Suggestions for Spring

Spring is a great time of year for walking in the Sierra Nevada. The days are warm and pleasant without being uncomfortably hot. Wildflowers and butterflies appear and there is still snow on the high mountains, so views can be spectacular. When the snow starts to melt, the waterfalls are at their most impressive.

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

GR-7 Trevélez – Busquístar

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13 km   4 hours   512 m   Medium   Medium   Medium    

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This is one of the most attractive legs of the GR-7 long-distance walking trail, and it is a great place to start exploring the beautiful countryside of the Alpujarras. The walk starts in Trevélez, then takes you to a picturesque waterfall, through a forest of holm oaks and past various crumbling farmhouses, before descending to the pretty village of Busquístar. In spring the gorse and broom come into bloom, producing a sea of bright yellow flowers.

Lavaderos de la Reina

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17 km   6 hours   640 m   Medium   Medium   Medium    

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Lavaderos de la Reina means “the Queen’s washing place”. It is an area of lush meadows fed by mountain springs. By far the best time to visit is in late spring or early summer, when the melting snow feeds the gushing streams. The first part of the route also gives some great views of the Sierra Nevada.

Picacho Alto

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13 km   4 h 15 min   900 m   Hard   Hard   Medium    

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This walk takes you to the top of Picacho Alto (1,776 m) in the Alayos de Dilar, which are a row of jagged mountains made of limestone and dolomite. Although the Alayos are not particularly high, the scenery is amazing and the area feels quite remote. Some sections of the walk are very steep, but you get magnificent views of the city of Granada, the high peaks of the Sierra Nevada and the surrounding peaks of the Alayos. The final part of the walk takes you down a spectacular ravine.

Restábal to Cónchar

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14km   4 hours   694m   Medium   Medium   Medium    

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This walk takes you between two pretty white villages in the Lecrín valley: Restábal, perched above the Béznar reservoir, and Cónchar, hidden away in a small valley. You follow one ridge out, and a different one back, so you have lovely views of the surrounding valley and up to the snow-capped mountains of the western Sierra Nevada.

Ruta Medieval: Busquístar – Juviles

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13.5 km   5 hours   829 m   Medium   Medium   Medium    

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Encompassing the spectacular River Trevélez valley, steeply terraced farmland and the quaint village of Nieles, the Ruta Medieval is the Alpujarras in a nutshell. Wherever possible it follows stone paths that have been used by local people since the Middle Ages. The climb up from the river is quite tough, but there are great views of the high mountains for you to enjoy when you need a rest.

Ruta Medieval: Pórtugos – Busquístar

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7.5 km   2.5 hours   357 m   Medium   Easy   Medium    

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This relatively short circuit takes you through two tiny, beautiful villages that time appears to have forgotten. The paths mainly wind their way through a patchwork of agricultural fields, but there is also a section of scrubland where you have great views of the steep gorge created by the River Trevélez. In spring and early summer there are lovely wild flowers everywhere along the route.

Trevenque

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16 km   5h 30min   928 m   Hard   Hard   Medium    

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Although by no means one of the highest mountains in the Sierra Nevada, the striking peak of Trevenque is recognised as a tough climb due to the rugged and steep final ascent. At the summit you will be rewarded with 360° views of Veleta, the Sierra Nevada ski station, and surrounding mountain ranges including the Sierras de Alhama, Tejeda y Almijara, Sierra de Huétor and Sierra Elvira. It’s no wonder that Trevenque is known locally as the “King”. The walk returns through the beautiful river Dilar valley.

Vereda de la Estrella

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21 km   6 hours   650 m   Medium   Easy   Easy    

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The Vereda de la Estrella is one of the classic hikes of the Sierra Nevada. The scenery in this deep valley is stunning, and the Vereda de la Estrella path, originally built to access the Estrella copper mine, is a feat of engineering. Above the gorge, there are views of the rugged north faces of the three highest peaks in the mountain range – Mulhacén, Veleta and Alcazaba. A long walk, but well worth the effort. If the full walk seems too much, it’s still worth considering going part way along the path. The path is well-marked and very easy to follow.