Route Summary
This is a moderate walk in a unique natural environment where life flourishes despite the depredations of fairly recent volcanic eruptions and forest fires. There are great views of Montaña Chenyero, El Teide and Pico Viejo along the way.
Duration: 3 hours
Route Overview
Duration: 3 hours.
Transport/Parking: No Titsa bus service. The walk starts and ends at the Los Poleos viewpoint, which is 14 km from Chio on the TF-38 road to the Teide National Park. There is a small parking area at the Los Poleos viewpoint.
Length: 8.270 km / 5.17 mi
Height Gain: 270 meter
Height Loss: 270 meter
Max Height: 1540 meter
Min Height: 1383 meter
Surface: Rough. The walk is mostly on easy forest trails and roads amongst the pine trees. However, the sections of path on the surface of the lava are rough underfoot.
Child Friendly: Yes, but only if children are used to hikes of this distance and overall ascent on rough paths.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Dog Friendly: Yes. On lead at the Los Poleos Viewpoint and near to the TF-38 main road.
Refreshments: Restaurante las Estrellas on the TF-38. Alternatively, in Chio.
Description
This walk undertakes a very scenic circuit of the iconic Montaña Chinyero in the Corona Forestal area, just below the Teide National Park. The volcanic cone of Montaña Chinyero is the site of the last eruption on Tenerife in 1909 when the villages of Valle de Arriba, Santiago del Teide and Las Manchas were in danger of being overwhelmed by lava flow. The walk is mostly on easy forest trails and roads amongst the pine trees, many scarred by forest fire. However, the sections of path on the surface of the lava are rough underfoot. The walk crosses one of the main lava fields emanating from Chinyero and, during the circuit around the mountain, there are marvellous views of the partially collapsed Chinyero volcano, El Teide and Pico Viejo. During the walk you may be lucky, as we were, to observe Blue Chaffinches, a species unique to the pine forests of Tenerife. There are some old photos of the Chinyero eruption in the PDF guide.
Links:
Photos from walk
Download Route Guide (PDF with illustrated Waypoints)
Download GPX file (GPS Exchange Format)
Access Walk on Viewranger
Access Walk on Wikiloc
Walk Tenerife Sur: Under 10 km 