Three Crowns: Muganix - Irumugarrieta- Txurrumurru

A round trip to the first two summits of the Three Crowns, plus a third as a preamble.

For the less adventurous, the climb to Txurrumurru requires crossing a rocky bar that can be tricky.

Nevertheless, it's worth the effort to reach the narrow passage between two boulders that gives a view of Lake Endara.

Going to the last summit, Erroilbide, is much trickier and requires experience, which is why it is not mentioned in this itinerary.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 3.43 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 325 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 325 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 783 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 502 m

Photos

Description of the walk

_ Start_: From Irun, head towards the Aiako Harria Nature Park, wind up to the pass and descend to the car park at the Col d'Elurretxe at 490 m.

(S/E) Head for the information panels and follow the path up to the South-East, marked with four coloured stripes.

(1) Take the path marked with a pink dot to the right: it runs alongside a fence and then climbs to the summit, making a first bend to the left and a second to the right.
Reach Muganix.

(2) Descend from the summit along the same path, then head South-East towards the second summit, Irumugarrieta, adorned with a monument to peace (Lurrean pakea).
Be sure to follow the path marked with pink dots; it would be unwise to venture off the marked paths, as the gradient is quite steep to the West.

(3) Descend to the East to find the path to the third summit. Turn right and follow this path through narrow passages between rock and wall. Reach the summit of Txurrumurru, adorned with a metal bird sculpture.

(4) Return by the same route as the outward journey, only avoiding each summit, which must be bypassed to the East by taking the path along a meadow fence before crossing a small wood to return to the pink route of the outward journey.

Return to the car park at the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 502 m - Col d'Elurretxe car park
  2. 1 : km 0.32 - alt. 548 m - Path to the right
  3. 2 : km 1.2 - alt. 725 m - Summit - Muganix
  4. 3 : km 1.56 - alt. 770 m - Summit - Irumugarrieta
  5. 4 : km 1.88 - alt. 746 m - Summit - Txurrumurru
  6. S/E : km 3.43 - alt. 502 m - Col d'Elurretxe car park

Notes

_ Start & Parking_: From Irun, head towards the Aiako Harria Nature Park, wind up to the pass and descend to the car park at the Col d'Elurretxe at 490 m.

Refreshments: No water points on the route, so you'll need to bring your own as it can get hot.

Worth a visit

Don't forget to take a few steps down the path past Muganix to discover the Juncal cave.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 20 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.1 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
Thiech
Thiech

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb hike through the forest to the open summit (short and challenging, significant elevation gain but not difficult) only up to point 3.
Magnificent view of La Rhune and the coast from Biarritz to San Sebastian. You need to follow the Visorando app because the path does not follow the marked trail (4 colours), particularly at one point in the forest where you need to head towards the cross.

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AHa AHa
AHa AHa

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike classified as "moderate", but with some "tricky" sections...

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Castelet
Castelet

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk with stunning views. However, the end is "difficult" rather than "moderate". Indeed, those who are less adventurous should stop before the last peak of the walk.

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Raphaël33
Raphaël33

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

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

A pleasant, accessible hike with beautiful views of the coast and the Pyrenees.
It was a bit difficult to find our way at the beginning as the markings were not great...
I can confirm that it's better to stop at the foot of Txurrumurru with children or if you're not very comfortable, but it's already worth it!

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Viso37
Viso37

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Super hike.
With young children or people who are not sporty or are afraid of heights, stop at the foot of Txurrumurru, where there is already a view of a lake below.
A superb view from the warm-up ridge.

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Domidu4054
Domidu4054

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very interesting route, with a few technical sections.

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vinorando
vinorando

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
We (2 adults) did the whole loop anticlockwise.
Small climbs for hikers with no fear of heights. I wouldn't have gone alone.
But it was a magnificent hike in superb weather. Exceptional views.

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Lorenzo42
Lorenzo42

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Difficult sections at the summit, with hand and foot climbing
The 360° view is well worth the effort
Possibly complicated for children under 6 years old

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Hervé Bignon
Hervé Bignon

With the Visorando application, there's a Go to departure function, so you can get there using your GPS.

What's more, the map shows exactly which car park it is.

I'm not sure what you had in mind when you thought this was an easy, family-friendly route, as it's not described as such at all.
Could you have mistaken it for another?

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patgilou
patgilou

Overall rating : 2.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Impossible to find the start. The photos don't match. The pink point is not invisible on a route that's supposed to be easy, family-friendly, difficult to access and we've never been able to reach the first summits.
There should be more details about the start, as there are plenty of car parks all along this route. What's more, the names should be in Spanish and not French, as the signs are not written in French.

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ziolle
ziolle

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

easy walk with beautiful views of the coast and mountains

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Bientzat
Bientzat

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Walked by a group of four "seniors" (age range 72/80) with an average level of fitness, on Saturday 20 April, in ideal weather with little wind, 16°C and a clear blue sky. No difficulty in following the route on the laptop after downloading the walk.
The passage between Irumugarrieta and Txurrumurru is a little tricky on a very steep slab of rock with few asperities. A handrail would be useful and two people gave up at this point.
Access to the summit of Txurrumurru requires hands-on climbing and caution on the way down.
Without wishing to discourage amateurs, reaching Txurrumurru is more than average for hikers who don't presume to know their level.
The reward lies at the summit, with its superb panorama.

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popaulito
popaulito

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful view of Hendaye- Fontarrabie -Passaia- San Sebastian Thank you.

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Gilboi
Gilboi

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful views.

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Hervé Bignon
Hervé Bignon

I recommend using the Visorando application, which will help you with GPS guidance.

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