If you want to breathe the mountain air, see the colors that autumn takes on in nature, listen to the flow of water in the forests and cliffs, Huesca is the province to visit this season with its wonderful natural landscapes and its paths.
You will not be disappointed by these five landscapes of the Aragonese province, some of which are national parks, as they all offer impressive views and unique routes.
Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park
Declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, the Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park includes a set of four valleys (Ordesa Valley, Añisclo Canyon, Escuain Gorge and Pineta Valley) which extend like arms around Monte Perdido. We are talking about the heart of the Pyrenees.
The high areas of the park, with altitudes above 2,000 meters, are extremely arid. On the other hand, the valley floors are covered with lush vegetation dominated by beeches and firs, which give way to black pine as the altitude increases.
Vultures, eagles, bearded vultures, chamois and marmots coexist in these dense beech and pine forests. While transparent rivers and lakes intersect and integrate into high mountain meadows and rocky outcrops.
In the national park there are three visitor centers and five information points. There are 22 routes that cover 380 kilometers, of varying difficulty and marked. Remember to always wear a pair of boots and wear clothing suitable for cold or rain, as the weather can be very changeable.
Ibon de Plan
Throughout the Aragonese Pyrenees there are numerous ibones or high mountain lakes, which have remained as a memory of the times of the glaciers. They are wild spaces of imposing natural beauty and, therefore, places of imagination and legend, as in the case of Basa de la Mora or Ibón de Plan.
The Ibón de Plan is also one of the most spectacular and accessible natural corners of Huesca. Situated at around 2,000 meters above sea level, this glacial lake is surrounded by pine forests and meadows, making it a hiker’s paradise.
It can be reached on foot from the towns of Huesca, Plan or Saravillo – in both cases with an approximate round trip time of six hours. You can also access by car and by track the Lavasar refuge and from there walk about 20 minutes to the Ibón, which is in the Gistaín or Chistau valley.
Western Valleys Natural Park
Located at the northwest end of the Aragonese Pyrenees, the Western Valleys Natural Park offers a magnificent representation of the Atlantic forest, which gives rise to an enormous wealth of fauna. The white-backed bill, the capercaillie, the bearded vulture, the Pyrenees frogs and the Pyrenees desman are some of the unique species that live here but, without a doubt, the most emblematic species is the brown bear .
On more than 27,000 hectares, we find incredible places like the Selva de Oza, Aguas Tuertas and the Acher Castle, in the Hecho Valley; Zuriza, the Hayedo de Gamueta and the Peña Ezcaurri, in the Ansó valley; or Pico Bisaurín in the Aragüés del Puerto valley.
Aísa, Ansó, Aragüés del Puerto, Borau and Valle de Hecho are the municipalities that host this park.
The best way to get to know these valleys is to walk their trails. One of the sections of the GR11 connects the Zuriza Refuge to Guarrinza. Another hiking route leads to the Selva de Oza. And to contemplate an authentic spectacle of nature, you must follow the road to Lake Estanés.
Mallos de Riglos
In Aragon, these extraordinary reddish geological formations characteristic of the Hoya de Huesca are called mallos. On the banks of the Gállego River, the Mallos de Riglos were created 65 million years ago. Considered a Natural Monument, these formations provide a challenge for climbers, with around 200 open climbing routes. Additionally, you can spot vultures and other birds at its peaks.
These mallos located next to the town of the same name are the most famous, but in this same area there are those of Agüero, Vadiello, Murillo de Gállego and Salto de Roldán, among others. The sunset, combined with the reddish color of its walls, becomes a sensational spectacle.
Vultures and other birds of prey constantly fly over its peaks.
The Mallos de Riglos are a reference for climbers from all over the world and have around 200 climbing routes, most of them of high difficulty.
Finestres or the “Chinese Wall of Huesca”
Popularly known as the Chinese Wall of Huesca, Finestres is located in the abandoned town of the same name, in the Canelles reservoir. Its unique natural formations are reminiscent of the Great Wall of China and are accessible on foot, by bike or by 4×4. This spectacular natural wall is located in the municipality of Viacamp, in the region of La Ribagorza.
The best way to access it is from Estopiñán del Castillo, via a track that can be covered on foot, by bike or by off-road car. The route from this point is 12 kilometers one way and, although it can be traveled by vehicle, it is recommended that it be of the off-road type.
It is also a point of great geological interest. The vertical arrangement of the rock layers, as well as the erosion processes that acted on them, gave rise to this curious shape of wall.
