Santa Elena: Despeñaperros, Hiking Trails and History

The municipality of Santa Elena includes 7,840.82 hectares of the Despeñaperros Nature Reserve, which forms a natural passage from the Castilian Plateau through the famous Despeñaperros Gorge. The historic town centre is characterised by the layout typical of the colonial urban planning of the Sierra Morena, with a large rectangular square open to streets on all four sides. The Parish Church of Santa Elena was built in 1793 over a medieval hermitage commemorating the Christian victory in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa.

Culture and History

The Museum of the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa serves as a starting point and information centre for the Route of the Castles and Battles of the Kingdom of Jaén. It presents the history of the battle through audiovisual displays, staged scenes and educational workshops. The museum also enables visits to the historic battlefield and the Despeñaperros Nature Reserve. A marked trail from the Interpretation Centre for Historical and Cultural Heritage leads to the Cueva de los Muñecos Iberian Sanctuary. The Cueva de los Muñecos is an Iberian sanctuary at Collado de los Jardines in Santa Elena, associated with the bronze votive figures found there. A publicly accessible trail at the Cueva de los Muñecos leads to the sanctuary and to a viewpoint on Cerro del Castillo. Santa Elena has maintained a craft tradition of artistic carpentry and wood carving in family workshops for several generations. During the Romería de San Isidro on 15 May, the saint is taken on decorated floats to the La Aliseda area, where a mass is celebrated in his honour. At the Molino del Batán, hidden by vegetation, are the ruins of what appears to have been an old Arab mill.

Nature

The Los Órganos de Despeñaperros Natural Monument, designated a Natural Monument of Andalusia, consists of large rock columns resembling the organ pipes of a cathedral. The Llano de las Américas Visitor Centre welcomes and informs visitors who wish to explore the Despeñaperros Nature Reserve and the Cascada de la Cimbarra natural area. The Los Órganos Natural Monument can be viewed from a nearby viewpoint. The Cerro del Castillo Viewpoint offers wide panoramic views that also include the town centre of Santa Elena.

Hiking Trails and Activities

The Barranco de la Niebla Trail climbs steeply for the first 1,000 metres before reaching a somewhat flatter section. The publicly accessible Los Estrechos de Miranda Trail is a 4.661-kilometre linear trail of low difficulty that begins next to the Llano de las Américas Visitor Centre. It connects the Llano de las Américas Visitor Centre with other public facilities in the Despeñaperros Nature Reserve. The Los Estrechos de Miranda Trail provides access to the Despeñaperros Nature Reserve without having to use a vehicle. The Balcón de Despeñaperros Trail is an approximately 3.8-kilometre circular trail of low difficulty that begins on the outskirts of Santa Elena, next to the Despeñaperros campsite. The Río de la Campana Trail runs along the banks of the Río de la Campana and is especially suitable in winter and spring, when the river carries water. The Empedraillo Trail follows what is presumed to be a Roman paved road through Mediterranean vegetation and passes a waterfall as well as the cool waters of the reservoir on the Arroyo del Rey. The fenced Las Correderas facility offers opportunities for camping, environmental education and nature-based games.

More destinations

More destinations can be accessed through the following location pages: Beas De Segura, Navas de San Juan, Quesada, Vites, Bailén, Vilches, Martos, Ribera Baja.

To the higher-level travel overview: Jaen.