Approaching The Park
The road from the west , the least sinuous and so fastest route up to the park, begins its ascent near Santiago del Teide and climbs through a comparatively thin belt of pines. Most of the island's recent volcanic activity was at this side of the peak and before the road rises out of the belt of trees it passes just south of an area of solidified lava flows from the island's most recent (1909) eruption of Montana Chinyero . Beyond the trees the road rises (with great views over the Teno range and the island of La Gomera behind) to cut through a vast, stunningly impenetrable area of lava frozen into twisted and forbidding shapes. The origin of this lava wasteland is indicated by a conveniently placed roadside stop and information board beside a good view of the side vent, Las Narices del Teide (Teide's nostrils), from which twelve million cubic metres of lava spewed over a three month period in 1789. The vent is technically part of Pico Viejo (3134m), a peak in its own right that rises out from the side of Teide itself. From the south a busier road climbs to the national park via the pretty upland village of Vilaflor and through impressive stands of Canarian pines, including the island's biggest specimen. The many bends in the road expose good views over southern Tenerife and La Gomera and a couple of roadside stops make for good photo opportunities. Visitors coming from the east are likely to take the relatively long and impressive route along the Cumbre Dorsal , the mountain backbone of the island. Climbing quickly from the congested urban areas around La Laguna, the road ascends beyond La Esperanza to pass through some of the largest continuous pine forest on the island. Almost straight away there are great views over Santa Cruz and the Anaga mountains below, and having entered the peaceful forest, there are a number of viewpoints at which travellers ritualistically stop. The first of these, the Mirador de Ortuno , is placed to admire views over vast areas of forest on the north side of the island and Puerto de la Cruz. Further along, the Mirador Cumbre Dorsal is a grand place to see the ridge itself in the context of the towering Teide and the lush Orotava valley. Moving west down the Cumbre Dorsal road, views open up to the south, exposing the craggy valleys above Arafo and Guimar. The trees thin here, a barren volcanic landscape taking over as the route passes the Izana Observatory , home to the Instituto Astrofisica de Canarias () where clear dark skies have attracted astronomers since the mid-nineteenth century. The busy road from the north , having twisted itself around countless hairpins on a rough road through the Orotava valley, rises into the dense vegetation and large pine forests on the damp side of the island. Views back down the densely populated valley reveal a network of terraces and hamlets; though often the combination of forest and low cloud (particularly in the afternoon) largely obscure views along this approach road.
Your Tip for Parque Nacional Las Canadas del Teide
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to Parque Nacional Las Canadas del Teide - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to Parque Nacional Las Canadas del Teide - visit the main Parque Nacional Las Canadas del Teide forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the Parque Nacional Las Canadas del Teide webguide section below! Thanks.
| 
