There are few landscapes in Spain as beautiful as that of the Río Lobos canyon. Located in the heart of Castilla y León, the Cañón del Río Lobos Natural Park is a unique space structured on a deep canyon of steep rocky promontories.
Inside, in addition to vast forests of juniper and black pine, there is a wide variety of animal species, from around a hundred pairs of griffon vultures to golden eagles, deer, otters and wild cats.
The Lobos River Canyon, declared a natural park in 1985, was one of the first protected areas in Castilla y León. The protection covers more than 20 kilometers of the canyon and its entire zone of influence. Due to the spectacular nature of its relief, it is considered one of the most beautiful landscapes in Spain. Inside and around it, a precious set of artistic remains, towns and villages with a strong traditional flavor are also preserved: the hermitage of San Bartolomé, Ucero, San Leonardo and El Burgo de Osma.
Hike the Lobos River Canyon
From the Park Interpretation Center to the limit of road traffic, you can travel a few kilometers on a dirt road. In this place you take a path that leads to the hermitage of San Bartolomé, one of the most important enclaves of the Templar order and which can be visited.
The path then winds between old specimens of sessile juniper. The Soria forests of this scaly evergreen tree are among the best preserved on the planet. You have to ford the river several times and overcome a small topographical difficulty using a rustic wooden ladder. After continuing for several kilometers along the bottom of the canyon and discovering a new area of pine forests, you reach the so-called Seven Eyes Bridge. From this point, the canyon becomes narrower and steeper and very quickly enters the province of Burgos.
The most enthusiastic visitors can reach Hontoria del Pinar without much effort, where a Roman bridge marks the end of the route. To come back, it’s best to retrace what you did. Another solution is to have a support and return vehicle by road.
From there, you will be able to fully appreciate the grandeur of this canyon of karst origin (due to the action of water). Its limestone walls, almost 200 meters high, have been shaped by erosion phenomena, giving rise to beautiful and capricious relief forms.
Three towns near the Lobos River Canyon
We encourage you to visit three locations located around the Lobos River Canyon. You can stop there to regain your strength, while enjoying its rich heritage and history:
- Ucero: It is a municipality known for being the gateway to the Lobos River Canyon, so it may be interesting to visit it before this natural heritage. 72 kilometers away, you can reach Ucero from this Castilian-Leonese capital by taking the N-122 to Burgo de Osma and from there turn right to take the regional road SO-920. Its castle, to which tradition attributes a Templar origin, is worth a visit. From where it is located we will have an excellent viewpoint to contemplate the town of Ucero itself as well as part of the Cañón del Río Lobos Natural Park.
- Hontoria del Pinar: It is a town in the southeast of Burgos that became famous in 1884 for having installed the first resin factory in Spain. Framed by the Sierra de Demanda, it is also home to old flour mills and the Navas del Pinar kaolin washers. In addition, its visitors like to visit the Roman bridge or bell tower over the Lobos river, two of the three arches of which rest on a rock coming from a mountain waterfall, and the parish church, of Romanesque plan and in which the altarpiece stands out. main. from the 17th century. Also important are the hermitage of San Juan, the scroll and the Fuentona. The Black and White caves, karst type, are very popular with speleologists.
- San Leonardo de Yagüe: This town is located at the crossroads of the roads that connect Burgos and Soria. At its entrance awaits you the Arch, the only vestige of the existence of the walls which protected the city. Equally important are the remains of the Romanesque church, from the 11th and 12th centuries, which can be visited in Arganza. Stroll along Calle de la Fuente if you want to appreciate two 18th and 19th century houses with totally Basque architecture. The church dedicated to San Leonardo Abad is another important point. It was rebuilt in the 17th century in the Herrerian style, but with a Gothic touch. Just enter to appreciate the wooden torso of Ecce Homo attributed to Gregorio Fernández, one of the most talented image creators.
