Let me share with you some new routes for nature lovers that I’ve discovered in the province of Castellon and the entire Valencian Community. These are 10 epic hikes in Castellon you simply can’t miss.
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Best Places for Hiking in Castellon
10 Epic Hikes in Castellon You Can´t Miss
While the region of the Valencian Community, made up of the three provinces of Castellon, Valencia, and Alicante, is still full of hidden gems, all the natural settings that can be visited on a day trip from Valencia continue to grow in popularity alongside the city. Hiking in Castellon is a great alternative for those seeking to avoid the crowds. All of the hikes on this list can be visited on a day trip from Castellon, while some can be quickly reached from Valencia as well (despite technically belonging to the Castellon province).
1. San Joan de Penyagolosa Peak

Distance: 8,8 km (Check out this trail on Wikiloc)
The San Joan de Penyagolosa Mountain is the highest peak (1,814 m) in the Valencian Community. Years ago, you could park your car halfway up, which made the route shorter and the hike towards the peak more family-friendly. However, today it is a protected natural area, so the entire Penyagolosa Natural Park has restricted access for vehicles, and parking is located in the small village of San Joan de Penyagolosa. From there, you leave your car and follow the marked trail towards the peak. While many Spanish families do this hike with children, I personally find it a bit too challenging for little ones due to the elevation. However, for people who are used to hiking, it won’t be a difficult trail. You can read more details about this hike here.
2. La Senda de las Trincheras / Jerica

Distance: 13 km (Check out this trail on Wikiloc)
Jerica is one of the most popular nature getaway destinations for residents of the cities of Valencia and Castellon, as it is only a 1-hour drive from both. Jerica is also known in Spain as one of the main stops on the popular biking route, La Via Verde de Ojos Negros (from Santa Eulalia del Campo in Teruel to Algimia de Alfara in Valencia). The hiking trail La Senda de las Trincheras passes through the military trenches of the Republican defense from the Spanish Civil War. Although we’ve completed this route with kids, it has a cumulative elevation gain of 500 meters. Since the trail takes you through the woods and involves constant ups and downs, you hardly notice the elevation. After exploring the military trenches called Trincheras de la Vegatilla, we descended to the nearest road on our way back to Jerica, as the kids were a bit tired after the first part of the route. If you plan to add La Senda de las Trincheras to your hiking itinerary in Castellon, you should also stop by the La Vuelta de La Hoz area, offering a beautiful natural setting for a picnic and a leisurely walk. Additionally, don’t miss one of the hidden gems of the Valencia Region: El Sargal, located in the nearby town of Viver, as well as The Bride’s Jump Waterfall in Navajas.
3. Ruta de la Senda del Rio / Teresa

Distance: 10 km (Check out this trail on Wikiloc)
Ruta de la Senda del Rio is one of my favorite hikes in Castellon. It starts at La Fuente del Batan in the small town of Teresa. Although I’ve hiked this trail during the peak season in August, when there were lots of families having picnics near La Fuente del Batan, once I passed the wooden sign for La Senda Del Rio trail, I encountered no one else. Since I haven’t met a single person on this very same route, it was such a relief after the busy Route of the Hanging Bridges of Chulilla! A big plus is that for most of the trail, you walk in the shade along the local river; the drawback though is that, depending on the season, the trail can be slippery.
4. Castillo de Gaibiel / Gaibiel

Distance: 5,4 km (Check out this trail on Wikiloc)
The hiking route to the Castle of Gaibiel (Castillo de Gaibiel) is an easy trail in the natural setting of La Sierra de Espadán Natural Park. The village of Gaibiel is known for its small castle, but to access it, you need to hike through the local woods. This hike is conveniently located near both the cities of Valencia and Castellón (about a 1-hour drive from each), making it a perfect day trip from Valencia to enjoy nature with the family. You can also make the most of your visit by stopping at The Bride’s Jump Waterfall in Navajas on the way to Gaibiel.
According to archaeological findings, some elements of the castle date back to the 12th century. Despite the Spanish Reconquista of Valencia in 1238, the town’s population remained Muslim until 1609, when the Expulsion of the Moriscos Decree was issued. Officially, the castle is supposed to be open from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., but when we visited around 6:30 p.m., the door was closed. Some Spanish websites mention that you need to ask for the key at the local City Hall. While reaching the castle is an easy and quick walk, there are other hiking alternatives in the area to enjoy longer hikes.
5. Ruta Roja de la Sierra d´Irta / Alcossebre

Distance: 7 km (Check out this trail on Wikiloc)
Sierra d’Irta National Park is one of the most popular hiking destinations in Castellon. Ruta Roja (The Red Route) is just one of the many trails in the area, but I particularly enjoyed it because it offers a unique combination of greenery, pine forests, and a stunning Mediterranean coastline. The hike starts at Cala Blanca in the small town of Alcossebre. You begin by walking along a red-paved road for a short while, then you can choose one of the trails, either along the coastline or through the woods. While it’s not as crowded as the Route of the Hanging Bridges in Valencia, it is still a popular hiking route. In addition to this hike, you can also visit the nearby town of Peñiscola (a Game of Thrones filming location and home to one of the most beautiful castles in Spain) or Benicarlo (famous for its Artichoke Gastronomic Weeks in February and Jardin del Papagayo Bird Park).
6. Ruta del Nacimiento de rio Palancia / Bejis

Distance: 9,35 km (Check out this trail on Wikiloc)
One of the most beautiful hikes I’ve discovered in Castellon this Autumn is definitely the Ruta del Nacimiento de Rio Palancia, located in the small town of Bejis. While the Valencia Region is not typically known as a fall-foliage destination, Bejis is one of the hidden colorful gems of the entire province. The hike begins at La Fuente de los Cloticos, where you need to follow the signs toward Nacimiento de Rio Palancia. In addition to the beautiful autumn colors along the way, at the end of the route, you’ll come across an impressive gorge. As for the difficulty level, the first half of the route is wide and flat, while the second half consists of rocky trails through the woods. In my case, it was manageable with two small kids, and they actually enjoyed the second part with the rocky trail even more.
7. Ruta de los Olivos Milenarios / Canet lo Roig

Distance: 5,8 km (Check out this trail on Wikiloc)
The Millenary Olive Trees route (or “Ruta de los olivos milenarios” in Spanish) is a circular hiking trail in the village of Canet lo Roig, home to ancient olive trees. Many of these giants are over 2000 years old and have been in the region since the time of the Roman Empire in Spain. For centuries, the olives provided oil for the locals (you can even buy it as a Spanish food souvenir these days). Even though, the Greek island of Crete is known for having the oldest olive trees in the world (with some estimated to be over 3000 years old), the trees in Canet lo Roig are considered one of the Spanish natural wonders and top Valencia Hidden Gems. You can read more about this hike here.
8. Senda Botanica de Calduch / Villareal

Distance: 5,4 km (Check out this trail on Wikiloc)
Senda Botanica de Calduch is a small trail along the Mijares River in the Spanish town of Villareal. The hiking route starts at the local park El Termet and leads towards the medieval Santa Quiteria Bridge in Almassora. It is not a circular route, so after reaching the Almassora bridge, you will follow the same trail back to Villareal. While there are no significant elevations along Senda Botanica de Calduch, the trail is often quite narrow. Although the route itself is beautiful, its proximity to the town of Villareal makes it popular among locals. In addition to hikers, you will mostly encounter people jogging or walking their dogs.
9. Ruta de los Molinos / Lucena del Cid

Distance: 15 km (Check out this trail on Wikiloc)
The hiking trail Ruta de los Molinos is located in the village of Lucena de Cid. The area is popular during the summer months and has a few places to swim. On a sunny day, there is almost nowhere to hide from the heat along the route. I visited Ruta de los Molinos in early September, and it was still really hot, so next time I’d return in late autumn or early spring. To start the hiking trail, once you park in Lucena del Cid, head downward to La Badina and cross the hanging bridge. The trail will take you towards the ruins of the ancient watermills Moli del Tonero and Moli de Pon. The popular swimming spots along Ruta de los Molinos are La Badina and Toll de Carlos.
10. Ruta Sendero de los Estrechos / Montanejos

Distance: 9,64 km (Check out this trail on Wikiloc)
While Ruta Sendero de los Estrechos in Montanejos may seem like a relatively short route, it’s quite a challenging one compared to other hikes in Castellon. This is mainly because you’ll walk along the Mijares River, which flows through a 25-meter-wide gorge with walls exceeding 100 meters in some areas. While Montanejos is a popular day trip from Valencia thanks to its warm water, which maintains a temperature of around 25 ºC year-round, the swimming area gets busy in the summer. As a result, many travelers prefer to enjoy the natural setting via its hiking trail, Ruta Sendero de los Estrechos. Since I visited this trail in December, I haven’t encountered a single person on the route and really enjoyed the views. Nearby Montanejos you can also visit the Graffiti town of Fanzara, one of the most colorful villages in Spain
11. Ruta Raco del Fraire / Sant Mateu

Distance: 7 km (Check out this trail here)
Near the small town of Sant Mateu (the one we previously visited for the Spanish Medieval Fairs), you can find the beautiful natural setting of Raco del Fraire. This hike can be considered moderate. Although we went with kids (only because there was not enough information online), I do not consider this route to be child-friendly. Yet, the views and the itinerary were unique and beautiful. Additionally, we saw only two people during the entire hike, which would be impossible on any of the Valencia hikes. One thing I did not like about Raco del Fraire is that the route was poorly marked, and at one point, we encountered an area full of cattle with a fragile fence.
Castellon Hiking Map
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Thank you so much for sharing the list. I have never been to Spain, but I will keep this list handy for my pain trip. All hikes loo amazing, but those fall colors on Ruta del Nacimiento de Rio Palancia hike are mesmerizing.
I didn’t realize Spain had so many beautiful hiking trails! I think I would love to go on all of these, but the views from San Joan de Penyagolosa looked absolutely amazing. I also love your photos. Thanks for sharing this guide! 🙂
They look so beautiful! I cannot wait until travel opens again and I can finally get back out there!
I love how you’ve taken to exploring your own backyard and finding such lovely places! And that you’re bringing your kids along with you. I would want to return to that church too, but they all look like wonderful hikes. You live in a beautiful part of the world. Enjoy it!
Hiking is definitely one of my favorite outdoor pastimes–I’ve been to Spain before but never got to do any hiking while I was there. Would love to go back to check out these trails!!