Las escalaretas

Las Escaleretas is a stepped trail carved into the walls of the Vero river canyon, in the municipality of Bárcabo, Huesca province, Aragón. Starting from the village of Lecina, the route follows the canyon's steep rock faces to a handful of rock shelters holding prehistoric paintings, making it one of the more rewarding — if still under-visited — hikes inside the Sierra y Cañones de Guara Natural Park.

Where is Las Escaleretas?

The trail sits at the heart of Sierra de Guara, close to the Mirador del Río Vero viewpoint, in an area better known for canyoning and rock art than for hiking. The name "escaleretas" (little stairs) refers to the wooden steps and stairways built directly into the rock to get walkers through the steepest sections of the gorge. Historically, the route served the villagers of Lecina as a dry-weather crossing of the canyon, used whenever the river ran too high to walk along the valley floor.

How do you get there?

Lecina, part of the municipality of Bárcabo, is the starting point, with parking available at the entrance to the village. The full loop covers roughly 7 kilometres and takes about 2 hours 45 minutes on foot, with around 500 metres of ascent and descent. The trail is rated easy to moderate overall, but the sections with rock-cut steps, metal handholds and chains are not recommended for anyone uneasy with heights.

What will you see along the way?

The main draw is the string of rock shelters reached from the path:

• Abrigo del Gallinero — a shelter with paintings protected behind a metal grille, reached via a side branch of the staircase,
• Abrigo de Bafaluy — a cluster of shelters combining rock art with traditional cylindrical beehives (arnas), a hallmark of the region's pastoral past,
• Lecina Superior — an additional shelter further along the route.

Many of the rock shelters scattered through the Vero canyon belong to the wider "Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula" UNESCO World Heritage listing, which adds an extra layer of interest for visitors drawn to archaeology as much as scenery.

When should you visit?

Spring and autumn are the best seasons, when temperatures inside the canyon are mild and the Vero river runs lower — it was precisely high water that once forced villagers onto the upper "escaleretas" route in the first place. In summer, the bare rock of the gorge can heat up considerably by midday, while in winter the carved steps can turn slippery after rain or frost, both worth factoring into a visit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Las Escaleretas trail difficult? It's rated easy to moderate, but reasonable fitness helps given the distance (about 7 km) and elevation change (around 500 m). The rock-cut staircases with chains and handholds aren't advisable for anyone with a fear of heights.

Where does the trail start? The route starts in the village of Lecina, within the municipality of Bárcabo, where parking is available at the village entrance.

What can you see along the route? The highlights are the rock shelters — Abrigo del Gallinero and Abrigo de Bafaluy — with their rock art and traditional beehives, plus an additional shelter at Lecina Superior.

How long does the full route take? The complete loop is about 7 km and takes roughly 2 hours 45 minutes on average, though it can take longer depending on how much time you spend at each shelter.