PICO VERDE IN TENO MOUNTAINS
Pico Verde (1318m) hike is an awesome hiking adventure away from the crowded tourist routes in the area. Also known as Montana de las Rosas, it is the second highest peak in the Teno Mountain range, located high above the famous trail of Masca Gorge. This circular route goes through a beautiful laurel forest, panoramic summits and offers great views of La Gomera and La Palma.
PICO VERDE FACTS
Distance: The total distance is 9,2km for a loop trail.
Hike duration: This hike’s duration was 2h 18 minutes. Even with longer breaks it can easily be done under 3h.
Elevation gain: The total elevation gain for this hike was 330m.
Difficulty: This hike is easy. There aren’t any difficult sections or high drops on this trail.
Gear needed: Good hiking shoes, sun protection and wind breaker. If you’re unsure on what else to bring for a hike, read this guide.
My Strava map upload + GPS file: PICO VERDE
GETTING TO PICO VERDE HIKE
By car: This hike begins right next to Restaurante Fleytas and that’s where I left my car.
By bus: Bus stop: Puerto de Erjos, you can get there with lines 325, 360 and 460. Check the schedules on titsa website.
MY EXPERIENCE HIKING PICO VERDE
Teno Mountains are full of interesting and unique trails. Many tourists choose to visit Cruz de Gala (1347m) along Pico Verde but since Cruz de Gala’s summit is covered in radio antennas and has a paved road I decided to skip it as it didn’t feel like a proper hiking adventure to me. This adventure begins with a descent from Restaurante Fleytas and goes along Charcas De Erjos – an area that used to be full of ponds.
Sadly, the ponds were totally dried out at the time of my visit, but the birds were still occupying the area and hearing them screaming loud felt great! For the first 2km, this trail leads through a gentle forest path towards Monte del Agua.
This section of the hike goes through a stunning laurel forest. The combination of a sunlight and the lush greenery of the trees creates an inspiring atmosphere. I’m always blown away when hiking the magical ambiance of the laurel forests. Similar experience can be found in a more challenging trail in this area –Sendero de Barracan.
Around 20 minutes I reached the first view point. Great views on the Teno massif, Teide and the coast, from there the path becomes flat and leads towards Pico Verde and Cruz De Gala. I was blessed with a great weather thanks to which I could see La Palma and La Gomera in the distance.
Quickly after I reached the junction. Left turn can possibly get you to Cruz de Gala (it was closed at that time), Right turn is where the summit of Pico Verde is located. Reaching the top wasn’t challenging, the trail is a bit rocky and leads to the edge so some precautions should be taken. After spending some time on the top, I began descending down through a pine tree forest.
The return goes along the pine tree forest most of the time, the path is flat and easy. The surrounding smell was probably the best highlight of the return, I can never get bored of this. Oh! Perhaps you’ll be as lucky as me and meet some black rabbits on the way, I will keep my fingers crossed! No pictures as those little monsters are way too quick, sorry!
CONCLUSION
Pico Verde hike in Teno Mountains was super pleasant and I enjoyed how serene it was. This trail is one of the less popular routes you can find in this area, especially during late afternoon. I was lucky to be alone throughout the whole journey and I recommend hiking Pico Verde around that time. If you’d like to explore other short hikes (under 3h), check out: Roques de Garcia, Chinyero Volcano, Monte Aguirre, Roque de Taborno, Sombrero de Chasna and Barranco de Ruiz.
HAVE YOU SEEN MY OTHER HIKING GUIDES FOR TENERIFE?
I lived and worked in Tenerife for three months, hiking nearly every day. I’ve explored over 70 trails to bring you an ultimate guide – highlighting the Top 30 Best Hikes in Tenerife. Each guide has a detailed description including the distance, difficulty, gear needed and everything else needed to complete the hike successfully. If you happen to notice any changes on the trail that should be updated – please drop the comment below so I can keep this guide up to date.
If you prefer easier hikes that can be completed under 3 hours, check out Top 12 Short Hikes in Tenerife guide.
Safe and happy hiking my friend!
