The Cerezuelo River Trail in Cazorla: Bridges, the Malena Waterfall, and the Hike to La Iruela

The Cerezuelo River Trail in Cazorla It's a great way to spend a morning walking among wooden bridges, pools, and small waterfalls without having to drive out of town. The trail takes you close to the Malena Waterfall And, if you'd like to extend it, continue on to La Iruela and its castle.

There are several variations of this route, so in this article we'll tell you about the multiple options so you can choose the one that best fits your plans. We'll also tell you the best time of year to take this route, the essentials you'll need to bring, and Where can you eat? at the end of the hike. We'll leave you the wikiloc track which we follow—in case you'd like to follow it too.

Variations on the Cerezuelo River Trail

There are different variants along the Cerezuelo River trail, and you can adjust the route depending on how much time you have and how far you want to walk:

When looking for a route to download, pay attention to the entire route: some routes have different starting and ending points, and others include additional locations in the surrounding area. Here are the tracks for the three options in the table:

• Cerezuelo River Trail (Round Trip).
• Cerezuelo River Trail and Malena Waterfall. Circular, including a waterfall.
• Cerezuelo River Trail, Malena Waterfall, and La Iruela Castle. The option we chose.

Where does the Cerezuelo River trail begin?

The Santa María Square, next to the church ruins, is a good starting point. From there, you can continue along Calle de la Hoz toward Camino del Ángel and the Madruga Bridge, near which the trail that follows the river upstream begins.

This is one of the best things about this route: you can combine it with a visit to Cazorla without having to arrange transportation to another area. If you arrive by car, we recommend parking it before heading into the narrowest streets of the old town and walking the rest of the way.

Description of the Cerezuelo River Route

From the Old Town to the first pools

As soon as you step onto the trail, the river takes center stage. The path narrows and winds along the riverbed, alternating between sections where the water flows over rocks and others where it pools, forming small pools.

One of the first is the Alpargate Pylon. A little further on are the remains of the the old Ángel power plant, which serve as a reminder of how the river was once used. For a long time, the Cerezuelo River was used to irrigate vegetable gardens, power mills, and generate electricity.

This start alone is reason enough to take your time. Even though you're still close to the village, the water, the trees, and the rock walls completely transform the atmosphere of the walk.

Wooden bridges: our favorite part

The trail crosses the Cerezuelo several times via wooden bridges, so you'll be walking along both banks. Between one bridge and the next, there are small uphill and downhill sections and spots where you can look out at the pools and waterfalls.

Poplars, walnut trees, and fig trees grow along the banks, while the humidity fosters the growth of moss on the rocks. Further up are other pools known as the Fresno Pylon and the Mina Pylon.

For us, this was the most beautiful part of the hike. The bridges blend in perfectly with the surroundings and keep the scenery changing, even though you’re always following the same river. If you’re looking for a route where you can enjoy the walk and stop to take photos, this is where it’s most worth taking your time.

In January, we also came across a very special image: A kind of smoke was rising from the river which hung suspended over the water. It looked like a scene straight out of a fairy tale. That said, it was pretty cold by the river. If you go in the winter, we recommend dressing in layers, because during this first part you may need more warmth than during the subsequent climbs.

The steps and the small waterfalls

As you continue, the riverbed narrows between rock walls, and there are drops where the water cascades down, forming small waterfalls. The trail has some steps carved into the rock and passages that allow you to continue upstream.

This section is a bit more rugged: the rocks are close together, the water flows between them, and there are areas covered in moss. The path isn't completely flat, so be prepared for those small inclines and watch your step.

We found some slippery sections and others with overflowing water on the trail and the steps. That day we were able to navigate them without much trouble, but there were spots where we had to proceed with caution. Sneakers with smooth soles wouldn't be our first choice for this hike in the winter.

The hike up to the Malena Waterfall

To reach La Malena, you have to leave behind the section closest to the Cerezuelo. The trail begins to climb, and the landscape opens up: you’ll move from the damp, narrow setting of the river to a hillside trail with more expansive views.

In the vicinity of the Old Mill of Tíscar Take the path toward the waterfall. Here, the climb feels a bit more challenging since there’s a slight incline, but it’s nothing you can’t manage with a little patience. Up to this point, the bridges and pools encourage you to take frequent breaks; once you leave the riverbed, the climb becomes more continuous.

The Malena Waterfall

The Malena Waterfall It cascades down a rock face and is the other highlight of the trail that we liked the most. It’s located on the Arroyo de la Hoz, so you won’t reach it just by following the river the whole way. We saw it with quite a bit of water since it was winter, though if you go in the summer, you might find it dry or with very little water.

We think it's worth adding this section to the hike if you go at the right time of year. After enjoying the bridges and pools, reaching the waterfall offers a slightly different experience and makes it worthwhile to extend the hike a bit.

If we were to repeat, We would do the Cerezuelo version with the Malena waterfall. This is the itinerary we would recommend if you want to see the highlights without spending more time on the tour than necessary.

The Return to Cazorla from La Malena

If you've had enough by the time you reach the waterfall, you can complete a loop hike to Cazorla by following your track. One of the options takes you along paths through orchards and connects with the area around the Angel Chapel before returning to the town center.

The landscape on the way back is different: the river takes a back seat, and farmland and more open areas come into view. There are also routes that wind through the area around the Ivy Castle, so check where your route goes before you start.

The route continues on to La Iruela and its castle

The Lookout Points and the Surroundings of the Virgen de la Cabeza

If you want to continue on to La Iruela, you'll have to take the trails that lead to the neighboring town. One of the routes goes through Nacelrío, the viewpoints at the picnic areas in Cazorla and the area around the Chapel of the Virgin of La Cabeza.

This extension changes the route quite a bit. You’ll leave the bridges and pools behind to walk along more open trails, with panoramic views of the Cazorla area. It might be a good fit if you’d like to walk a bit more and connect the two towns on foot.

For us, however, The last stretch to La Iruela felt a bit monotonous to us. After the stretch along the river and the waterfall, the rest of the trail wasn't as interesting. We didn't think it was necessary to extend the route to enjoy the best parts of the hike.

Arrival in La Iruela

The longer route takes you to La Iruela, where you can visit the castle, perched on a rocky outcrop next to the village. If you’d like to tour the interior of the castle, set aside extra time for the walk and check the hours before planning your day.

We chose this version, but we recommend that you Visit La Iruela by car unless you're really eager to keep walking. That way, you can spend time exploring the town and the castle without having to walk the section we liked the least.

Best time to hike the Cerezuelo River Trail

Make it in We really liked January, especially because of the atmosphere along the river. Of course, it’s best to go on a clear day so you can appreciate all the colors of the water and the vegetation. On the downside, we got a little cold along the river and had to be careful around the wet areas.

If you go in the winter, wear several layers and make the most of the daylight hours. The clothes that are comfortable while you're walking along the riverbed may be too warm once you start climbing toward the waterfall.

Spring and autumn These are perhaps the best times of year to enjoy a nice day out on the trail, with milder temperatures and vegetation that’s still green after the winter rains In the summer You can do that, too, but you'll probably find less water, and you'll have to leave very early to avoid the hottest part of the day. Also, sunscreen, a hat, and plenty of water are essential—especially the water.

What to bring

The most useful thing for this route is shoes with good traction and water. Depending on the season, we recommend layered clothing in winter, or a rain gear If the forecast isn't good, and there's a lot of sunscreen and a hat for the summer or spring months.

Be sure to bring the downloaded map If possible, do so, since you might lose cell service in some areas. There are several trails that connect in this area, and choosing your route in advance will help you avoid ending up with extra kilometers you hadn't planned on.

Where to Eat After the Hike

After arriving in La Iruela, we walked back to Cazorla and went to eat at Buendi Cazorla. It was one of the few places whose kitchen was still open when we arrived—and thank goodness, because after our walk, it was great to sit down for a while and eat in peace. It’s an unpretentious place with local food and reasonably priced tapas. We ordered some tapillas de goat cheese and fried chicken, and everything was really delicious.

If you want to read other articles ideal for your trip that complement The Cerezuelo River Trail in Cazorla: Bridges, the Malena Waterfall, and the Hike to La Iruela you can visit our posts about Jaen.