Ruta del Gollizno is one of the most beautiful and underrated hikes in the province of Granada (have I said that about a few other hikes too? Probably!)
Following a deep river gorge, crossing a hanging bridge, and a path pinned on the gorge wall, it’s a fabulous adventure.
I had this Ruta del Gollizno hike on my bucket list for a few years before I finally got there and experienced it myself.
It certainly deserves a 10/10 though the river was disturbingly dry (as in so many other places in Andalucia these days.)
Read on for a complete hiking guide with everything you need to know to hike Ruta del Gollizno, Moclín, Granada.
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Table of Contents
Practical information
- Province: Granada
- Length: 8 km
- Time: 3-4 hours
- Elevation: 405 meters
- Altitude: 1000 meters
- Route: Circular
- Difficulty: Medium
- Hiking season: September to June (too hot in summer if the river is dry)
- Hiking with dogs: You can hike with dogs, but there are pine trees, so avoid January until summer as there can be Pine Processionary Caterpillars on the route.
How to get to Olivares/Moclín
The best way to reach the trailhead whether you start in Olivares like we did or you start in Moclín, is by car. We parked by the trailhead in Olivares.
Driving up from the village, you reach a small group of houses where there’s space for a few cars to park on a dirt area. From there, you just walk behind the houses where the trail starts.
However, unlike many other hikes in Andalucia, you can also reach it by bus from Granada. The bus ride is about 1.5 hours. Check out the bus tables here.
If you travel by bus, I actually recommend that you start the hike in Moclín and not in Olivares as we did, because it’s a bit of a walk from the town of Olivares to the trailhead.
In Moclín, on the other hand, you can choose whether you walk the trail backward from the top of the village or if you start the walk down to Olivares trailhead and do the same loop as we did.
The image below is the start of the trail when you walk in the opposite direction than we did – from Moclín.
If you do the same route as us, you can follow the Wikiloc trail that I recorded (don’t mind all the wandering around in Moclín – it’s just me forgetting to pause the app when I get excited to explore the village!)
Also don’t mind the time we took on the route, because we stopped everywhere to film and take pictures for the blog and for YouTube as well as long food stops along the route and in Moclín. The actual hiking time you can expect is 3-4 hours with normal lunch breaks.
When is the best time to hike Ruta del Gollizno
You can hike Ruta del Gollizno all year round. However, I found it very hot in summer as the river was dry. I had expected to be able to swim along the way, so was prepared for that, but bad luck has it that there’s drought in Andalucia and this river was reminiscent of a desert.
As all river and waterfall hikes in Andalucia, this will be most beautiful after heavy rainfall and spring is a great time of the year due to all the wildflowers.
That said, I’d say the best season for hiking Ruta del Gollizno is between mid-September and mid-June.
If you hike with dogs, be cautious of pine processionary caterpillars between late December and late spring.
What to bring
When I was there in July, there was nowhere to fill up water or take a dip for us humans. Ayla jumped into a couple of places to drink, but most of the water we came across was still and had a dirty green layer – basically disgusting.
With this in mind, bring plenty of water, wear a hat, and also plan for some extra water to pour over your head and neck on a hot day.
Generally, pack the basics for a day hike. I also recommend bringing a good zoom lens for your camera in case you’re as lucky as us to see mountain goats.
Large packs were running around and we got pretty close to some of them which curiously stood near the trail looking at us.
While there’s never a guarantee of seeing wild mountain goats, it was clear that many lived in the area. Also, be mindful of the 7 Leave No Trace Principles, and don’t feed or try to go near them in any way.
THINGS TO BRING
- lunch
- fruit or other snack
- water
- hat/cap
Where to stay
When hiking Ruta del Gollizno, the best place to stay is Moclín, or alternatively Olivares. However, you can easily go on a day trip from Granada to do the hike too if you prefer a bigger city.
Here are a few options in Moclín:
Hiking Ruta del Gollizno
As mentioned before, we started the hike in Olivares.
Note, that you can hike from Moclín either by starting direction Olivares (last part of the trail I’ll describe and continue doing the same loop as we did back to Moclín, or walking the opposite direction from the chapel on top of the hill in Moclín.
I will decribe the route as we did it, but divide it in two parts, so you can start either in Olivares or Moclín.
CHECK OUT OUR HIKING ADVENTURE ON YOUTUBE
From the trailhead in Olivares to Moclín
From the trailhead in Olivares, you’ll follow a short stretch of road (with a fancy, black sign saying Ruta del Gollizno.)
Shortly after, you’ll pass”through” a house. At the fork right after, keep right onto a track leading into a forested area with the river to your right.
Continue on this track until the first bridge on your right. Cross it and continue on the trial on the other side of the river. After a bit, you’ll come to another fork where you need to take left to continue toward the river again.
You’ll pas a natural water source where you can fill up water and a viewpoint where you can see Moclín Castle on top of the mountain.
The path becomes a bit more rocky and the nature looks more wild as the ravine opens up in front of you and you get to yet another fork with a sign pointing to Ruta El Gollizno to the left.
Not long after, you’ll reach the hanging bridge. In my humble oppinion, it was a bit more squeeky than I liked and so was the path pinned to the mountain wall after crossing.
But even so, it was safe,
Don’t get me wrong! This is the coolest part of the trail! I reminds a bit of a mini Caminito del Rey but more wild.
After this short section, continue on the trail as it takes you through a small forested area and up the hill as it loops around it. The views open up as you reach the other side of the hill.
From there, you’ll soon reach a small piknic area which is really nice with natural spring water (we didn’t try the water!)
After this spot, there’s a short walk to a track where you’ll turn left and soon you’ll walk uphill inside a pine forest. Don’t forget to turn around to enjoy the views!
Once you reach the top of the hill, the views open up in front of you and you’ll continue to the right until you reach Moclín and the small white chapel where the hike starts in the opposite direction when hiking from Moclín.
From Moclín to the trailhead in Olivares
Once you reach Moclín, there are restaurants and bars if you need something cold to drink or a bite to eat before you continue.
You’ll need to cross the village to reach a dirt track with another “Ruta del Gollizno” sign. Follow this track all the way down to the starting point.
It goes past some farms and through a small pine forest as the track winds down. You’ll be treated to incredible views.
Once you come closer to the trailhead in Olivares, you’ll see a cluster of houses and an open parking space. If you started in Moclín, follow the descriprion above on how to get back to Moclín. You can also check out our YouTube video of the hike.
OTHER HIKES IN GRANADA
- Ruta de Los Bolos
- Barranco de la Luna
- Vereda de la Estrella
- Siete Lagunas
- Cahorros de Monachil
- Mulhacen
- Pico Veleta
Reflections on Ruta del Gollizno hike
Despite the hanging bridge being a bid squeeky, this hike deserves a mention among the best hikes in Granada.
I really enjoyed it and if you’re looking for an adventure that’s a bit off the beaten tourist track that combines river, hanging bridges, gorge, beautiful landscape, castles, and whitewashed villages, this is a fantastic option.
Not only that, but many similar hikes are hard to reach by public transport, but this one is actually possible to do on a day trip by bus travel from Granada.
Happy hiking!
