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All Spain Grazalema Pinsapar de Grazalema
AO Edited

Pinsapar de Grazalema

A reservation-only highland forest reserve of endangered Pinsapar firs stands above a village in Andalucía.

Grazalema, Spain

Added By
Blair Mastbaum
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Pinsapar De Grazalema   Ángel Regatero
Pinsapar De Grazalema   Ángel Regatero
Pinsapar de Grazalema trail   Ángel Regatero
Endangered Pinsapar firs   Blair Mastbaum / Atlas Obscura User
Pinsapar firs   Davidruiz91
Detail of the Pinsapar fir leaves   Cayetano Ruiz de Alarcón Quintero
The countryside near the forest   Blair Mastbaum / Atlas Obscura User
Grazalema, the town closest to the forest   Blair Mastbaum / Atlas Obscura User
Grazalema, the town closest to the forest   Blair Mastbaum / Atlas Obscura User
A medieval fountain in Grazalema   Blair Mastbaum / Atlas Obscura User
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About

The endangered species known as the Pinsapar fir (Abies pinsapo) is only found in two places on earth: the Rif Mountains of Morocco and the high elevations of the Sierra de Grazalema in southern Spain. In the latter category is a lush Andalusian forest reserve located just outside the village of Grazalema where these endangered trees are protected.

Also known as Spanish firs, these evergreen trees reach heights of about 20–30 meters (65–100 feet). Their pale bluish-green leaves grow into a conical shape around a trunk with smooth gray bark. The trees mostly grow on the park’s northern slopes where they are protected from excessive sunlight and the consequent loss of humidity. It's a dense and shady forest in which the specimens compete for light, leaving their lower branches without leaves. The result is a shady understory, where ferns and other plants requiring high moisture can thrive. 

Spanish fir forests were much more widespread millions of years ago, when climatic conditions were very different from today, so this really is a fossil forest, hanging on for life in today’s warmer, drier Iberian peninsula.

Because of the rarity of the trees, the Junta de Andalucia, the regional government that runs the reserve, requires reservations with very limited spots available. The hiking reservations are often booked for months or even years in advance, especially in the cooler months of fall, winter, and spring.

Related Tags

Forests Nature Preserves Endangered Species Flora Trees

Know Before You Go

From June to October, entrance is only possible with a registered tour operator. For other months, entrance for individuals is run out of the El Bosque visitor center, which can be reached by email (cvelbosque@reservatuvisita.es) or by phone (+34 956 709 733).

Community Contributors

Added By

Blair Mastbaum

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy

  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

May 18, 2022

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Sources
  • https://threatenedconifers.rbge.org.uk/conifers/abies-pinsapo
  • https://www.juntadeandalucia.es/medioambiente/portal/web/ventanadelvisitante/detalle-buscador-mapa/-/asset_publisher/Jlbxh2qB3NwR/content/el-pinsapar/255035
Pinsapar de Grazalema
17 C. Tierra Colorada
A-372, Grazalema, Spain
Grazalema, 11610
Spain
36.757756, -5.371988
Visit Website
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