ENCHANTED FOREST – SIERRA DE URBASA
Linear round trip route. Long Jump 6,8 km. Elevation 363 metres. Estimated tour time: 2,5 hours.
Touring the beautiful Sierra de Urbasa, whose name means water of the wild forest, it is possible to discover incredible treasures and natural jewels such as the enchanted forest, a place populated by enormous rock figures that appear suspended in time as if, by the work of a spell, they would have been petrified. It is an essential route if you come to Navarra.
Going up to the port of Urbasa you will find the house and Tourism Information Center of the Sierra de Urbasa park, where we can park. The route starts from this point, we walk along the road towards Estella, until we find a detour approximately 500 meters away, where there is another parking lot on the left of the road.
Three paths leave from this second parking lot. Those on the left and right are marked paths and adapted for people with reduced mobility. We take the middle path.
This path runs through beech forests and is signposted, we follow the green markings. We pass by a cabin. We turn left and we will find several entrances that lead to different formations with figures such as a crocodile, an eagle, a snail, a dolmen and a giant among others.
In a short time we find ourselves surrounded by trees, enchanted figures, passageways, caves like a huge labyrinth. To return we take the same path we came on.
PRACTICAL TIPS
– The normal thing is to arrive from Alsasua and as soon as you go up the pass, stop at the authorized car parks. There is a parking lot at the beginning of the route. There is an information house.
– The first part of the tour is adapted to all audiences with information panels.
– The route is a well-marked path. We recommend going up to the top first, contemplating the views and on the way down, entering one of the places in the enchanted forest. These are not marked, you have to go off the road to look for them and some intuition is required to locate them.
