Sabinares del Arlanza

Sabinares del Arlanza-La Yecla is a nature park in the province of Burgos, at the foot of the Sierra de la Demanda, right next to Santo Domingo de Silos. It's the newest natural park in Castilla y León — created by a law passed in December 2020 — covering more than 26,000 hectares along the valley of the Arlanza river.

What can you see inside the La Yecla gorge?

The heart of the park is the narrow, deep gorge of La Yecla, cut into limestone rock. Its walls rise so close together in places that sunlight barely reaches the bottom. A network of footbridges and walkways suspended over the rock lets visitors cross the whole ravine without losing sight of the steep, folded rock formations rising on either side.

Why are these juniper forests significant worldwide?

The slopes of the Arlanza valley hold some of the most extensive and best-preserved juniper forests on the entire planet. Some of the trees growing here are more than two thousand years old — living monuments that have survived centuries in a harsh, rocky terrain where most other tree species struggle to take root.

What wildlife lives in the park?

Tall limestone cliffs and folded rock structures contrast with the greenery of the junipers, forming the habitat for one of Spain's largest colonies of griffon vultures, often seen circling above the cliffs. Alongside them, the park is home to wolves, roe deer, wild boar, otters, wildcats, golden eagles, and peregrine falcons — a wildlife roster typical of well-preserved mountain ecosystems in Castile.

What else is worth visiting nearby?

Within just a few kilometers of the park, three heritage sites of world-class standing cluster together: the ruins of the Arlanza monastery, the picturesque village of Covarrubias, and the Romanesque cloister of the monastery at Santo Domingo de Silos. That makes it easy to combine a park visit with sightseeing in a region rich in history and religious architecture.

How large is the park and where exactly is it located?

The Sabinares del Arlanza-La Yecla nature park spans roughly 26,055 hectares, covering land along the Arlanza river and the Sierra de la Demanda range in the province of Burgos. It lies close to another protected area, the Cañón del Río Lobos Natural Park.

Frequently asked questions

Can you walk through the La Yecla gorge? Yes — the gorge is accessible to visitors thanks to a system of footbridges and suspended walkways that lead through its narrowest and steepest sections.

What makes this park globally significant? Above all, its juniper forests — among the most extensive and best-preserved in the world, with trees more than two thousand years old.

What wildlife is easiest to spot in the park? Griffon vultures, which nest here in one of Spain's larger colonies and regularly circle above the limestone cliffs, are among the park's most visible residents.

Are there other attractions worth visiting near the park? Yes — the ruins of the Arlanza monastery, the town of Covarrubias, and the Romanesque cloister at Santo Domingo de Silos all sit close by, forming a natural sightseeing route through the region.

When did the park gain protected status? The nature park was established by a law passed in December 2020, making it the most recently created natural park in Castilla y León.