# Montanejos The Fuente de los Baños, at 25 °C all year, the Chillapájaros gorge, rafting on the Mijares and waymarked trails, an hour from Castellón and Valencia. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/montanejos · Revisado: 2026-11-13 Montanejos is a village in the Alto Mijares, inland Castellón, where the river leaves a limestone canyon and, a few metres further down, warms up. In the bed of the Mijares the Fuente de los Baños wells up, about 6,000 litres a minute of water at 25 °C all year, forming turquoise pools beneath walls almost 15 m high. There is more around it: the Chillapájaros gorge, with walls over 100 m; the Maimona ravine, with more than 400 climbing routes; the Arenoso reservoir and a network of waymarked trails that leave from the same riverside promenade. It is the clearest Sunday outing for water and mountains from Castellón and Valencia, and a good weekend from Teruel. ## How do you get there from Castellón, Valencia and Teruel? By car, almost always. From Castellón it is about 65 km along the CV-20, via Onda and the Mijares valley: around an hour, with many bends at the end. From Valencia, an hour and a quarter or an hour and a half along the A-23 to Segorbe or Jérica and then the CV-195. From Teruel, a little over an hour and a quarter heading down the A-23. The last stretch is a mountain road: take it easy. ## Where do you park? In the free Corral de Prats car park, whose number of free spaces is published in real time by Visit Montanejos. On hot days it fills early: arrive before 10:00. The hotels in the village have their own solutions: the Xauen has its own free car park 300 m away. From the village you walk to the Fuente along the riverside promenade. ## Do you have to pay for the Fuente de los Baños? Out of season, no: access is free. On the busiest days the town council controls capacity between the Puente Nuevo and the spring. In 2026 these were 20 and 21 June, every day from 26 June to 6 September and 12 and 13 September. On those days the ticket is bought online at visitmontanejos.com or at the ticket offices, and it is advisable to do so three to five days ahead. Rafting with Somos Aventura and some hotels, such as El Palacio, include or arrange the ticket. ## How much time do you need? A day covers the Fuente and a short trail: the family one (4.2 km) or the one to the Aljama castle (6 km, 2 h). With a night you can also do the Estrechos trail, 8.6 km and 460 m of ascent above the canyon, or an activity: class III rafting on the Mijares (from €40, 3 h, from age 8) or guided kayaking at Arenoso (€35, 2 h, from age 5). Montanejos also has a spa for anyone looking for a thermal circuit. ## What else can you do with a guide? The Chillapájaros gorge can also be descended by swimming: the water canyon has no abseils, only currents and optional jumps, from age 12 and from €40. Above that same canyon, Wild Jump sets up a 100 m rope jump. In the limestone of the Mijares there are hundreds of climbing routes, and Máxima Aventura runs introductory sessions and long routes from age 8; the same company takes you to the La Muela and La Mina ferratas, in Villahermosa del Río. Underground, the Cirá de Montán cave is an introductory caving trip from age 8. And if it rains, the Montanejos Spa has thermal sessions from €30 and a family circuit on Saturday afternoons. ## When is it best to go? In spring and early autumn, when you can walk and swim on the same day and the Fuente does not require a ticket. In summer the water is the best in inland Castellón, but with capacity limits and many visitors. In winter the water stays at 25 °C and the contrast with the air makes steam rise from the river: with a good towel and warm clothes, it is the quietest season. ## Where should you eat and sleep? On the Plaza de España, La Taberna serves Mediterranean cooking with tapas, venison and chargrilled steak on a hot stone, and is open on Sunday at lunchtime (closed on Tuesdays). On Calle San Jaime, San Jaime 35 is a family restaurant serving stews. To sleep, the Hotel Rosaleda del Mijares has a lift straight down to the river; the Xauen has a spa and free parking; El Palacio, in the former palace of the Counts of Valterra, is right in the centre; and Camping La Granja, on the Montán road, admits motorhomes. ## Dónde está - Zonas: Thermal getaways - Cerca: Sierra de Javalambre (a 44.8 km), Chulilla (a 55.6 km), Teruel, a Mudéjar City (a 58.3 km), Morella (a 71.0 km) ## Qué hacer - **Fuente de los Baños** (3 h · Everyone; with children, in the shallow areas): At the Fuente de los Baños the Mijares stops being a cold mountain river. A spring wells up in the riverbed at about 6,000 litres a minute and at 25 °C in any season, and as the Arenoso and Cirat dams hold back the cold water upstream, a thermal stretch of nearly a kilometre begins here. The bathing area is over a hundred metres long, wedged in a limestone gorge almost 15 m high, and in the cave of the gorge it reaches three metres deep. A 25-degree swim, in January too The water doesn't change temperature all year. In winter, with the cold air, the contrast sends steam up off the river and the pool is much quieter than in summer: bring a big towel and something warm for getting out. In summer it fills up, hence the capacity control. The depth changes from one stretch to another and in the cave it goes up to three metres: with children, stay near the bank. The bottom is stone. What the water carries The town council describes it as sulphated-magnesium and mixed bicarbonate, of medium mineralisation, with about 700 mg/l. It was declared of public utility by a Royal Order of 13 October 1863, although as early as 1714 a village priest wrote instructions for taking its waters, and Cavanilles described it in 1795 as warm, crystal-clear and odourless. Behind the fountain, with its seven spouts, its tiles and the Montanejos coat of arms made of stones, there is a small cave: it is the main spring. You can drink from the spouts. Tickets and summer capacity Outside the capacity-control dates, access is free and open. On the busiest days the town council regulates entry to the site, between the Puente Nuevo and the fountain; in 2026 these were 20 and 21 June, every day from 26 June to 6 September and 12 and 13 September. On those days the ticket is bought on the Visit Montanejos website or at the ticket booths at the entrances, and the foundation recommends doing so three to five days ahead, because places are released day by day. The website doesn't publish the price. The 2027 dates have not been announced yet. For questions: 964 131 153, WhatsApp 638 90 60 46 or riomontanejos@gmail.com. If you stay at Hotel El Palacio, the hotel arranges your entry for free. Facilities by the pools There are toilets with changing rooms, a bar with a terrace over the river, picnic areas and children's play areas. It has a Blue Flag: it was the first inland beach in the province of Castellón to get one and the only one in Spain on a thermal watercourse. Parking and getting there The free car park the foundation points to is the Corral de Prats one; its website shows free spaces in real time. Parking doesn't give the right to enter the site on capacity days: the ticket is separate. A good way to earn your swim is to do the Estrechos trail first, and if you want to carry on with hot water, the Balneario thermal circuit uses the same water. - **Los Estrechos and Chillapájaros Trail** (3 h 5 · 8.6 km · Walkers; medium difficulty · Self-guided · free): The Estrecho de Chillapájaros, or Los Estrechos, is the canyon the Mijares has carved about two kilometres from Montanejos, with vertical walls over 100 m high and a 25 m gap where the water runs. At its foot is the Cirat dam, which diverts the river's cold water to the hydroelectric power station and stops it mixing with the thermal water that wells up lower down, at the Fuente de los Baños. The Estrechos trail is the way to see it from above, leaning out over the wall. The route It is the SL-CV-E trail, waymarked in white and purple: 8.6 km, 3 h 05 min and 460 m of ascent, of medium difficulty. It leaves from the town's meeting point and goes down some steps to the riverside path, next to the Fuente de los Baños. On the right, beside the ticket hut, you climb in zigzags round the municipal sports centre until you join a path that coincides with the GR-7. Then comes a steep climb to a paved track; you take it on the left and it leads right above the wall of Los Estrechos, with viewpoints over the river. Then the path drops to a bridge over the Mijares: you cross it, turn right and reach the dam's spillway. You go up the paved track to the road, turn left and, just before the tunnel, take the path on the left. After the spillway viewpoint comes a steep climb through a rocky area with delicate passages. At the junction of paths towards El Colladillo, you turn left towards the Cueva Negra and return to the town. Difficulty and when to go It is a route for those who already walk confidently: there are two steep climbs, narrow, sloping stretches and a rocky area that needs care with your hands. It is not the best option with small children; for them there is the family trail, which looks into Los Estrechos from the dam with much less effort. You can take a dog, on a lead. It can be done all year. In summer, set off early: a good part of the climb is in the sun. Bring hiking footwear with a good sole, water and something to eat. Climbing and rafting in the canyon The walls of Los Estrechos have multi-pitch climbing routes known outside Spain, so it is common to see roped parties from the viewpoints. You can also go down the narrows by raft: rafting on the Mijares covers this fast-water stretch between late March and October. Before setting off Leave the car at the free Corral de Prats car park. At the tourist office, at 10 Avenida Fuente de Baños, they have the trail map; it can also be downloaded at visitmontanejos.com with the Wikiloc track. On your return, the Fuente de los Baños is a few steps from the end. - **Aljama Castle Trail** (2 h 5 · 6.0 km · Families with children who walk · Self-guided · free): The El Castillo trail climbs to the ruins of the Aljama castle, a fortification of Muslim origin on top of a hill above the Mijares valley. Visit Montanejos dates it to the 13th century and says that remains of a cistern and two towers survive. It is an approved local trail, the SL-CV-104, waymarked in white and green: 6.04 km there and back, about 2 h 05 min and 386 m of ascent, with low difficulty. It is a good first climb for families with children who already walk, because it is done in a morning and has a reward at the top: the ruins and the view of the town. The route It leaves from the town's meeting point (the "Km 0" of the trails) towards the Maimona bridge and goes down some steps to the Mijares riverside path. You follow the river downstream to the confluence with the Montán river and, from there, go up the Montán to the San José bridge, where the approved stretch of the SL-CV-104 begins. You cross the bridge and pass some corrals to a track junction that the GR-36, the GR-160 and several mountain bike routes also pass through. Take the concrete track on the left, the steeper one, and then the path on the right, which still keeps part of the old paving. The last stretch climbs in gentle zigzags to the top of the hill. The return is the same way, so you can't get lost. What you see at the top What remains of the castle is ruins: the cistern and the bases of two towers, with no interpretation or opening hours, because it is an open site. What justifies the climb is the position: from the top you command the Mijares valley and see all of Montanejos, with the river and the limestone walls around it. There is no shade on the final stretch and no fountains at the summit. Practical tips You can take a dog, on a lead. The route is done all year; in summer, better first thing or at sunset, because the hill is very exposed to the sun. Bring water, a cap and light hiking footwear: the paving and the concrete track are slippery when wet. With children, the riverside path at the start is flat and comfortable, and the slope is concentrated in the last third. To begin, leave your car at the free Corral de Prats car park and walk to the centre. At the tourist office they give you the trail map, which can also be downloaded at visitmontanejos.com, along with the Wikiloc track for each route. What to combine it with On the way down, the riverside path leads towards the Fuente de los Baños, with water at 25 °C all year; on summer capacity days a ticket is needed. If you are looking for another short route for another day, the family trail passes the Cirat dam and the entrance to Los Estrechos. - **Montanejos Family Trail** (1 h 30 · 4.2 km · Families with young children · Self-guided · free): The family trail is the shortest of Montanejos's waymarked trails: 4.2 km, 1 h 30 min and 200 m of ascent, with low difficulty. It carries the code SL-CV-F and white and brown marks. It is the way to show children the Mijares valley without a day in the mountains: in little over an hour they pass a cave, a dam, the entrance to a canyon and a rock shelter, and at the end they can swim at the Fuente de los Baños. The route step by step Like almost all the town's trails, it leaves from the meeting point (the "Km 0" marked by the tourist office). You take the CV-20 towards Puebla de Arenoso, cross the bridge over the Maimona ravine and go up the pedestrian path. The start is on the left, marked with a post, because it is a stretch shared by several trails. After a first climb you reach a fork: go right. The route has three small out-and-back variants, which are what makes it entertaining for children. The first leads to the Cueva Negra. You return to the main path and, going down towards the road, you keep left; you pass a tunnel and go down a paved stretch with steps to the Cirat dam. From there the second variant leaves, on the left, towards Los Estrechos, the canyon where the Mijares runs between walls over 100 m high. Back at the dam, the third variant leads to the Abrigo de Rufino. Then you go down to the riverside path and return to the start or, with a detour of about 200 m to the right, reach the Fuente de los Baños. With children: what to bear in mind The 200 m of ascent is spread between the climb at the start and the variants, so it is best to go unhurried and with water. The stretch of paved steps down to the dam is the most delicate for the smallest; better hand in hand. You can take a dog, on a lead. The route can be done all year, but in summer the heat is fierce in the middle of the day: it is better to set off early or in the late afternoon. Wear closed shoes and, if you plan to finish in the water, swimsuit, towel and water shoes. Getting there and what to combine it with You start on foot from the town centre, so it is enough to leave the car at the free Corral de Prats car park; the tourism website shows free spaces. The tourist office has the trail map, which can also be downloaded from visitmontanejos.com, and each route links to its Wikiloc track. If the children want more, the next step is the Estrechos trail, which climbs above the same canyon, or the Aljama castle trail, also of low difficulty. Bear in mind that on summer capacity days the Fuente de los Baños needs a ticket, bought online or at the ticket booths. - **Rafting on the Mijares River in Montanejos** (3 h · From age 8, able to swim · Desde 40 € per person): What it is The Mijares is, according to Somos Aventura, the only river in the area with enough gradient for rafting. Its descent is class III and combines the raft with aquatic canyoning stretches, with jumps and swimming outside the boat, which are optional. The activity lasts about three hours from when you arrive at the base, with 1 h 40 min to 1 h 45 min in the water. The flow comes from a dam and is regulated, so rain doesn't cancel the outing; the company only cancels it if there is a real safety risk, and then proposes another date or alternatives. Each raft carries up to nine people and a professional guide who steers it; no experience is needed. During the descent there are safety staff on the bank and a path that lets you leave the river if anyone needs to. Price, age and times The price falls with group size: €50 per person for one to three people, €48 for four to seven, €45 for eight to thirteen, €42 for fourteen to nineteen and €40 from twenty. Above thirty people there is one free place for every 25 paid. A private raft, for groups of up to six, costs €340, and must be requested when booking. If anything remains to be paid, it is paid in cash and in exact change before starting. From age 8, you must be able to swim and weigh no more than 100 kg (above that, ask). It is not recommended with recent back, neck or joint injuries or during pregnancy; asthma, diabetes or other conditions should be mentioned beforehand. There are departures at 9:30 and 16:00. The season runs from late March to late October; the website also mentions early November, so it is worth confirming when you book. What's included and where you meet 5 mm wetsuit, approved helmet and life jacket, booties, paddle, guides, safety talk, changing rooms with showers and the van transfer to the river, about six minutes away. It also includes entry to the Fuente de los Baños, which on summer capacity days requires a ticket. You meet at the company's base, at 17 Partida Corral de Prats, with free parking for customers. Bring a swimsuit, a towel, clothes to change into afterwards and trainers that fit snugly and protect your toes: flip-flops, sandals and beach booties are not allowed. Photos are requested and paid for at the end. What to combine it with The river stretch passes through Los Estrechos, the canyon that can also be seen from above on the Estrechos trail. If anyone in the group is under 8, kayaking on the Arenoso reservoir admits children from age 5. - **Kayaking on the Arenoso Reservoir** (2 h · Families; from age 5 · Desde 35 € per person): The Arenoso reservoir is the main water reserve of the province of Castellón: about 7 km long between mountains and forest, with turquoise-blue water you can see from the road. Somos Aventura tours it by guided kayak on two-hour outings, with no previous experience needed, and it is one of the water activities in the area that take younger children: from age 5, who paddle with an instructor. The activity You paddle in stable, self-bailing kayaks, with guides who teach the basic technique and go with the group. The company includes games and group activities, and on clear days it is easy to see vultures soaring over the mountains around the reservoir. For the same price a trail along old paths to a centuries-old cork oak can be added. There are two departures a day, at 10:00 and 16:00, and it costs €35 per person. The listing states a minimum group of more than five people, so if there are only a few of you it is worth asking beforehand whether there is a departure that day. You need to be able to swim or, at least, not be afraid of water. Book online at somosaventura.com or by WhatsApp; the website doesn't publish the seasonal calendar or the exact meeting point, which is confirmed when you book. What's included and what to bring Included are an approved helmet and life jacket, paddle, kayak and the guides. The photos and videos they take during the activity can be downloaded free, although they aren't guaranteed. Separately, and requested 24 hours ahead, neoprene booties (€5) and a two-piece 5 mm wetsuit (€8) can be hired, useful out of summer. Bring shoes that can get wet, swimsuit, a T-shirt for the water, sun protection and, if you have one, a rash vest. A reservoir with a history The dam was built between 1970 and 1977 to regulate the Mijares and irrigate the Plana de Castellón, with water coming down from the Sierra de Gúdar. To build it, the village of Campos de Arenoso, which had been a hamlet of Puebla de Arenoso until 1841, was expropriated and evacuated; its last residents left on 15 July 1977 and the village was demolished. The reservoir has a capacity of 135 hm³, although it is only allowed to fill to 90, and reaches 70 m deep. The dam is of loose materials: clay, gravel and stone. How to combine it The reservoir lies upstream of Montanejos, towards Puebla de Arenoso along the CV-20. Around it there are viewpoints and walking and cycling routes; the Monte La Copa trail, which leaves from the town, has views over the reservoir. After the kayak, the Fuente de los Baños is the natural plan to warm up. With children from age 8, the same company organises rafting on the Mijares. - **Barranco de la Maimona on the Bojera Trail** (3 h 15 · 9 km · Walkers; the bottom of the ravine, experts only · Self-guided · free): The Maimona is a 39.5 km ravine that rises near the Sierra de Pina, in the municipality of San Agustín (Teruel), and flows into the Mijares at Montanejos. Its last stretch, from Los Calpes to the river, is the most spectacular: it opens between reddish walls over 60 m high and narrows in places to less than five. With water it forms pools and waterfalls at different heights; the best known is La Campana, a narrow pool with a large rock wedged above it. To see it without going down to the bottom, Visit Montanejos recommends the Bojera trail. The Bojera trail It is a trail waymarked in white and green, 9 km, 3 h 15 min and 490 m of ascent, of medium difficulty. It leaves from the town's meeting point in the direction of the ravine. You turn left, pass the wooden stairs that go down to the river and go up a paved track that crosses the Las Piedrazas estate. Then you cross a path that connects with the upper part of the town, above the water tank, and a steady climb begins to the upper part of the Maimona, with views of the gorge and the La Rosada peak. The trail continues beside the precipice to a track that descends among pine woods. Further on there is a turning on the right to go down to the bed of the ravine, cross it and climb via El Colladillo. The final descent passes the turning for the Cueva Negra and ends on the CV-20, about 500 m from the town centre. There are exposed stretches beside the drop: with small children, better to choose another route. Pools, water and climbing The flow depends mainly on rainfall, so the pools and waterfalls look best after a few days of rain and can be almost dry in high summer. The ravine can be visited all year. Another way to look into it is to go down beside the Puente Nuevo, at the entrance to the town. The Maimona is also one of the most visited climbing sites in Montanejos: it has more than 400 sport and multi-pitch routes spread over several sectors. The inside of the ravine, with risk zones and difficult terrain, is only for experienced people; it is not a walk for just anyone. Floods on the Maimona have affected the town several times, and in the 1980s a retaining dam was built. How to organise it Wear hiking footwear and bring water and something to eat: there are no marked fountains on the route. In summer it is best to start early, because the climb is long and sunny. Park at the free Corral de Prats car park and ask for the trail map at the tourist office, at 10 Avenida Fuente de Baños (964 13 11 53). To end the day, the Fuente de los Baños is a few minutes' walk away. If you prefer a gorge with higher walls, the Estrechos trail looks into the Mijares canyon. - **Chillapájaros Water Canyon in Montanejos** (2 h 50 · From age 12, able to swim · Desde 40 € per person): You go down the Chillapájaros narrows from the inside, in a wetsuit and helmet, swimming, floating and jumping into the pools of the Mijares. There are no abseils or ropes: it is water canyoning of currents and jumps, and every jump is optional. A canyon you descend swimming The Chillapájaros, or Los Estrechos, is the gorge that the Mijares opens about two kilometres from the village, with walls of more than 100 metres and a 25-metre passage through which the water runs. From above you see it on the Estrechos trail; in the water canyon you are at the bottom. Máxima Aventura describes the route like this: you enter with a slide below the spillway of the Arenoso reservoir, continue with stretches of current, jumps and swimming, there is a stretch where you float between the walls and it ends at the Cirat weir. Somos Aventura adds a water zip line that drops from the top of the canyon into the water. Somos Aventura estimates between an hour and a half and two hours of descent, and about three hours in total with equipment, briefing and transfer. The whole group moves at once, with no queues to abseil, which makes it more dynamic than a rope canyon. Age, fitness and when not to Both companies run it from age 12 and ask that you can swim. Somos Aventura recommends about 13 and leaves the last word to the guide; it asks that you understand Spanish or English and do not exceed 100 kg (above that, ask). Moderate fitness is needed: walking on uneven ground, swimming in pools and climbing the odd rock. It is not for those with serious back, neck or heart problems, for pregnant women or for anyone with a recent injury. If there are children aged 8 to 11 in the group, look at the Centenar canyon, in Zucaina: Somos Aventura runs it from age 8 and Máxima Aventura from 10, with waterfalls of 5 to 16 metres that are descended by abseiling or jumping. And for those from 8 up who want water without a canyon there is rafting on the Mijares. Prices from the two companies At Somos Aventura the price falls with the group: €55 per person if there are one or two of you, €50 for three to four, €45 for five to ten, €42 for eleven to nineteen and €40 from twenty. It includes a 5 mm wetsuit, helmet, neoprene booties, guides, changing rooms, return transfer to the start and admission to the Fuente de los Baños, which on summer capacity days must be bought. There are departures at 9:00 and at 16:00 and they ask you to arrive half an hour early. Máxima Aventura charges €50 for one to two people, €48 for three to six, €45 for seven to twelve, €42 for thirteen to twenty and €40 for more than twenty, with wetsuit, life jacket, helmet, harness, booties, insurance, changing rooms with showers, a photo report and transport from its base. On both, the photos cannot be claimed. Where you meet Somos Aventura meets at its base on partida Corral de Prats, with changing rooms and free parking for customers, and takes the group by van about six minutes to the entrance. Máxima Aventura has its office on the Valencia road, in the centre, and receives river groups at the Las Piedrazas estate. Confirm the place when you book. - **Climbing Introduction and Multi-Pitch Routes with a Guide in Montanejos** (3 h · Introduction with no experience from age 8; multi-pitch routes at V+ level · Desde 40 € per person): Montanejos is one of the sport-climbing areas of the Comunitat Valenciana: hundreds of routes on the limestone of the Mijares canyons, from beginner to ninth grade, and equipped or semi-equipped multi-pitch routes, slab and crack. If you have never climbed, a guide sets everything up and all you have to do is climb. Three ways to climb with a guide The introduction is for people who have never touched rock. It lasts three hours, from 9:30 to 12:30 or from 16:00 to 19:00. The guide sets up easy routes with the rope secured from above (top rope), so that, as the company says, falling is not possible: if you let go, the rope holds you. You start with the easiest and move up in difficulty. The minimum recommended age is 8, so it can be done as a family. The multi-pitch route is a wall of several pitches, with belay stations between them. Máxima Aventura runs them at Montanejos as half-day (4 to 6 pitches) or full-day (7 to 9), and names areas such as the Maimona ravine and the Risco del Morrón. It is not for beginners: it asks that you lead climb comfortably at V+ and be at least 12. Two climbers go per guide at most. The courses have five levels: sport climbing on single-pitch routes, equipped multi-pitch routes, traditional climbing with removable protection, aid climbing and self-rescue. They are 20 hours, two days of eight on rock and four of prior work, with a minimum of two students. What it costs The introduction costs €40 per person in groups of one to five, €37 for six to twelve, €35 for thirteen to twenty and €33 from twenty-one. It includes harness, helmet and climbing shoes, the guide, civil liability insurance and a photo report. On the half-day multi-pitch route, one person alone pays €160 and as a pair, €90 each; on the full-day one, €200 and €110. The personal equipment needed is sent by the company in writing. The courses cost €350 for one person, €200 per head as a pair and €185 with more than three students. Lunch is not included in anything. The rock and the season Visit Montanejos highlights the quality of the rock and a Mediterranean climate that allows climbing for much of the year. Máxima Aventura offers climbing here in both summer and winter: in July and August, the morning shift is better; in winter, the middle hours. The Maimona ravine, with its reddish walls above the village, is also one of the area's walks, along the Bojera path. Where you meet At the Máxima Aventura office, at calle Carretera de Valencia, 14, in the centre of Montanejos, with parking. From there you go to the sector the guide chooses according to the day. For climbing independently, Visit Montanejos refers you to the Destino Climbing sector guide. - **Thermal Circuit at the Montanejos Spa** (Adults; children on the family circuit on Saturdays · Desde 30 € per person): The Fuente de los Baños is the outdoor bath; the Montanejos Spa is the indoor version, with a thermal circuit open to people who are not staying in the village. It opened in 1997 on the Tales road, at the entrance to Montanejos, and works for a rainy day, a winter afternoon or to close a morning on the trail. What is inside In the central area, with views of the landscape, there is a thermal pool, foot bath, contrast showers and a jacuzzi. Added to these are a vaporarium with aromatherapy, pressure jets, hydromassage baths and, on the ground floor, hydromassage showers and air beds. As well as the circuit it offers rheumatology treatments with heat and massage in the water, massages, pressotherapy, parafango and body rituals. Sessions and prices The basic session, €30, gives the thermal session with vaporarium, thermal pool, shower circuit and bed and infrared. The premium, €35, adds the thermal shower and the salt cave. Each session has an assigned time: you must arrive at the spa 15 minutes early. Bring a swimsuit, bathrobe or towel, flip-flops and a swimming cap. The vaporarium has a minimum age: the basic session listing says over-16s and the premium one, adults only. For going with children there is the family circuit: on Saturday afternoons, one hour, €15 for adults, €10 for children aged 4 to 15 and free up to 3. Hours, season and booking Visit Montanejos gives in-season hours of 9:30 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 18:30, every day. The spa's website announces the end of the 2026 thermal season on 16 December and does not publish the opening date for the following year, so confirm it before going. Book on its website, on 964 131 275 or by WhatsApp on 663 932 862. It is worth booking the family circuit: that way you do not wait and you have a time. - **100 m Rope Jump in the Chillapájaros Narrows** (Adults without heart problems or injuries; up to 120 kg · Desde 150 € per person): The rope jump is a leap into the void with a dynamic-rope system: there is no bridge, but a rope installation that the team sets up between the walls of the Chillapájaros narrows. Wild Jump does it from 100 metres high, with 80 of free fall before the rope starts to brake, and Visit Montanejos presents it as the highest rope jump in Spain. How the day works You meet at the meeting point the company gives you and from there they take you to the jump point. Beforehand there is a full technical briefing, the system is adjusted and checked for each jumper and there is supervision throughout the jump. You get two videos: one of your face in close-up and another in 360 degrees from the jump point. Groups are small; there are also private jumps for a closed group, with a date depending on availability. Price and conditions The first jump costs €150 and €130 per person in groups of six or more. The second, €100 if you book on the website and €120 if you decide on the spot. To confirm the booking the company may ask for up to half in advance; the rest is paid there before jumping, by transfer, Bizum, card or cash. The maximum weight is 120 kg. People with epilepsy, heart problems, incompatible injuries or pregnant women cannot jump, nor anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and staff may ask for a medical certificate. The website does not publish a minimum age: ask if you are going with a minor. Jump dates appear in its calendar, and the company may cancel because of bad weather; you can then change the booking within a period of six months. If it seems too much From below, the narrows are done swimming in the Chillapájaros water canyon, and from above, on foot, along the Estrechos trail, which passes the viewpoints over the wall. - **Caving in the Cirá Cave in Montán** (2 h 40 · From age 8, no experience; groups of more than 5 · Desde 40 € per person): The Cirá cave is in Montán, the village next to Montanejos, and is the area's underground outing: a beginner's cave that goes in about 1,200 metres, with stalactites, stalagmites, vaults and passages. Somos Aventura runs it with a guide on 2 h 40 min outings, no previous experience needed. What you do inside No complicated techniques are needed, but you do need hands and feet. You advance secured with ropes on the climbs, the descents and the traverses, and each obstacle tests coordination, balance and orientation. The light is that of the head torch on your helmet. Age, group and price From age 8 and up to 120 kg in weight (above that, ask). The company asks for a group of more than five people; if there are fewer of you, ask whether you can join another. The price drops with the group: €50 per person for one to four, €45 for five to eight, €43 for nine to fifteen and €40 for sixteen to twenty. There are departures at 9:30 and at 16:00. It includes overalls, head torch, helmet, harness and seat protector, professional guides and a free photo or video report that you download from its website. Wear comfortable clothes that can get dirty, trainers and a spare pair, and bring water. For a day without water It is the alternative to rafting and canyoning when you do not feel like getting wet or outside the river season. In the afternoon, the Montanejos Spa or the Fuente de los Baños wash off the mud. - **La Muela and La Mina Via Ferratas in Villahermosa del Río** (From age 12, without vertigo · Desde 50 € per person): Máxima Aventura, based in Montanejos, takes people to two via ferratas in Villahermosa del Río, in the same Alto Mijares, one on each side of the Carbo river canyon. They can be done separately or together in one day with Máxima Aventura. La Muela and La Mina La Muela is a K3, of medium difficulty, 140 metres high with several vertical and horizontal moves. It takes an hour on the route, plus an approach of about 30 minutes from the car park and another half hour of equipment and briefing. The final exit passes beside a small waterfall, with views over the Carbo and Villahermosa canyons. La Mina is opposite and lasts about 45 minutes, plus the half hour of preparation. Halfway round you enter, with your helmet torch, an old copper mine, La Amorosa; then you cross a 20-metre Tibetan-style suspension bridge and do a pendulum. It has no abseil. Price, age and what is included Each costs €50 per person and the two together, about five hours, €90. The minimum group is four: if there are fewer of you, you can join an open group at no cost or pay a supplement. The minimum recommended age is 12, and it is not for pregnant women, people with vertigo or anyone with an injury or incompatible condition, which must be reported. It includes guide, ferrata kit with harness, energy absorber and helmet, civil liability insurance, a photo report and admission to the Fuente de los Baños for the way back. Bring sports clothes, hard-soled trainers, a light rucksack, water and sun cream. The company does not state the meeting point: confirm it when you book. ## Dónde comer - **La Taberna** (Restaurant, Montanejos, €€). Qué pedir: griddled octopus to share and, for a main, the venison fillets with port and cranberries - **San Jaime 35** (Restaurant, Montanejos, €€). Qué pedir: the slow-cooked lamb shoulder or some tripe, and croquettes to start ## By car: Park Once and Walk Everywhere You reach Montanejos by the CV-20 from Castellón and Onda, or by the A-23 and CV-195 from Valencia and Teruel. In the village everything is on foot: the Fuente de los Baños, the square and the trails all leave from the riverside path. Presupuesto orientativo: 60–120 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're driving - **Hotel Restaurante El Palacio** (Small hotel): El Palacio occupies a large house of Arab origin attached to Montanejos's watchtower. After the conquest by James I, in 1237, the house passed to Pedro Ximénez de Valterra, who built the palace of the counts of Valterra on it; in 1838 it passed to the Guillamón-Martín family, who turned it into a hotel in 2002. Today it is run by Elisa and Andrés. It is at 40 Calle San Vicente, right in the centre, three minutes' walk from the Balneario and 3 km from El Chorro. Rooms with a terrace onto the square or the hillside It has 28 rooms integrated into the building's original structure, rustic in character. Its own website distinguishes four types of double. The interior (20 m²) and the standard (22 m²) are for two people, with a double bed or two beds. The superiors, of 24 m² and newly refurbished, have a private terrace: the square one looks onto the square and the church of San Jaime Apóstol and takes three people; the mountain one faces the hillside or the river. All have a full bathroom, air conditioning, heating, TV, free wifi and a hairdryer. Visit Montanejos also mentions triples and quadruples: ask for the combination you need when you book. The apartments For long stays or families there are studios and apartments with a double bedroom or two beds, bathroom, living-dining room with sofa bed and an office kitchen with fridge, microwave and basic utensils. Cleaning and the change of towels and sheets are done every five days; if you want it sooner, it costs €6. Stone-grilled beef and tapas from La Torre bar The restaurant serves from 13:30 to 16:00 and from 20:30 to 23:00, with set menus and a menu of local cooking. The house dish is stone-grilled ox beef, served sliced so you can finish it to your taste. In the La Torre bar they make tapas with Brazilian accents, such as the "Alcachofinho", which won the village's tapas competition; they work with local produce, such as the cachopo from Carnicería Morte or cheeses from Almedíjar. Book a table on 964 131 293. The Fuente and the Balneario, sorted On summer capacity days, the hotel arranges free entry to the Fuente de los Baños for its guests. It also has an agreement with the Montanejos Balneario and sells accommodation packages with the thermal circuit: for example, two nights in a double with half board and two sessions of the circuit. On its own website, the non-refundable rate and stays of two or more nights with half board or full board come with a discount. Bear in mind Pets are not allowed, except assistance dogs and dogs of the Armed Forces and security forces. The website doesn't mention its own parking: the free municipal one is the Corral de Prats. To eat out, La Taberna is on the Plaza de España, about a hundred metres away. - **Hotel Xauen** (Spa hotel): A long-established hotel beside the river The Xauen is at number 26 Avenida Fuente de Baños, the street that runs from the village to the Fuente, beside the Mijares, with more than four decades of family history. It combines three things that go together in Montanejos: nature, thermal waters and adventure. The same family runs other businesses in the village, such as the L'Ermita brewery in La Alquería and several rural lets. The rooms They are outward-facing, with private bathroom with hairdryer, heating, air conditioning, TV, telephone and free wifi, and the hotel says all are accessible. There are six types: single; double with two beds or a double bed, depending on availability; double with river views; double with solarium terrace and river views; double with a folding extra bed, designed for a child; and a family quadruple with four beds, which you request directly from the hotel. The website doesn't publish the number of rooms, fixed prices, check-in and check-out times or pet policy. The spa The spa has a heated pool at 24 to 30 degrees with a waterfall, swan-neck jet and jets, a Finnish sauna, Turkish bath, contrast showers, a foot bath and a relaxation area with heated loungers. The circuit lasts 60 minutes and runs in sessions, subject to change: Monday at 11:00; Tuesday to Friday at 16:45, 18:00 and 19:15; Saturday at 10:00, 11:15, 12:30, 16:45, 18:00 and 19:15; and Sunday at 10:00, 11:15 and 12:30. You book on its website. On weekend mornings it offers, by prior appointment on WhatsApp, a private hydromassage bath for two for 20 minutes for €25, with salts and essences of your choice. The hotel advises against the sauna and Turkish bath for anyone with heart or breathing problems. Eating The hotel restaurant has views of the Mijares and does Mediterranean and local cooking with local produce. It operates every day: buffet breakfast from 8:30 to 10:00, lunches from 14:00 to 15:00 and dinners from 20:30 to 22:00, with a menu of the day, dinner menu and tasting menu. Check whether breakfast is included in your rate. Book a table by phone, on 964 13 11 51, or online. Parking and booking If you book on its website, parking is free: it is outdoors, about 300 metres from the entrance and without a reserved space. Direct booking also includes payment at the hotel, early check-in and late check-out subject to availability and a 5% discount with the code they publish. From the door you can walk to the Fuente de los Baños and the Estrechos trail; for families there is the family trail. - **Hotel Rosaleda del Mijares** (Spa hotel): On the bank of the thermal river The Rosaleda del Mijares is on Calle Tales, on the bank of the Mijares, in the stretch of thermal water that has made Montanejos famous. Its great advantage is direct access to the river by lift: you go down from the hotel to the pools without taking the car. It has a 24-hour reception, terraces with views, rooms for meetings and celebrations, and free wifi throughout the building. The rooms There are five types, with prices from those its website publishes, which vary by date: Standard double: 14 to 20 m², with views of the surroundings, from €74 a night. Double with river view: from €84. Premium double: with balcony, from €94. Triple: for two adults and a child, from €92.50. Quadruple: for two adults and two children, from €103.60. Check-in is from 16:00 and check-out before 12:00. Subject to availability you can keep the room until 14:00, or until 17:00 if you add lunch on the day of departure. Cots are free, but must be requested when booking. Pets are not allowed. Spa, pool and table Outside it has an outdoor pool for sunbathing. The spa has a heated pool with jets and underwater massage, sauna, steam room and bithermal and cold-mist showers. Separately there is a private VIP spa with a jacuzzi with essences, hydromassage with aromatherapy, a triple-sensation shower, a steam room for two and treatment tables with a drink. The massage menu includes chiromassage from €40 for 25 minutes, lymphatic drainage, metamorphic massage and foot massage, with Weleda oils; they are booked with your stay or at reception. Under-16s only enter the spa at set times, with an adult and only to the heated pool. For eating, the main restaurant does home cooking with local produce in two dining rooms, and is booked online. By the river is the River Club, with a chill-out atmosphere and separate booking. There is also a café and takeaway food. Breakfast is served from 8:30 to 10:30. Parking and booking The parking is outdoors, paid, with limited spaces, no reservation or supervision: if you arrive on a summer weekend, go early or use the Corral de Prats car park. The cancellation policy depends on the season and appears in the confirmation email. Book on its website or on 964 13 10 79. The hotel warns that it never asks for payments by email or WhatsApp: be wary of any such message. Who it's for and what's nearby It is the largest of the village's hotels and the one that works best for families, with triples, quadruples and cots. From here you walk to the Fuente de los Baños and the Estrechos trail, and it is a good base for rafting on the Mijares. - **La Granja Campsite** (Campsite): La Granja Campsite sits on one of the slopes of Monte del Castillo, very close to the village. From Montanejos you walk there via the Corral de Prats and the San José bridge, so once the tent is pitched or the motorhome parked, the car can stay still all weekend. It runs on renewable energy, and the Montanejos Tourism Foundation highlights the views it has from the slope. Four ways to sleep It has a motorhome area, pitches for tents, wooden cabins and a glamping area for those who want to sleep in the countryside without pitching anything. The toilet blocks have showers. The campsite doesn't publish the number of pitches, the size of the cabins or what the glamping includes (beds, linen, private bathroom), so ask when you book. Grilled food to order The restaurant works only by prior booking and with dishes ordered in advance. What the house highlights is grilled meat, and it also makes home-style raciones such as garlic prawns or patatas bravas, and homemade desserts. If you arrive late on a Friday, order dinner by phone before setting off; otherwise, you have La Taberna in the village, on the square, a short walk away. What to ask We haven't found a website of its own for the campsite, and the Visit Montanejos listing gives no prices, opening season, or conditions for dogs, electricity on the pitches or waste-water emptying for motorhomes. All of that is sorted out on the phone number it publishes, 633 31 66 35. If you are coming with a motorhome and need specific services, confirm them before you come up. On foot from your pitch The position is the advantage: on the other side of the San José bridge the approved stretch of the Aljama castle trail begins, which climbs to the ruins above the valley. Towards the village, the walk passes the Corral de Prats, where the free car park is, and continues to the centre and the river. The Fuente de los Baños, with water at 25 °C, is upriver, also on foot from the village. ## As a family: Hot Water All Year Montanejos works with children thanks to the water: the Fuente de los Baños is at 25 °C all year and has shallow areas, picnic areas and play areas. With that and a short walk, the day is made. ### What works best The Fuente de los Baños, with picnic areas and children's play areas beside the pools The family trail: 4.2 km and 1 h 30 Guided kayaking at Arenoso, from age 5 The Aljama castle trail, 6 km of low difficulty ### Where to sleep Hotel Rosaleda del Mijares, with a pool and lift to the river La Granja Campsite, with wooden cabins ### Where to eat Picnic at the Fuente's picnic areas La Taberna, on the square ### Bear in mind In summer, the Fuente ticket is bought days in advance Water shoes: the bottom is stone In the gorge cave the water is up to 3 m deep ### Qué hacer as a family - Fuente de los Baños - Aljama Castle Trail - Montanejos Family Trail - Kayaking on the Arenoso Reservoir - Climbing Introduction and Multi-Pitch Routes with a Guide in Montanejos - Thermal Circuit at the Montanejos Spa - Caving in the Cirá Cave in Montán ## With teenagers: Rafting, Canyons and Hundred-Metre Walls For teenagers, Montanejos is the real thing in adventure: class III rafting, canyons with walls over 100 m high and trails with viewpoints over the river. ### What works best Rafting on the Mijares: from age 8, jumps and swimming, with Fuente entry included The Estrechos trail: 8.6 km and 460 m of ascent The Maimona ravine on the Bojera trail Kayaking on the Arenoso reservoir ### Where to sleep Hotel Xauen or Rosaleda del Mijares, by the river La Granja Campsite, with cabins ### Where to eat San Jaime 35: croquettes and sourdough pizzas La Taberna, on the square ### Bear in mind Rafting requires being able to swim and weighing no more than 100 kg The bottom of the Maimona is only for experienced people ### Qué hacer with teenagers - Fuente de los Baños - Los Estrechos and Chillapájaros Trail - Aljama Castle Trail - Rafting on the Mijares River in Montanejos - Kayaking on the Arenoso Reservoir - Barranco de la Maimona on the Bojera Trail - Chillapájaros Water Canyon in Montanejos - Climbing Introduction and Multi-Pitch Routes with a Guide in Montanejos - Caving in the Cirá Cave in Montán - La Muela and La Mina Via Ferratas in Villahermosa del Río ## With friends: A Whole Canyon for the Group Montanejos is one of the few places where a group of friends can chain together canyoning, rafting, kayaking, climbing and via ferrata in a weekend, with a thermal pool to finish. Almost everything is organised by the same people and booked together. A weekend works out perfectly: on Saturday, canyoning or rafting in the morning and the Fuente de los Baños in the afternoon; on Sunday, kayaking or via ferrata before heading back. Most of the activities are introductory and can be combined on the same day, so the group splits up according to each person's mood. For rafting, the price per person drops the bigger the group. ### What works best The Chillapájaros water canyon: about three hours, optional jumps and swimming, from age 12 and from €40 Rafting on the Mijares with Somos Aventura: class III, three hours, from age 8; the price drops with group size, from €50 per person to €40 from twenty Kayaking on the Arenoso reservoir: two hours guided over turquoise water, €35 The via ferratas at Villahermosa del Río, with a Tibetan bridge and a copper mine, from age 12 and from €50 Caving in the Cirá cave and the climbing introduction, from €40 each The 100 m rope jump, from €150 for the first jump, for the brave one in the group The Fuente de los Baños, a pool at 25 °C all year, to recover ### Where to sleep The Camping La Granja, at the foot of the village, with wooden cabins and glamping The Hotel El Palacio, with 28 rooms and apartments in the centre, with entry to the Fuente included The Hotel Xauen, beside the Mijares, with a spa and free parking ### Where to eat La Taberna, on Plaza de España, with tapas, steak cooked on a hot stone and a terrace San Jaime 35, home-style stews, lamb and stone-oven pizzas; closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays ### Keep in mind Rafting, kayaking and canyoning have a season: ask about dates when booking You need to be able to swim for the rafting and the canyons In summer the Fuente de los Baños limits numbers: arrive early ### Qué hacer with friends - Fuente de los Baños - Rafting on the Mijares River in Montanejos - Kayaking on the Arenoso Reservoir - Barranco de la Maimona on the Bojera Trail - Chillapájaros Water Canyon in Montanejos - Climbing Introduction and Multi-Pitch Routes with a Guide in Montanejos - 100 m Rope Jump in the Chillapájaros Narrows - Caving in the Cirá Cave in Montán - La Muela and La Mina Via Ferratas in Villahermosa del Río ## Consejos ### Buy your ticket in summer Three to five days ahead, at visitmontanejos.com. ### Water shoes and a big towel The bottom is rock; in winter it is cold when you get out of the water. ### Arrive early The free car park fills up on hot days. ### Combine water and trail A trail in the morning, a swim when the sun is strongest. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### What temperature is the water at the Fuente de los Baños? 25 °C all year round. ### Do you have to pay to swim in Montanejos? Only on the capacity-control days, from late June to mid-September. The rest of the year access is free. ### How long does it take from Valencia? Between an hour and a quarter and an hour and a half along the A-23 and the CV-195. ### Can you go rafting? Yes, on the Mijares, from late March to late October, from age 8 and if you can swim. Somos Aventura runs it from €40. ### Which trail should you do in Montanejos? With children, the family trail (4.2 km) or the castle one (6 km). With more energy, the Estrechos: 8.6 km and 460 m of ascent. ### Can you go in winter? Yes. The water stays at 25 °C and there is no capacity control.