Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.
The walk
From the car park at the Roque de los Muchachos, 2,426 m, the path heads east along the crater rim, below the domes of the observatory, over the Pico de Fuente Nueva and past the Pared de Roberto, a wall of dark rock that stands across the ridge. It drops to the Mirador de Los Andenes, beside the road, and climbs again along the edge to Pico de la Cruz, 2,351 m. Return the same way.
It is 9.6 km there and back with 344 m of climbing; allow about 3½ hours. The grade is Moderate: a clear path over rock and gravel, up and down all the way.
The edge is unfenced, with a very long drop into the crater: keep back from it in wind. At this height the air is thin and the sun fierce, and there is hardly any water. In winter, northerly storms bring temperatures below freezing and ice on the path: the park warns of the risk of hypothermia and says not to walk on ice.
No booking is needed for cars, but the road up closes for ice, snow and rockfall, as it did in January 2026. The summit car park is small.
Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.
Good to know
- Along the rim of the Caldera de Taburiente from the highest point of La Palma, 2,426 m
- Past the telescopes of the observatory and the rock wall of the Pared de Roberto
- The road up closes for ice, snow and rockfall in winter
- Thin air, strong sun and wind, and very little water
Summits on the way
- Roque de los Muchachos 2,426 m · passed close by
- Cruz del Fraile 2,376 m · passed close by
- Fuente Nueva 2,372 m · passed close by
- Pico de La Cruz 2,351 m
Getting there
Start: Roque de los Muchachos · Free parking. 28.75459, -17.88515
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around La Palma: Booking.com → Expedia →
Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.
