Video: Hiking the Cañón de los Arcos

Position: 40°22’18.1″N 1°34’41.9″W

With our friends Lauren and Wade, we discovered this hike almost by accident. About halfway between historical Cuenca and beautiful Albarracín, Spain, we stopped the car at a bend in the river to stretch our legs. Noticing the trail signs, we strolled off down a paved path towards the Cañón de los Arcos.

Distinguished by a series of bridges and platforms that take you into the heart of the ravine, the hike into the Barranco de la Hoz starts about a mile from the road. Once you cross the river at a ford, the trail leads straight into a series of tall, winding, sheer cliffs with overhangs. Installed five years ago, the platforms allow you to snake around the most narrow and challenging parts of the ravine. It was nothing short of spectacular.

Clearly marked, like most of the hikes we’ve done in Spain, it was a non-stop photo opportunity. On our return leg we took the high road for a different perspective. Not planning ahead, we ran a little short of water. But the river looked clean and fast-moving enough to drink, should push have come to shove. In the cool spring sunshine, dying of thirst wasn’t a serious option.

No one was there to give us COVID-19, either. No doubt the few vultures that circled high overhead hoping for our demise grumbled in frustration. It’s not clear whose crazy idea it was to build this trail, but it was well worth the detour.