40.78° N · 4.00° W · Navacerrada Pass and Cercedilla
With snowshoes you walk through the pine forests and passes of the National Park when there is snow, with no prior technique. The Navacerrada Spanish Ski School organises guided routes from the pass, and at Valdesquí you can hire snowshoes to go independently.
Who offers it
Independent companies: you book with them, on their terms. Prices are as they publish them and may change.
Snowshoes are the easiest way to get into the snowy sierra without skiing. They spread your weight so you do not sink, and with poles you walk almost as on a path.
The Navacerrada Spanish Ski School, at the pass itself, organises guided snowshoe routes for all levels: gentle walks through the forest and open areas for beginners and families, and longer routes for those seeking something more sporty. Each outing is adapted to the group and the state of the snow. Before starting, the guide explains how to put on and use the snowshoes, the safety rules and the route, and on the way tells you about the fauna, flora and geography of the National Park. The price and time are agreed when you book, on 918 52 03 59.
If you already know the sierra in winter, hire the snowshoes at Valdesquí: €12.50 with poles or €17.50 with boots, in the Cerradillas building, by the car park. At the Peñalara visitor centre, in Cotos, no equipment of any kind is hired. Always keep to marked paths, because in the National Park you may not leave them, and with the weather forecast checked: fog at the pass makes you lose the path in minutes.
For anyone who can walk a couple of hours. With children it works if they already walk well in the mountains; in soft snow they tire sooner than it seems. Sledges are not allowed in any area of the National Park.
Who it's for
What to bring
Map
What you have around the starting point.
More to do
Itineraries
Tips
The school has its building on the M-601 road, 150 metres from the runs.
The car parks at the pass and at Cotos fill up early on snow days.
Questions
No. The guide teaches you how to use the snowshoes before setting out.
At Valdesquí, from €12.50 with poles. At Peñalara no equipment is hired.
In the National Park, always on a lead; ask the school whether it allows dogs on its routes.
Normally from December to March, but it varies a lot from year to year; check the resorts' reports.
Geocaliahttps://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/community-of-madrid/navacerrada-pass-and-cercedilla/things-to-do/guided-snowshoeing-from-the-pass
