Teide National Park in Spain

My Incredible Day Trekking in Teide National Park, Tenerife Island Spain

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Driving through the park entry the landscape suddenly changed, from rolling brown dessert to giant rock formations and lava rock. It looked kind of like mars. In fact, Austin told me that NASA often practices handling their rovers in the park. It looked mystifying and beautiful, like Arches, Zion, and Sedona all rolled into one marvelous place. It was hard to believe I was about to go trekking in Teide National Park, on the Island of Tenerife, in the Canary Islands of Spain.

The Park

Mount Teide towers at an incredible 12,200 feet above sea level, making it the highest peak in all of Spain. Driving to the national park was full of interesting surprises; from the sunny south coast to pine trees and mossy forest, the geography changes suddenly. The park itself lies at around 6,562 feet and is usually covered in snow during the winter months. Temperatures vary throughout the year from below freezing to 104 degree.

Tenerife Spain

Tenerife: A Crown Jewel of Spain’s Canary Islands

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Many people have never heard of the Canary Islands. In fact, Americans rarely visit them. It’s a popular destination for Europeans, but to most of the world the stunning Canary Islands, just off the coast of Morocco, remain a mystery. The island of Tenerife is a geographic wonderland, much like the island of Kauai. In fact, they even share a similar climate. From thick lush forest to lava rock filled desert, it’s a recreational wonderland and a feast for the senses. Tenerife is a stunning crown jewel of Spain’s Canary Islands.

Hiking and Biking

 

The choices for hiking on Tenerife go on forever. You can choose from a nice short walk along the coast to one of the island’s beautiful lighthouses, or a vigorous hike to the top of one of the many mountains. Mount Teide is an old volcano and towers above the island at 12,198 feet. So from mountain climbing to meandering walks along the coastline, there are plenty of options. The same goes for mount biking. Want to kick your recreation up a notch? Fly down one of Tenerife’s many mountains on two wheels!