Barranco de los Cernícalos: Gran Canaria's Greenest Ravine Walk

What Barranco de los Cernícalos Actually Is

Barranco de los Cernícalos is a deep natural ravine on the eastern flank of Gran Canaria, cutting roughly 12 km from the volcanic crater basin of the Caldera de Los Marteles down toward the coastal town of Tecén in Telde municipality. The section most walkers follow is the lower gorge, accessed from the recreational area at Los Arenales del Lomo Magullo, and forms a 7 km out-and-back route rated low to medium difficulty by Telde municipal tourism (around 4 hours).

What makes this ravine different from most of Gran Canaria's barrancos is simple: water. A permanent stream runs along the valley floor even in dry summer months, fed by the elevated catchment area of the Reserva de Los Marteles, a protected space covering 3,568 hectares above. That constant moisture sustains a corridor of subtropical laurel forest, tree ferns, mosses, and flowering plants that feel closer to a cloud forest than the parched hillsides typical of the island's east coast. The name itself refers to the common kestrel (cernícalo in Spanish), a bird still spotted hunting above the canyon walls.

The Walk: What You See and When

The trail begins at the Los Arenales recreational area, a shaded picnic zone with basic facilities including benches. The path descends almost immediately into the ravine, and within the first ten minutes the temperature drops noticeably as the canyon walls close in. The sound of the stream — sometimes a trickle, sometimes a proper rush after winter rain — is constant company from this point onward.

Through the first kilometre, the vegetation shifts from scrubby hillside shrubs to proper forest canopy. Ferns spill over the rock faces. The path is mostly flat along the valley floor, crossing the stream on simple stepping stones at several points. Waterproof trail shoes are a sensible choice, particularly between November and March when the water level rises.

Further into the gorge, the canyon narrows and the light changes quality. Morning visits mean shafts of direct sun hitting the upper canyon walls while the floor stays cool and partially shaded. By midday in summer, the lower sections see more direct light and the temperature rises accordingly — this is when an early start genuinely pays off. The route reaches small cascades at points deeper into the ravine, and these pools are where most walkers choose to stop, eat, and turn back.

In winter and early spring, after significant rainfall, the waterfalls along the ravine run with real volume. The stream crossings require more care during these periods, but the visual reward — a genuinely lush, water-filled gorge on a sun-baked Atlantic island — is considerable. Summer visits are quieter in terms of water flow but still green and pleasant given the forest shade.

Ecology and Protected Status

Barranco de los Cernícalos sits within or adjacent to the Reserva de Los Marteles, one of Gran Canaria's protected natural areas. The ravine ecosystem functions as a refuge for plant species that require consistent moisture, including species of laurel, tree heath (Erica arborea), and native ferns. This type of subtropical laurel forest, known as laurisilva, was once widespread across the Canary Islands and Macaronesia before human settlement reduced it dramatically. Walking through the barranco offers a rare sense of what Gran Canaria's interior valleys looked like before agriculture and urbanisation reshaped them. If you find this kind of endemic vegetation compelling, the island's Jardín Botánico Viera y Clavijo near Las Palmas provides excellent context on Canarian flora.

Wildlife is present but unobtrusive. Kestrels are the headliners, visible above the canyon rim in the early morning. Chaffinches, robins, and Canary Islands chiffchaffs move through the lower canopy. The stream itself supports aquatic invertebrates and occasional frogs. The key rule for wildlife observation is the same as in any sensitive canyon: stay on the path, keep noise low, and move slowly in the first and last sections of the walk.

Practical Walkthrough: Getting There and Starting Out

The most straightforward access is by car. From the GC-1 motorway on the east coast, take the Telde exit and follow signs toward Lomo Magullo via the GC-131. From there, the GC-132 leads directly to the Los Arenales recreational area and its car park. The drive from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria takes approximately 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic, in line with local route descriptions.

Bus access is limited. Public transport on Gran Canaria is operated by Global (Guaguas Global), and while the network reaches many interior areas, the specific connection to Los Arenales requires checking current timetables on the Global website before your visit. If you are planning a longer day combining this walk with other eastern or central attractions, a rental car opens up significantly more flexibility. The island's guide to getting around Gran Canaria covers transport options in detail.

At the trailhead, a basic information board marks the route. The path is well-worn and generally easy to follow. Navigation is not complex on the main out-and-back route, but the ravine does branch in places — keeping the stream on one side as you ascend is a reliable orientation cue. The trail is not waymarked to the same standard as some of Gran Canaria's official GR routes, so downloading an offline map via Wikiloc or a similar app before setting off is practical advice, not paranoia.

Photography and Sensory Notes

The ravine is photogenic in a specific and understated way. It does not offer panoramic views or dramatic cliffs. What it offers is texture: the deep green of wet moss on dark volcanic rock, the silver thread of moving water over smooth stones, filtered light through overhanging fern fronds. A wide-angle lens or a phone with a good low-light camera captures the atmosphere of the enclosed gorge sections better than a zoom. The most compelling frames are often simple ones: the stream over stepping stones, condensation on leaves, or the canyon walls framed by tree canopy above.

Morning light, particularly in spring and autumn, enters the upper canyon walls at a low angle and creates a warm glow against the green vegetation. The lower forest floor stays cool and diffusely lit throughout the day, which actually works in favour of photography by reducing harsh contrast. This is not a sunset-view location; there is no meaningful vista from the trail floor. Plan for morning or midday light and adjust expectations accordingly.

How This Fits Into a Wider Gran Canaria Itinerary

Barranco de los Cernícalos works well as a morning activity paired with an afternoon in the Telde area or a return to Las Palmas. The ravine sits on the eastern side of the island, which means it pairs logically with other eastern or central-island experiences. From Los Arenales you are within reasonable driving distance of the volcanic landscapes of the Bandama Caldera to the north and the archaeological site at Tufia closer to the coast.

If you are structuring a multi-day itinerary that balances coast and interior, the ravine slots naturally into the same day as Las Palmas cultural attractions. The historic district of Vegueta is under an hour's drive from the trailhead, making a walk-then-city-afternoon combination entirely feasible. For hikers wanting to compare different landscape types, the contrast between this lush ravine and the stark volcanic highlands around Roque Nublo sums up Gran Canaria's microclimate diversity more effectively than any description.

Travellers who will not enjoy this walk: anyone expecting maintained tourist infrastructure, a cafe at the end, or a viewpoint. The ravine is a natural trail with basic facilities only at the start. People with limited mobility will find the stepping stone crossings and uneven path surface challenging. If green forest scenery does not itself motivate a 7 km walk, this is probably not the right attraction.