Sierra de Gredos Itinerary – 3 Days of Hiking in Spain
- Jul 4, 2025
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 6
A 3-day hiking itinerary in Sierra de Gredos near Madrid, with routes, maps, and travel tips.
April 2025 [All the posts about Spain]
Sierra de Gredos Hiking at a glance
Communities: Castile and León
Accommodation: Hoyos del Espino
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Duration: 3 days | Season: April (Spring)
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Content
Sierra de Gredos In Short
Sierra de Gredos is one of the best hiking destinations in Spain, located in Castilla y León. This guide covers a 3-day hiking itinerary, including routes like Laguna Grande and Navamediana Canyon, with maps, tips, and practical information.
Sierra de Gredos, Spain, was the third region we explored during our trip through western Spain.This mountain range lies within the autonomous community of Castilla y León.
In the orientation map provided, you can see our hiking routes and where we stayed. Each hike includes a detailed map and a navigation file.
Sierra de Gredos is one of the most beautiful and impressive mountain ranges in Spain, part of the country’s Central System.
We had many beautiful days of hiking after leaving Seville, but once we arrived here, the rain returned. In fact, we had about a day and a half of good weather, while the rest of the time was marked by heavy rain that made hiking impossible.
The area definitely left us wanting more, and it seems only right to plan at least four full days here.
Before arriving here, we spent four days hiking in the Jerte Valley and three days before that in the Sierra de Francia. This area was the final part of our nature explorations in western Spain before returning to Madrid.
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Sierra de Gredos Hiking Tips
Where to Stay
We're staying in the charming village of Hoyos del Espino, located along the AV-941 road that borders the reserve from the north. The village sits at an altitude of around 1,500 meters and serves as a great base for exploring many hiking trails in the area.
We rented a lovely and highly recommended house through Booking, with two bedrooms—perfect for a family stay.
Plan Ahead: Limited Grocery Options in the Village
Note – it's hard to find groceries in the village and the area in general. When we were here, the local shop was open only for a few limited hours. If you're arriving from a larger town, make sure to bring supplies with you.
A Trail for Every Kind of Hiker
The area offers a variety of trails with different difficulty levels, suitable both for beginner hikers and experienced climbers looking for a challenge.
Best Time to Hike in the Area
The best seasons for hiking are from spring through late autumn, when the weather is pleasant and the landscape is green and in bloom. In winter, most of the area is covered in snow, and special equipment is required to access some of the trails.
Winter Hiking Tips: Gear Rental & What to Pack
Near the village, there’s a place where you can rent gear for snow hiking — see details later in the post about the first hike to the Great Lagoon.
If you're visiting in winter or early spring, bring warm, waterproof clothing, and don’t forget a beanie and gloves.
Top Websites for Trails, Maps & Hiking Routes
Here are a couple of great resources (in Spanish, but easily translatable) for exploring this area:
One is an excellent site called Tronostrum, which features a variety of hiking routes in the region — each one includes a detailed map and GPS navigation file.
The second is the official Castilla y León Tourism website, which brings together recommended hikes and outdoor activities in and around the nature reserve.
Quick Links to the Hikes:
First hike: Senda de Laguna Grande hike
Second hike: Senda de la Garganta de Navamediana hike
Short walk: Las Chorreras waterfall
First Hike – Laguna Grande (Attempt to reach Laguna Grande)
Difficulty: Moderate || Type: Linear
Best seasons: Spring/Summer/Fall
Elevation gain: 380 m
Max altitude: 2,170 m
Distance: 12 km || Estimated time: 5 hours
Trail marking: PR-AV 17
Trek's name is "Senda de laguna grande" and it's code is PR-AV 17
It's early April, and there's still a significant amount of snow this year. The trail begins at the Plataforma de Gredos, located here — just a 15-minute drive from our village. It's essentially a large parking area where the 12 km round-trip linear hike starts, following the same path out and back.
As mentioned, the snow levels were quite high, and we came unprepared.
Hiking at this time of year requires special gear like crampons or microspikes, along with clothing suited for cold, snow, and wet conditions.
In short, we managed to walk a few hundred meters up the mountain before realizing we couldn’t continue — so we turned back and returned to the parking area.
Near the parking area, you’ll find groups of adorable Spanish ibex — it seems they’re fed here regularly, so they've grown quite fond of the spot.
By mid-spring in May, and certainly in summer when the snow has melted or only a few patches remain, the full hike can be completed with ease.
For those who still want to hike in the snow, it's possible to rent snow gear at the edge of the village from a company called Gredostormes — their website is here. Note that the office isn’t always staffed, so it’s a good idea to check in advance. There’s also a tourist information office just across the street.
You can find more details about the trek on the website here (it's in Spanish, but can easily be translated).
Navigation file in GPX format
Second Hike: Navamediana Canyon (Senda del la Garganta de Navamediana)
Difficulty: Moderate || Type: Linear
Best seasons: Spring/Summer/Fall
Elevation gain: 708 m
Max altitude: 2,170 m
Distance: 14 km || Estimated time: 5 hours
Trail marking: PR-AV 38
The hike starts from the village of Navamediana, about a 30-minute drive west from our village along the AV-941 road. The trailhead is located here. More details can be found on the website here.
At the beginning of the trail, just outside the village, you walk along a stone-paved path lined with old stone fences and bare oak trees — still leafless at the end of winter. Later in spring, the trees are covered in fresh green foliage.
The entire hike follows the Garganta de Navamediana river, which is now flowing strongly. The snow-capped peaks of the Sierra de Gredos mountains accompany us along the way. The misty landscape, colorful lichens on the rocks, and the oaks in their winter state make for a truly beautiful scene.
Along the way, we came across a few small waterfalls from streams flowing into the river, as well as birch trees and Pyrenean oaks. At one point, we encountered a locked gate maintained by local shepherds — so we had to carefully climb over it...
On the way back, we spotted a beautiful pair of deer leaping from one side of the river to the other. If only I had been in position with my camera—what a shot that would’ve been!
Navigation file in GPX format
A short walk to the Las Chorreras waterfalls
Today is a rainy day, so we stayed indoors :( In short, there's still so much to do in this area, but the weather just isn’t on our side...
I went out for a short walk and reached the waterfalls known as Las Chorreras on the Tormes River — just a few minutes' drive from the house. The falls are surrounded by beautiful rocks, typical of the region.
The water flow is impressive, and with the rain starting to fall on me, I’d better hurry!
After visiting the waterfalls, I drove back toward the Plataforma de Gredos and took a few more shots of the mountain goats. On the way back, a sudden mist rolled in out of nowhere, giving me the chance to capture some moody, misty scenes along the road...
More Recommended Trails in the Area
There are dozens of hiking routes in the region, some of them multi-day treks with overnight stays in mountain huts or nearby villages.
If you're planning a multi-day hike, it's a good idea to book your accommodation in advance — whether in villages or in the high-mountain refuges.
Multi-Day Treks
2–3 Day Trek to Laguna Grande and Pico Almanzor
This route combines a visit to the famous Laguna Grande and the climb to the highest peak in the range, Pico Almanzor.
Overnight stay at Refugio Laguna Grande de Gredos (reservation required).
Village-to-Village Trek: GR-10.3
A 7-stage long-distance trail starting in San Martín de Valdeiglesias (near Madrid) and ending in the Jerte Valley in the town of Jerte.
It runs along the northern edges of the Gredos Reserve.
You can see Stage 5 as an example on the website here, and the full route is available on the same site.
Additional Day Hikes
Waterfalls Trail – Sendero Las Chorreras
A circular trail, 10 km long, moderate difficulty.
The route begins right from our village, Hoyos del Espino.
Details can be found here
Navigation file in GPX format
Five Lagoons Trail – Senda de Cinco Lagunas (PR-AV 35)
A linear route, 23 km round trip, moderate to challenging.
It starts at Puente de Tormes, near the village Navalperal de Tormes.
You can also walk just a portion of it to enjoy the scenery along the Garganta de Gredos river. Details available here
Navigation file in GPX format
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