Sierra Nevada National Park

Parque Nacional de Sierra Nevada

Sierra Nevada National Park (Spanish: Parque nacional de Sierra Nevada) is a national park located in the Sierra Nevada within the provinces of Granada and Almería in Andalusia, Spain. It was declared a national park on 14 January 1999. It stretches from the Alpujarra to El Marquesado and the Lecrín Valley, covering a total area of 85,883 hectares, making it the largest national park in Spain until the expansion of the Cabrera Archipelago Maritime-Terrestrial National Park from 10,021 to 90,800 hectares in 2019.

It incorporates the municipalities of Abla, Abrucena, Alboloduy, Alsodux, Bayárcal, Beires, Canjáyar, Fiñana, Fondón, Laujar de Andarax, Nacimiento, Ohanes, Paterna del Río, Rágol, Las Tres Villas, Aldeire, Alpujarra de La Sierra, Bérchules, Bubión, Busquístar, Cáñar, Capileira, Dílar, Dólar, Dúrcal, Ferreira, Güéjar Sierra, Huéneja, Jerez del Marquesado, Juviles, Lanjarón, Lanteira, Lecrín, Lugros, Monachil, Nevada, Nigüelas, Pampaneira, Pórtugos, Soportújar, La Taha, Trevélez, Valor and La Zubia.

Geography

The Sierra Nevada National Park stretches from the Alpujarra to El Marquesado and the Lecrin Valley, covering a total area of 85,883 hectares, There are more than 20 peaks over 3,000 meters, with the highest being Mulhacén (3479 m), Veleta (3396 m) and Alcazaba (3371 m). The rivers that rise on the north face of the range feed the Guadalquivir basin, the most important ones being the Fardes and Genil. Meanwhile, the rivers that rise on the west and south faces run down into the Mediterranean. These include the Dúrcal, Ízbor, Trevélez and Poqueira, which are all tributaries of the Guadalfeo, which itself rises in the Sierra Nevada, and the Adra and Andarax, with their tributaries. The south and west faces are where you will find the majority of the almost 50 high-mountain lakes that exist in the Sierra Nevada, many of which are also the sources of streams and rivers. Much of the landscape, particularly above 2,400 metres (which was the perpetual snow line prior to the Holocene period) was shaped by the action of glaciers, resulting in characteristic U-shaped valleys.

Activities

The Sierra Nevada Ski Station, which hosted the Alpine World Ski Championships in 1996, is Europe's southernmost ski resort. Thanks to its high altitude, the skiing season can last from late November until the start of May.

Bases for hiking or bird-watching in the Sierra Nevada include Capileira, Trevélez, Monachil, Güéjar Sierra and Bubión. It is relatively easy to reach the summits of Mulhacén and Veleta, whereas Alcazaba is slightly harder to reach. Dotted around the Sierra Nevada there are a number of mountain cabins ("refugios") designed for the use of hikers. The three staffed cabins charge a small amount for overnight stays. There are a further six unstaffed cabins in a reasonable state of repair, which are free of charge.