Sierra de las Nieves National Park: A Hidden Gem in Andalucía
Extending northwest from sunny Málaga and southeast from the white town of Ronda, near Marbella in far-southern Spain, the serene Sierra de las Nieves has finally received official approval as a national park following extensive campaigning by local communities. The Parque Nacional Sierra de las Nieves is now Spain’s 16th national park, marking a significant addition to the region and a beacon of hope for the revival of this rural area.
Often dusted with snow in deep winter, this sparsely populated mountain wonderland has been designated as a protected 201-sq-km natural park since 1989 and has been a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve for 25 years. The newly declared national park is home to around 1000 ibex, roe deer, otters, various raptors including golden eagles, and enchanting oak and cork groves. Notably, its rare, ancient pinsapos (Spanish firs) stand as relics from the Iberian Peninsula’s Ice Age, found only in select regions of southern Spain and northern Morocco. Approximately 65% of Spain’s pinsapos thrive within the Sierra de las Nieves, with the most famous being the Pinsapo de las Escaleretas, estimated to be between 350 and 550 years old.
The establishment of this national park encompasses 230 sq km of rugged Málaga mountains. Importantly, investments are being directed towards infrastructure such as new visitor centers and tourist offices, aimed at developing responsible tourism that benefits the local community. Visitors can experience thrilling adventures such as hiking to the Sierra de las Nieves’s highest peak, Torrecilla (1919m), or traversing through the picturesque pinsapo forests. Other activities include cycling, mountain biking, climbing, caving, kayaking, horse riding, and canyoning. In the tranquil whitewashed towns of Tolox, Monda, El Burgo, Yunquera, and Istán, travelers can uncover historical remnants dating back to Phoenician times.
The Sierra de las Nieves complements two other esteemed national parks in Andalucía: Granada’s Parque Nacional Sierra Nevada, the focal point for mainland Spain’s highest peak, Mulhacén (3479m), and Huelva’s Parque Nacional de Doñana, renowned for its glittering Guadalquivir wetlands and the endangered Iberian lynx, whose population is gradually increasing. With this addition, Andalucía now ranks second only to the Canary Islands in terms of national parks per Spanish region.
Since the establishment of Spain’s first national park, Parque Nacional de la Montaña de Covadonga in 1918, located in the jagged, lake-sprinkled Picos de Europa mountains, the country has expanded to 11 national parks across the mainland, alongside four in the Canary Islands and one in the Balearics. These parks protect over 4000 sq km of wild terrain and collectively attract over 15 million visitors annually. Before the Sierra de las Nieves claim, the most recently established park was Parque Nacional de la Sierra de Guadarrama, declared in 2013, and the most visited is Tenerife’s Parque Nacional del Teide, welcoming more than three million visitors each year. For additional insights about the Sierra de la Nieves, you can explore its official website.
