Sentero de los Roques de Garcia

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Undoubtedly one of the most interesting hikes for those who don't have much time. Views of Mount Teide, lava flows, "Wild West" rock formations. You'll get an overview of the area's panoramas in a hike that's accessible to all.

Details

n°37390128
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 3.70 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 152 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 155 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,175 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2,020 m
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Photos

Mount Teide
Los Roques trail
Roques de Garcia in the foreground, Teide in the background
Lava flow

Description of the walk

_Start:_Park in the car park.

(S/E) Leave with your back to the road and quickly reach a fork in the road.

(1) Turn diagonally right to reach the viewpoint: this path is mostly used by those who don't plan to walk for long.

(2) Descend back to the fork.

(3) Take the S3 path to the left. The first section is well laid out and accessible to people with limited mobility or baby carriages. Reach a junction and follow the well-marked S3 to the left to reach the S3/S23 junction.

(4) Continue left on the S3 path.

(5) Turn left again to rejoin the original junction after a short climb.

(1) Go straight ahead to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 2,138 m - Parking roques de Garcia
  2. 1 : km 0.15 - alt. 2,136 m - Crossing the loop
  3. 2 : km 0.23 - alt. 2,145 m - Belvedere
  4. 3 : km 1.56 - alt. 2,172 m - S3/S23 junction
  5. 4 : km 2.89 - alt. 2,021 m - Branch
  6. S/E : km 3.7 - alt. 2,139 m - Parking roques de Garcia

Notes

_Start:_Park in the car park.

_Recommendation:_Bring water as there is no shade on the route.
Start in the morning or around 4 p.m. to avoid excessive heat.

_Gears:Walking shoes recommended, as the terrain is a little slippery on some parts of the route.

Worth a visit

Breathtaking view of Teide and lava flows. Don't forget your camera!

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 20 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
Gaga42
Gaga42

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 22, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Reading reviews from fellow hikers always pays off:
This hike is magnificent, but
1) it is indeed preferable to arrive early (we were there around 10 a.m. in January and parking spaces were already hard to find)
2) Listen to the wise and turn the other way, because finishing with the big climb is no joke!
Otherwise, it's very well marked and maintained, and the scenery will take your breath away.

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MGR Moustache
MGR Moustache
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A must-see. Superb views of Mount Teide, of course, but that's not all. Majestic rocks, some of which look like works of art. And in the background, a deep blue sky with crystal-clear visibility (at least on the day we were there...).
The car park is probably very often full, but even on a Sunday, as was the case for us, with a little patience and luck, you can find a space that becomes available.
Looking at the contour lines, you can see that the last climb on the way back is quite steep. You can get an idea of this from the start because you can see the path.

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User 7003640

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

It's difficult to park even in the morning...you have to wait for someone to leave to get a space.

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Dom et Vero
Dom et Vero

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We went hiking in the afternoon, so it was difficult to find parking. The hike started off relatively gently, but then we realised that we were descending more than we had climbed... In fact, there are two tough climbs at the end that aren't for everyone, because when it's hot, they're quite difficult to climb. The landscape is really worth the detour; it's magnificent, with beautiful lava flows and majestic peaks.

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Berpin
Berpin

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Easy hike but a bit steep at the end. Should you do it the other way round?
Beautiful rock formations and great views of the summit of Mount Teide, especially in full sunshine.
Not easy to park as there are lots of people at the viewpoint (start of the hike).

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charluspop
charluspop

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

To save money, it's best to take the path clockwise, so the descent is quick and the ascent more gradual.
My opinion: it's a short but compulsory trail.

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HACKENHEIMER
HACKENHEIMER

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful circuit with fantastic rocks, but very crowded, especially on the first part.

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Cicindèle
Cicindèle

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We completed this loop in the clouds, which gave the landscape an unreal, lunar appearance. We came back soaking wet . It's best to be well shod, although it's easy to follow the path: medium difficulty. The rocks along the way are impressive.

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LoranP
LoranP

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

This is THE hike on theTeide, so it's very busy and difficult to park.
You have to walk the whole way, and it's impossible to get lost.
Much more difficult than expected, especially at the end if you take the path the wrong way round!

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jeanpaulchauvin
jeanpaulchauvin

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

If you're not a goat, this is not an easy hike, but at least of medium difficulty. Otherwise, a fine walk.

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lauralexia
lauralexia

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I did this hike at the end of August and at the end of the day we didn't meet anyone on the trail. Doing this hike at the end of the day meant we didn't get too hot while enjoying the scenery, which is quite extraordinary. It's a short hike but well worth it. At the return point we were able to enjoy the sunset over the volcano, a sight that attracts many people.
I highly recommend

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luter56
luter56

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A relatively short hike with a good climb to the finish and magnificent views of Teide and ancient craters.

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Ptibusy
Ptibusy

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very well-marked 2-hour circuit! It's amazing!

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Laurenger
Laurenger

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

This is route no. 3 on the Teide trails, and it is perfectly maintained. The final climb is fairly steep and sunny, but not particularly difficult. At point 4, it is possible to reach the Mirador de Ucanca 1.8 km away (path S-26). You don't have to go all the way up, but the view from this vantage point offers a great overview of the area and its special geological formations.

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Gerecht
Gerecht

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I'm not very used to hiking yet, but I'd rate this hike as moderately difficult rather than easy. It's a very popular hike at Christmas time, as is the whole of Teide.

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