Found in the center of Lanzarote in a town called Tias is the sixth highest volcano on the island, Montaña Blanca stands at 1952 feet. Translating to White Mountain, this pale slice of paradise was a blissfully quiet hike.
To summit the mountain there is a 2 mile long trail with a potential lollipop loop, gaining 1014 feet. Finding the trailhead was a bit of a task, as the GoogleMaps location was off – but you begin on LZ-35 1/2 a mile southwest from the roundabout junction with LZ-301, in the direction away from San Bartolome town. The coordinates are: 28.978159, -13.629403 – though you will find no signage at the ambiguous dirt parking lot at the sign of the road.
There are wooden pegs in the distance marking the trail, they lead past a farm which had many barking dogs (behind a fence) and goats.
Following the dirt trail is easy, initially it is wide and gradual leading up to a maintenance structure.
Deep cracks in the earth appear beside you blistering in this arid landscape.
Falcons and ravens laughed above head and a little snail stuck to a lava rock right underfoot.
Gaining elevation the white town sparkled below, and a chain of volcanoes lined up in the distance.
Montana Colorada is surely the most vibrant in the landscape, another fantastic hiking trail for another day.
Soon we reached the crater, which wasn’t the most spectacular sight, littered with gravel and brush. The trail passes right through it and an old rock wall sits on its edge covered in lichen.
Other craters are revealed, their bases tattooed with a patchwork of farms. Craters on Lanzarote open up to the northeast on account of the strong blowing trade winds.
Almost to the summit a highly eroded network of wind caves are on one side of the now narrow trail, and a steep fall on the other side.
Truly stunning views wait as you climb higher and higher, made mosaic by the light and shadow of clouds.
The summit is topped with a power station, which does detract from the atmosphere – but you can’t deny this is a beautiful hike all around, with very limited company.
From here you can complete the lollipop route around the crater, or head down the way you came.
Either way it will be a slippery descent on the crushed volcanic gravel, until you reach the wide dirt path. On our descent we encountered the only others hikers on a sunny November day, so enjoy this hidden gem on Lanzarote.
It’s the little things that make the big picture 🙂 ! Thanks so much for stopping by again.
I haven’t visited your blog in a long time, and I’m delighted to find you traveling and writing, still. A dramatic scene, but I appreciated your eye for the close-up detail like the snail, despite the sweeping scene around you.