Los Cahorros de Monachil
Los Cahorros de Monachil is a narrow limestone gorge cut by the Río Monachil in the foothills of Sierra Nevada, crossed on foot by a hanging bridge about 60 metres long.
About Los Cahorros de Monachil
Los Cahorros is the gorge of the Río Monachil just upstream of Monachil village, about 7 km south-east of Granada city centre as the crow flies, in the foothills of Sierra Nevada. The river has cut a deep, narrow slot through the limestone, crossed near its entrance by a suspension footbridge roughly 60 to 63 metres long.
The circular walk crosses the long bridge, then threads the narrows on a path cut into the rock, where you duck under overhangs and hold on to metal rings bolted to the walls. Shorter hanging bridges, small falls and pools line the route, and the cliffs are popular with climbers. Dippers feed in the stream and Spanish ibex roam the crags.
Start from the free car park on Calle Huenes, which is small and fills early at weekends; city buses also run from Granada. The loop is 7 to 8 km with about 300 m of ascent and takes 3 to 4 hours. It suits fit walkers and older children with a head for heights, not pushchairs, wheelchairs or anyone prone to vertigo. Since 31 August 2026 the stretch from the Central de Tranvías to the first short bridge has been closed after rockfalls; the path over the long bridge is open.
Spring and autumn are best; in summer, start by 9:00. After heavy rain the council may close low passages, so check local notices, wear boots with good grip and leave bulky rucksacks behind.
Los Cahorros de Monachil in pictures
What you’ll find
- Car parkParkingFree
- Hiking trailHikingFree
- Natural poolWild swimmingFree
- Rock climbingClimbingFree
Nearby places to visit
Granada, to the north-west, is the natural base for this walk. The Alhambra and Generalife (7 km) is the Nasrid palace-city on the Sabika hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Manuel de Falla House Museum (7 km) keeps the composer's piano and furniture in the Realejo just below it. On the hill opposite, Sacromonte Abbey (7 km) stands above the cave district, built over the Holy Caves where the city's lead books were found. In the city centre, the Royal Chapel of Granada (7 km) is the late Gothic burial chapel of the Catholic Monarchs, where Isabel and Ferdinand lie in a crypt below marble tombs.
Los Cahorros de Monachil at a glance
Location
Vega de Granada, Granada
Town
Monachil
Address
Car park on Calle Huenes (trailhead), 18193 Monachil, Granada, Spain
Opening hours
Open access, no fixed hours; sections may close after heavy rain or rockfalls
Prices
Free, open access
Tours nearby
Guided tours that visit Vega de Granada.
