Los Roques de Garcia Path

Municiality: La Orotava

Aproximate duration: 01.30

Maximun height: 2189m

Minimun height: 2023m

Distance: 3,51km

Area information

The formation of these Roques is due to alignments of dykes, pythons and stacks of various volcanic materials, forming a wall that separated the two Calderas of Las Cañadas. Today it is eroded. 

This area is the most photographed place of the park, being able to have a perspective of the Teide along with Los Roques; of the Teide with the Finger of God (Roque Chinchado, the image of the old bill of 1000 pesetas), and to see the Llano de Ucanca.

The vegetation is composed by brooms (Eline microphylla), Tajinaste (Echium), elbows (Adenocarpus viscosus) and walnut trees (Erysimum scoparium) mostly.

The fauna is composed by lizards and beetles.

In the area it is possible to find the Pahoe Hoe and AA lava, which intersect along the route.

Description of the path

We are in the TF-24 of the Cañadas del Teide. Right where the Roques de García lookout spot is, on the other side of the road where the Parador is located. 

At this point you always find a lot of people (since there are the viewpoints) but the trail is not so busy (or at least when we did it).

We can leave the car in the parking lot, or we can get there with lines 348 (from Port) and 342 (from Adeje).

We started the trail going into Los Roques, just for that there is an area for disabled people, of about 12 minutes of duration. From this trail you can also access to the trail that goes up Pico Viejo.

It is a circular path and in the first flat stretch, the ground is not abrasive, being able to walk comfortably and with enough space

This first part is finalized, when we arrive at the point where the fork in the trail of Pico Viejo is located; and at the end of Los Roques we have already made the route back.

We start to descent in this second part of the trail, having to reach the feet of the cathedral (rocky formation that is located in Llano Ucanca and looks like a cathedral). 

On this descent the path is not as limited as the beginning (or we thought) and we stepped on the Pahoe hoe lava. It is not a descent as a great slope, but it is always necessary to be wide awake. 

At the end of this stretch, we arrived at the cathedral and from here we started to ascend to the viewpoint again. 

This third and last part is a zigzag slope where you have to go on single file. We go up to the side of the cathedral, passing in this stretch of being at the feet of it, to overcome its height.