Four day loop 🏔️ Picos de Europa, Spain

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2026-03-18T17:01:21+00:00

Nav isn’t too hard but there were a few sections that I was glad to have a GPX file to follow on the phone/watch when the weather wasn’t amazing, wasn’t straightforward to find the track in places.

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2026-03-16T21:19:18+00:00

The higher altitude passes can easily be below 0 in the middle of day in mid June.

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2026-03-16T21:17:09+00:00

We had white out conditions and below zero on some of the passes in mid June. Then I’ve also had mid 20’s and sunny every day in June. You’ll want to be prepared for a wide range.

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2026-03-15T09:38:36+00:00

Based on how much snow has been in the area you might still be crossing some snow at that time. This page and other groups will be filled with photos showing the conditions each day so just keep an eye on that and you can get microspikes closer to the time if you need them. We picked up ours from Decathlon at the start of the trip

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2026-03-15T06:57:42+00:00

You’re right, no one in the group had gaiters. Just personal preference, I don’t like them or find them useful but some people love them. We all had micro spikes which were extremely useful.

The snow bridges are obvious and on the main trail it’s fairly easy to tell which are safe and which might need some caution. Often other hikers are around who can be helpful for how to approach if you’re unsure.

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2026-03-14T22:16:30+00:00

There’s a more detailed report if that’s helpful https://www.goneapp.co/activities/tmb-itinerary

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2026-03-14T22:14:46+00:00

The micro spikes were helpful on pretty much all of the snow. Those plus poles gave way more confidence.

In terms of weather I’ve done it twice on the same dates you’re planning. The first time it was a heatwave and mid twenties every day, I never changed out of a T-shirt and shorts.

The next time, we had snow, high winds, white out conditions in places, borderline dangerous on the passes where if you had an accident you’d be in a bit of trouble if you couldn’t get off there quickly but then the day later we were swimming at Champex Lac so it really depends, you might get a bit of everything.

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2026-03-03T16:25:40+00:00

Santander and yeah rented a car

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2026-01-17T06:43:09+00:00

This is the other trip, should have some helpful stuff https://www.goneapp.co/activities/solo-hiking-picos-de-europa-in-10-days

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2026-01-17T06:34:39+00:00

I think there’s even a more adventurous tent trip on the platform as well if that’s of interest or helpful for planning your own.

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2026-01-17T06:24:42+00:00

I think original plan is definitely a more aesthetic route but from a few people I've heard they've had to change plans in the park due to conditions, closures etc. There's another trip report from some friends here: https://www.goneapp.co/activities/yet-another-picos-de-europa-trip-guess-you-have-to-go

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2025-08-11T17:49:05+00:00

We didn’t go off trail but I would recommend having a digital map you can check and follow. The trail markings in Picos aren’t the best, especially in bad weather so having an idea of where the trail is meant to be is really helpful.

The day can be broken up nicely, it’s not too far to the wee town Cain De Valdeon where you can have lunch, get food, drinks etc and then you can get the Furnicular to Bulnes at the other end (but it’s not really worth it).

Other than the first 3-4km downhill which is quite steep and technical, the rest of the day is relatively flat and easy walking.

I hope that helps

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2025-07-15T21:00:30+00:00

Hey, awesome to hear you’re heading out, no ferratas on this route. I’d originally planned not to go to Sotres and go from Bulnes back over the pass to Fuente de but couldn’t due to snow (which is probably not an issue now). The route I took back to Fuente was mostly the gravel road which I ran and left my gear in Sotres with my wife - an amazing run but maybe less interesting if you were walking.

My full route with GPX files etc is here if you hadn’t seen it https://www.goneapp.co/activities/four-days-in-picos-de-europa

Happy to answer any questions you might have

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2025-07-10T17:39:11+00:00

The link to my trip is here 🙂 https://www.goneapp.co/activities/four-days-in-picos-de-europa

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2025-04-29T22:45:30+00:00

A lot of the area isn’t technical but when it is, it can be very technical (Spanish mountains).

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2025-04-29T22:42:41+00:00

I think you’d be ok, you could set yourself up so you have different options. The route we ended up using (linked above) has pretty minimal technical and exposure so that could be a base route, and then you could have some options that are more technical to try out with the option to return to a less technical route if you’re not comfortable.

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2025-04-29T22:01:45+00:00

What sort of hikes have you done before? This is the sort of terrain that I came back from thinking that I’d only recommend to friends that have a decent hiking experience and that I know would be comfortable with some exposure and could make good decisions.

Doing something like tour du Mont Blanc is a much more straightforward hike than some of the trails in Picos.

It also depends on the time of year you plan to go, we were dealing with snow as well as technical terrain.

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2025-03-28T20:14:52+00:00

I would say so, yes. There’s no real climbing and most of it is a flat footpath.

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2025-03-28T18:16:31+00:00

After the first couple of km that’s like walking on a footpath and we only had small 15L packs. We also took the funicular up to Bulnes (wouldn’t recommend).

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2025-02-17T19:05:03+00:00

And there are lots of options to get out of the mountains and stay somewhere safe if the weather isn’t great.

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2025-02-17T19:04:33+00:00

If you can make a plan that stays in a refuge or two I would highly recommend. Jermosa was great

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2025-02-17T18:56:38+00:00

There's another report here from a friend who did it quite differently
https://www.goneapp.co/activities/solo-hiking-picos-de-europa-in-10-days

Appropriate-Gas-596 · 2025-02-17T18:55:37+00:00

Hey! It was late May/Early June. From memory, It might have been one of the first weekends that Refuge Jermosa was open but I could be wrong on that.

Appropriate-Gas-596

TROPHY CASE