Wonders · Sierra de Cazorla

Río Borosa and Cerrada de Elías

The Río Borosa trail follows a clear trout river for 7.3 km from near Torre del Vinagre into the Cerrada de Elías, a gorge where timber walkways run between walls barely 2 m apart.

About Río Borosa and Cerrada de Elías

The Río Borosa is the first major tributary of the Guadalquivir, and its trail is one of the Junta de Andalucía's Rutas del Agua. Cutting through folded limestone, the river squeezes through the Cerrada de Elías, where the rock walls are barely 2 m apart in places. The trail crosses Santiago-Pontones, La Iruela and Santo Tomé; the gorge itself lies in La Iruela.

From the trout farm, now a research centre for native river fauna, a track passes the turquoise Charco de la Cuna pool and the Puente de los Caracolillos, named after the folded rock behind it. A side path then enters the Cerrada on walkways fixed above the water, and the trail ends near the 1930s power station. Look for dippers, kingfishers and the endemic Valverde's lizard.

Turn off the A-319 at the Torre del Vinagre visitor centre for the car park. The route is 7.3 km each way with a gentle climb; allow 2.5 to 3 hours out. It suits fit families, though the walkways are narrow, and is not for wheelchairs. After storms in early 2026 the gorge section was closed for rebuilding, with a detour on the forest track; check the Ventana del Visitante first.

May and June bring full water; in summer arrive before 09:00, as the car park fills. Autumn colours the riverside trees. Mobile coverage is patchy, so carry water and food for the day.

Río Borosa and Cerrada de Elías in pictures

Gorge with a still pool and a wooden railing, Río Borosa and Cerrada de Elías, La Iruela

What you’ll find

Car parkParkingFree
Gorge walkwayWalkway visitFree
Hiking trailHikingFree
Visitor centreVisitor informationFree

Nearby places to visit

The Borosa valley opens onto the upper Guadalquivir, where the Torre del Vinagre visitor centre and its botanical garden stand about 1 km from the trailhead. Down the valley towards Cazorla, the Cerrada del Utrero (12 km) is a much shorter gorge loop with a waterfall plunging into the Guadalquivir, a good choice for a second, easier day. Further south, the Cueva del Agua de Tíscar (31 km) shelters a waterfall inside a limestone cleft below the Sanctuary of Tíscar near Quesada. The riverside villages of Coto Ríos and Arroyo Frío have accommodation and restaurants. Renaissance Úbeda, with the St John of the Cross Museum (44 km), makes a cultural contrast.