartera

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14 km   4 h 30 min   500 m   Medium   Medium   Easy    

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From Trevenque’s dusty, arid slopes to the lush vegetation and crashing waterfalls of the Dilar valley, this walk packs in a huge variety of scenery. Bathed in the warm evening light, the striking peaks of Trevenque and Boca de la Pesca take on subtle shades of gold and red.

Cortijo Hornillo Version A

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16 km   4h 30min   813m   Medium   Easy   Medium    

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This route winds up through a forest of oak and pine trees, before taking you on to the Cortijo del Hornillo, one of the old summer farms in the mountains. The location is idyllic, and the views of the highest peaks of the Sierra Nevada are incredible. The walk returns along the lower part of the popular Vereda de la Estrella path, in the beautiful valley below.

Silleta de Padul

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15 km   5 hours   733m   Hard   Easy   Medium    

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In Spanish the word silleta can refer to a saddle, and when you get near the top of this striking mountain it’s easy to see how it got its name. The walk up through the pine forest is steep, but you are rewarded with spectacular 360° views of the Sierra Nevada, the Sierras de Alhama, Tejeda y Almijara, Granada and the nearby towns of Dílar and Dúrcal. The return route skirts around the mountain before descending more gently back to Dílar.