Sendero del Guadalora
A 6.5 km permit-only trail in the Sierra de Hornachuelos Natural Park, from the Fuente del Valle picnic site through dehesa to the Guadalora river's protected alder woods; shut in summer.
About Sendero del Guadalora
The Sierra de Hornachuelos Natural Park covers about 60,000 ha of Sierra Morena north of the Guadalquivir and belongs to the Dehesas de Sierra Morena Biosphere Reserve; 95% of it is oak woodland, home to black and griffon vultures. The Sendero del Guadalora, a signposted park trail, needs authorisation because it reaches the alder forest of the river Guadalora, catalogued as an Arboleda Singular for its rarity and condition.
The path starts a few metres from the Fuente del Valle recreation area, by the hermitage of San Abundio, and runs 6.5 km one way. It crosses farmland and cork-oak dehesa, drops to the Guadalora and follows it through alders, ash, poplars and oleanders to the Pasada de Algeciras. Allow 2 hours 30 minutes each way.
Book the free authorisation in advance on the Junta de Andalucía CUPOS platform, linked from the Ventana del Visitante. The trail closes in the high fire-risk season, normally 1 June to 15 October. After storm damage it reopened in full on 20 March 2026; take care at the stream crossing. Reach Fuente del Valle from the A-3151 (left 1.6 km from Hornachuelos, then 2 km on the Camino de Torralba) or walk from the Huerta del Rey visitor centre.
Go from late October to May for autumn colour, running water and spring orchids. Take 2 L of water, waterproof boots and binoculars for vultures.
Sendero del Guadalora in pictures
What you’ll find
- Car parkParkingFree
- Dogs allowedDogs on leadFree
- HikingWalking routeFree
- Linear routeOne-way trailFree
- Permit requiredAccess permitBook
- Picnic areaPicnicFree
Nearby places to visit
Hornachuelos is a remote corner of Córdoba province, so the nearest sights are a drive away. The hilltop Castillo de Almodóvar del Río (23 km) guards the Guadalquivir on the way back towards Córdoba. Across the Sevillian border, the white village of Constantina (30 km) is the gateway to the Sierra Norte and the old iron mine of Cerro del Hierro (33 km), whose karst corridors make a striking walk. Closer to Córdoba, the caliphal city of Medina Azahara (38 km) is a World Heritage Site worth combining with a park day.
Sendero del Guadalora at a glance
Category
Sports Outdoor adventures
Location
Valle Medio del Guadalquivir, Córdoba
Town
Hornachuelos
Address
Área recreativa Fuente del Valle, Camino de Torralba (off the A-3151 Hornachuelos–San Calixto road), 14740 Hornachuelos, Córdoba, Spain
Opening hours
Open from mid-October to the end of May with a free permit for a specific date; closed during the high fire-risk season (normally 1 June–15 October). Reopened in full on 20 March 2026 after storm repairs.
Prices
Free; authorisation required in advance through the Junta de Andalucía CUPOS quota system.
Checked 5 Nov 2026 on the official website. Times and prices can change, so confirm before you go.
Tours nearby
Guided tours that visit Córdoba province.
