The best hiking routes in Parc Natural de les Salines de Santa Pola

Parc Natural de les Salines de Santa Pola is a flat coastal wetland shaped by salt extraction. The landscape consists of active salt pans, shallow lagoons, and areas of salt marsh. Walkers will not find hills, shade, or deep valleys here. Instead, the terrain is entirely level, characterized by low-lying scrub, reedbeds, and artificial dikes that separate the water basins. It is a highly modified industrial landscape where nature has adapted to the varying levels of salinity.

Underfoot, the paths are mostly flat, hard-packed dirt tracks and gravel dikes. Some sections run alongside the main salt pans where you can see the white crusts of salt forming on the edges, especially in August. Other paths lead through the salt marshes where halophytic plants like glasswort dominate the ground. There are no boardwalks or sandy dunes in the main walking areas, just straight, exposed tracks between the water bodies.

This area is ideal for those interested in birdwatching, particularly for observing greater flamingos, rather than those seeking a wilderness hike. The proximity of the N-332 road means traffic noise is audible along the eastern edges. For a quieter walk, head toward the inland dirt tracks away from the main highway, where the industrial salt installations and old stone towers like Torre de Tamarit provide the main landmarks.