A palette of colours at the foot of El Teide

After walking for 800 m, you’d think you were in the middle of the desert. Sandy terrain (but you don’t sink in), a gradient of colours, gentle undulating terrain, and dark rocks providing a striking contrast. A real treat!
A 6 km family walk if you do a return trip to the point (2). A relatively steep climb of 200 m in elevation if you do the full route. El Teide is very close by.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.45 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 919 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 919 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 8,310 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 7,589 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

The TF21 connects Vilaflor de Chasna to La Orotava. Park at km 40.7. This is a car park for around ten cars, at the start of the Montana Blanca route – Altavista refuge.
Arrive early to secure a space, as is the case everywhere. See Practical Information.

(S/E) Start the climb with your back to the TF21, on the north side. After about 800 m, you’ll reach a fork in the path.

(1) Leave the return path on your left, follow the S27 signposted path to the right and continue to the marker located about a hundred metres further on. Take the path on the left, still S27: be careful, the marker is small compared to the signposts that precede it. You will reach a junction with directional signs.

(2) Continue straight on for a few dozen metres to take in the view, then return to the junction.

(2) Follow the S6 – Los Tomillos, which climbs gradually towards Montaña Blanca. The final stretch is steeper; you’ll reach a junction of paths.

(3) Ignore the path on the right and go straight on to the next nearby junction.

(4) Turn left onto Sendero 7, which descends towards the car park, passing the junction encountered on the way up.

(1) Continue to the right, in the opposite direction to the way out, to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 7,726 ft - Montaña Blanca car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.5 - alt. 7,917 ft - Signpost S27, junction of the circular loop
  3. 2 : mi 1.93 - alt. 7,605 ft - Sendero 6 junction
  4. 3 : mi 2.77 - alt. 8,153 ft - Path junction
  5. 4 : mi 2.89 - alt. 8,287 ft - Junction with Sendero 7
  6. S/E : mi 4.45 - alt. 7,723 ft - Montaña Blanca car park

Notes

Other parking options if you do not park at the (S/E) chosen above:
- the Tabonal Negro viewpoint car park, located 800 m before you reach Vilaflor. Then follow the path on the right, running parallel to the TF21.
- Two or three parking spaces at the side of the road about 250 m further on.

To view the marked trails, use OpenStreetMap World rather than the IGN Topo map.

Trail (sendero) No. 6 was used by ice harvesters and travellers to climb towards the summit of El Teide.

Worth a visit

Two visitor/information centres on volcanoes, on the TF21:
- one to the north-east of the car park, called "El Portillo" – a 10-minute film in French available on request, explaining the island’s volcanic history (very interesting). Please note it closes at 4 pm, at least in December.
- the other to the south-west of the car park, called "Canada Blanca". Same thing? I haven’t checked. Different view from thefirst centre.

As you walk towards (2), you will see a series of telescopes in the distance. Heading roughly north-east.

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 4 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
EVY31
EVY31

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 02, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Wonderful walk.

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patrick55
patrick55

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

Very beautiful, varied and colourful landscapes with Mount Teide in the background.

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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 : No

Please note that there is very limited parking space. We arrived at 9am and the car park was already full. Park 800 metres before the start at the mirador car park. A very pleasant hike with views of Mount Teide and beautiful colours.

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fred09300
fred09300

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A fairly easy route with lovely views. There were a few patches of snow, but nothing dangerous.
If the car park indicated at the start is full, there is another one a little further on to the left, heading towards Teide.
To reach the starting point on foot, there is a path below which avoids walking along the road.

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