Description
This trail starts at Puertito de Güímar and heads into the Malpaís de Güímar Special Nature Reserve until it reaches the slopes of Montaña Grande, near the Morras del Corcho viewpoint.
The route gives you a close-up view of the recent lava flows (less than 10,000 years old) that run from the main cone of Montaña Grande to the sea and shows you how nature has managed to adapt and thrive in this place, in an environment that appears hostile but is full of life.
This ecosystem is home to unique species of our endemic flora, such as tabaiba dulce (Euphorbia balsamifera), cardón or Canary Island spurge (Euphorbia canariensis) and romero marino (Campylanthus salsoloides), and animals such as the Tenerife lizard, which seeks shelter from the high temperatures under every rock and plant, the shrike, which impales lizards on plant spines to feed, or small insects, such as the Barbary spurge hawk-moth (Hyles tithymali tithymali), which takes refuge in the Euphorbia.
You can learn more about these species and other geological curiosities of the area along the way, as the path is dotted with information panels.
When you reach the flanks of Montaña Grande, a few metres before reaching the Morras del Corcho viewpoint, stop and enjoy the impressive view offered by this volcanic landscape transformed by human activity over the years. Now protected as a Special Nature Reserve, this land still preserves traces of the time when the Guanches used to graze livestock in the area and not so distant times when the inhabitants of the municipality farmed the land for their livelihood.
You will probably feel like you are in another world after you have walked just the first few metres of the trail. Would you like to prolong the experience? Then we recommend linking up with the Montaña Grande loop trail at the halfway point.
Tips
- Always stay on the marked trail and do not enter private property, hunting grounds, water galleries, wells or caves.
- Pay special attention when crossing or walking along trails used by bicycles, horses or motor vehicles and when walking in ravines with water courses.
- Avoid direct encounters with potentially dangerous animals, such as livestock, beehives, and dogs.
- Proceed with caution and watch for obstacles, loose rocks, uneven terrain or steep slopes to avoid accidents and falls.
- Check out our guide to hiking in Tenerife and, if necessary, contact the emergency services by calling 112.
Guides
No data available
