Palomas Pass Road, from Zahara to Grazalema

The CA-9104 is the mountain road that links Zahara de la Sierra with Grazalema, crossing the Sierra del Pinar by the Palomas pass. It is not an outing in itself but the backbone of the northern part of the park: from it leave the Garganta Verde trail, the Llanos del Rabel trail and the Pinsapar trail, and along its route the official park map marks two viewpoints, the Acebuches pass and the Palomas pass. It is narrow, with sharp bends and steep gradients, so allow a good half hour by car, and stop only where there is room.

The route, from north to south

Leaving Zahara, the road climbs through olive groves and scrub with the Zahara-El Gastor reservoir behind you. The first high point is the Acebuches pass, at 729 metres according to the map of the Llanos del Rabel trail; here is the first viewpoint and, very close, the start of that trail, a track that heads towards the fir forest along the north face of the sierra. A little further on the Garganta Verde trail leaves, at the Descansadero area.

From there the road climbs in loops to the Palomas pass, which the Junta's mapping places at 1,189 metres. Here is the second official viewpoint: to the north you see the valley you have just climbed and, in good light, the reservoir; to the south, the limestone peaks around Grazalema. Past the pass, the road descends towards the Pinsapar access and ends at the A-372, 1.5 km from Grazalema.

What to see on the way

What makes this drive special is the landscape of the park's Reserve Zone: limestone walls, scree slopes and, in the shade of the Sierra del Pinar, the Spanish fir forest, the fir that grows naturally only in these sierras and in the Serranía de Ronda. From the viewpoints it is easy to see griffon vultures; the Junta explains that the walls of the nearby Garganta Verde hold one of the largest colonies in Europe.

Tips for driving it

Take it slowly and give way calmly on the narrow sections. Park only at the viewpoints and in the trail car parks, which are small; the one at the Llanos del Rabel has about 5 spaces. In fog or ice on the upper part, it is better to leave it for another day. If you plan to do one of the trails that need a permit, request it beforehand at the El Bosque visitor centre.

Combine it with Zahara de la Sierra at the start or end of the day, or with one of the routes that leave from it: the Garganta Verde if you want a canyon, the Llanos del Rabel to go with children and El Pinsapar to step into the forest.