PR LP 03
Pico de La Nieve – Santa Cruz de La Palma
Distance13.6 km
Time≈ 5 h 30 min
DifficultyModerate
Ascent+215 m
Descent−2372 m
TypeOne way
Elevation profile
Altitude from 40 to 2197 m. Elevation gain calculated by Awwa from the official track; time from the official trail sheet. Figures may vary.
Directions to the startDownload official GPXOfficial trail sheet and status
What to take on this route
Plenty of water, food, warm clothes, a rain jacket, a hat and sun cream, hiking boots and a charged phone. Check the weather and tell someone your route. The route climbs to 2197 m and it gets chilly up there: take a sweatshirt too. And if you want to wear La Palma, our island T-shirts.
For the sunGorra básica€18.00
Sold outIf it gets coldSudadera La isla ofrece horizontes€35.00
La Palma T-shirtCamiseta Solar crema mujer€20.00
La Palma T-shirtStar Wars in Roque Los Muchachos€22.00- EssentialWaterAt least half a litre. For this route, about 2 litres per person.
- EssentialSun protectionPut on sun cream before you set off and reapply every two hours.
Before you go
- A clear, well-maintained path, its main difficulty being the considerable height difference involved.
- After heavy rain, take care on the steepest sections and below cliffs: there may be damage to the trail.
- There is no bus service.
- All year round.
- This path is usually walked in a downhill direction from the junction of the Roque de los Muchachos road with the Pico de la Nieve forest track. In the opinion of the writers of this guide, the most recommendable is to first climb Pico de la Nieve from this point (1h 15min) – a person is required to drive the group there – then descend and continue on to Santa Cruz. Another alternative, radically different, is to depart from the capital itself, climb Pico de la Nieve and then continue along the summit (GR 131) to Roque de los Muchachos, highest point on the island, reached in approximately another two hours, a route which can also be done in the opposite direction, that is, from the highest peak to Santa Cruz. The path can also be combined with the PR LP 4, going up one, and down the other as the case may be.
- Protected area: Parque Natural de Las Nieves
Source: Cabildo de La Palma – Trail Network (open data and official trail sheet). Altitude: Copernicus DEM via Open-Meteo. Conditions can change: always check the official trail sheet before setting off. Emergencies: 112.
