The best hiking routes in Parc Natural del Montgrí, les Illes Medes i el Baix Ter

Parc Natural del Montgrí, les Illes Medes i el Baix Ter presents a sharp contrast between dry limestone heights and flat, reclaimed coastal wetlands. The dominant feature is the grey limestone massif of Montgrí, which rises abruptly from the plain. Walking here means navigating stony, exposed paths through low scrubwood and pine forests, where the ground is rough underfoot and offers no shade. The landscape is defined by its arid, rocky character, shaped by centuries of grazing and stone quarrying.

Below the limestone ridge, the terrain shifts completely into the alluvial plain of the Baix Ter. Here, the paths transition from loose stone to flat dirt tracks and raised embankments alongside agricultural canals and reedbeds. This lower section is a modified wetland where drainage channels, orchards, and rice fields dictate the walking routes, offering flat but often monotonous walking on hard-packed clay.

This park does not offer high mountain peaks or deep forest shade. Instead, it suits walkers looking for stark geological transitions over short distances. While the coastal cliffs near La Escala provide dramatic drop-offs into the sea, the inland paths are characterized by dry stone walls, olive groves, and the constant presence of the offshore Medes Islands visible from the eastern ridges.