Permit for the Trails Through the Reserve Zone

Three of Monfragüe National Park's waymarked trails cross the reserve zone, the most protected part of the park, and to walk them you need prior authorisation, requested online; the Central de Reservas publishes no fee. The Ministry insists that you must carry the permit with you throughout the route. The short and best-known trails, the red one to the castle, the green one to Cerro Gimio and the yellow one to La Tajadilla, do not need it.

The three trails with a permit

• Brown trail, to Serradilla: 14 km, moderate difficulty. It leaves Villarreal de San Carlos and follows the green trail for about 3 km before branching off.
• Purple trail, to Torrejón el Rubio: 13 km one way, moderate difficulty, along the drovers' road that links Villarreal de San Carlos with Torrejón.
• Black trail, Camino de Barbaón: 23.2 km, low difficulty. It leaves the Malvecino car park, a few metres north of Villarreal, and follows the Cañada Real Trujillana.

The authorisation depends on how you go. The Central de Reservas processes separately the purple trail on foot, by bike and on horseback; the brown on foot and by bike (by bike, along the Camino Natural del Tajo), and the black by bike. Choose the right mode when you request it.

How to request it

It is requested at the Central de Reservas de los Parques Nacionales (reservasparquesnacionales.es), in the Monfragüe section, choosing the trail and the mode. At the end you receive a permit number; with it you can check your booking on the same website. Print it or carry it on your phone, but bear in mind that in the park coverage is sometimes limited. The website does not publish how far in advance you must request it or whether there is a quota, so do not leave it to the last minute.

If you have doubts, the Villarreal de San Carlos visitor centre handles information, authorisations and bookings for guided visits, and recommends calling in before you start. Telephone: 927 199 134 and 927 274 974; email, [email protected].

Before you set off

These are long trails. The purple is one way only and ends in Torrejón el Rubio, and the brown leads to Serradilla: plan beforehand how you will get back. The park's rules ask for sports or hiking footwear, plenty of food and water on the long routes, a cap and sun cream in summer and a coat or waterproof in winter. In autumn and winter it gets dark early: work out your return with a margin. Tell someone which trail you are doing and, in an emergency, call 112.

Inside the park you may not leave the paths, light fires, swim or feed the animals; dogs may go if they are on a lead and under control. Bring binoculars, which the park's own rules consider essential for seeing its birds.

To combine with

If you prefer not to go on your own, the park runs free guided activities from March to June and in October, which are also booked at the Central. To sleep near where these trails start, Villarreal has country houses such as the Casa Rural Monfragüe.