The best hiking routes in Paraje y Reserva Natural de Punta Entinas-Sabinar

Paraje y Reserva Natural de Punta Entinas-Sabinar is a flat, arid coastal strip of Almería where the landscape is defined by parallel bands of sand dunes, salt marshes, and shallow lagoons. Walking here means navigating two distinct environments: the dry, loose sand of the inland dunes stabilized by low-growing Phoenician juniper and lentisc shrubs, and the firmer, salt-crusted tracks running alongside the active and abandoned salt pans. There are no cliffs, hills, or shaded forests, and the terrain offers no shelter from the coastal elements.

Underfoot, the paths vary from deep, shifting sand on the beach-side trails to hard-packed dirt and gravel along the inland tracks. Walkers should expect to empty sand from their shoes frequently if they choose the coastal routes. The main points of interest are the old masonry ruins of the Torre de Cerrillos and the shallow pools of the Salinas de Cerrillos, where water levels fluctuate depending on the season, attracting different concentrations of wading birds.

This reserve is best suited for those who appreciate low-lying, scrubby Mediterranean vegetation and open wetland habitats rather than dramatic topography. The lack of signposting and shade means route-finding requires attention, particularly where sandy tracks split into the scrub. It is a stark, horizontal landscape where the transition from saltwater marsh to dry dune determines the difficulty of your stride.