Peñalara Natural Park
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The Peñalara Natural Park (Spanish: Parque Natural de la Cumbre, Circo y Lagunas de Peñalara) is a natural park of 7.68 km2 in the northwest of the Community of Madrid, Spain. It was designated in June 1990. The park is situated in the central zone of the Sierra de Guadarrama (part of the mountainous axis called the Central System). Since 2013, the Sierra de Guadarrama has also been protected by a national park designation.
Peñalara Natural Park | |
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Location | Community of Madrid (Spain) |
Nearest town | Rascafría |
Coordinates | 40°51′25″N 3°57′20″W |
Area | 7.68 km2 |
Established | 15 June 1990 |
Visitors | 133,000 (in 2006) |
Governing body | Community of Madrid |
web | |
Official name | Humedales del Macizo de Peñalara |
Designated | 19 February 2007 |
Reference no. | 1673[1] |
The reserve includes Peñalara, the highest peak of the mountain system, and an area to the south-east of the peak in Rascafría district. The zones of lowest altitude hold white pine forests and grasslands. Bushes grow higher up in the mountains, which are predominantly composed of alpine meadows and rocky areas. The park is home to the black vulture and the Spanish imperial eagle, as well as many small mammals and amphibians.
The park is accessible from Puerto de Cotos, the region's center of tourism. Especially popular on the holidays, the reserve provides a venue for hiking, mountain climbing, and skiing.