Source of the River Segura at Pontones

The Segura rises in the Sierra de Segura, in the municipality of Santiago-Pontones, at about 1,400 metres. What you visit is not a waterfall down a slope, but a clear pool at the foot of a rock face, next to the hamlets of Fuente Segura. The water wells up from a flooded cavity under the rock. From here the river runs towards Albacete, Murcia and Alicante and reaches the Mediterranean at Guardamar after about 325 kilometres.

From Cazorla the road crosses the sierra as far as Pontones. The Tranco reservoir sits on that route; it is a stop on the way, not the point of this outing. The village splits into Ponton Bajo and Ponton Alto — the name comes from the wooden bridges that once crossed the stream. From Ponton Bajo there are two ways to the pool: the provincial road JF-7047, a narrow mountain lane of about 4.7 kilometres that ends at the picnic-ground car park; or leave the car in Pontones and walk the Sendero Fuente-Segura.

Beside the spring you will find tables, barbecues, a fountain and a seasonal kiosk. The long-distance paths GR-7 and GR-144 pass close to the pool. If you only want to see where the river starts, the short walk from the car park is enough. The circuit from Pontones is the better choice if you also want the three hamlets and a return on the higher road.

*The water level in the pool changes through the year. After a dry summer it looks lower; after rain or snowmelt it fills again. The kiosk at the picnic ground is not open all year.

The pool at the source

Rain soaks through the limestone of this sierra and comes out here, at the foot of a rock face. In a wet year the pool is about seven metres across and about six metres deep. The colour shifts from green to pale blue according to the light. In 1979 and 1980 divers followed 354 metres of flooded gallery under the rock, with a drop of 17 metres. That cave is not a visit: you look from the bank, behind a wooden fence.

Walnut, poplar, black pine and Portuguese oak stand around the pool. The picnic ground is only a few metres away. Mountain boots are unnecessary if you arrive by car; a sole that holds on wet stone is enough. A few hundred metres off lies another cave, the Cueva del Nacimiento. It is a prehistoric site, not an open chamber, and you should not go in on your own.

Pool at the source of the River Segura beside Fuente Segura

Drive or walk from Pontones

Most visitors leave the car at the picnic-ground park. From Ponton Bajo the JF-7047 climbs about 4.7 kilometres of narrow mountain road to Fuente Segura and ends at the car park. From there the pool is a few minutes on foot. That is the short visit: see where the river starts, sit at the tables and turn back.

If you would rather not take the car up, park in Pontones. About 200 metres towards Santiago de la Espada there is a widening beside a small park with a fountain. From there the Sendero Fuente-Segura — waymarked by the Junta and sharing stretches with the GR-7 — drops to the hamlets and follows the young river to the picnic ground. The outward walk is about 5 kilometres, with little height, and takes under two hours at an easy pace. There and back on the same path, or a circuit returning by the road, comes to 9–10 kilometres.

Neither option is the same outing as the Juan Leon viewpoint. That path leaves the picnic ground uphill and involves a good deal more height.

The Fuente-Segura path and the three hamlets

Pontones, Ponton Bajo and Ponton Alto

Pontones is the starting point. Ponton Bajo sits on the A-317; Ponton Alto climbs steep streets towards the wash-house and a view of the stream. It is worth walking through the village before you set off: there are shops and services here that you will not find in every hamlet further up the valley.

Fuente Segura de Abajo, de Enmedio and de Arriba

Fuente Segura is not a single farm. It is three clusters on the climb: Lower, Middle and Upper. The path passes kitchen gardens, an old wash-house and the Fuente Segura estate. The young river is already visible in the valley. Past Fuente Segura de Arriba the last kilometre brings you to the picnic ground and the pool.

A circuit of about 9.6 kilometres

Jaen tourism describes a circuit that leaves Pontones, follows the path through the valley, reaches the source and returns on the higher road. It is easy walking: about 100 metres of height, mixed path and tarmac. Keep moving and you will do it in about an hour and a quarter; with stops in the hamlets and at the pool, allow two hours or more. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons. In summer it is better to leave early.

GR-7, GR-144 and the Juan Leon viewpoint

The GR-7 is a long-distance path that crosses this park on its run through the peninsula. The GR-144 follows an old livestock droving road. Both share a stretch beside the source. You do not need to walk the whole GR to see the pool.

From the picnic ground the path to the Juan Leon viewpoint climbs about 5.6 kilometres (11.2 there and back), with some 317 metres of height. It is a moderate walk. The first kilometre is a track; the rest is a path. There are no fountains on the way, and in winter you need to watch for snow. If you only want the spring, leave the viewpoint for another day.

Following the bank downstream into the Segura valley is a different outing — longer, and not the walk to the pool.

Picnic ground

The Nacimiento del Segura ground is listed on the park fire-protection plan. There are tables with benches, barbecues, a play area, a fountain and a kiosk-bar. The kiosk is not open all year, so do not count on it for lunch. The practical plan is to bring water and food from Pontones.

Use the barbecues only where they stand, and only when the park has not closed them for fire risk. Take your rubbish with you. Parking is at the picnic ground, at the end of the JF-7047.

Map of Pontones and the source of the Segura

How to reach the source of the Segura

Pontones sits on the A-317, on the east side of the park. From Cazorla you cross the sierra on the A-319 towards the Tranco, then continue towards Hornos and Santiago-Pontones. The mountain drive from Cazorla to Pontones takes about an hour and a half. From Ponton Bajo the JF-7047 — a narrow provincial road of about 4.7 kilometres — leads to the picnic ground. How you get from Malaga to Cazorla is set out in the town guide.

Car hire

Car hire: the flexible option

With a car based in Cazorla or Pontones you can drive the JF-7047 to the picnic ground and, if daylight remains, drop back down the valley or add another stop in the Sierra de Segura.

Hire a car at Malaga Airport
Private transfer

Taxi or private transfer

Book a transfer from the airport or the Costa del Sol to a hotel in Cazorla or Santiago-Pontones. Without a hire car you can also book an out-and-back the same day from your lodging to Pontones or to the picnic ground at the source.

Book a taxi

*No credit-card details or advance payment are needed to request a quote. Cancellation is free. Book ahead in high season to avoid price rises and to secure the car you need.

Other options

Coaches reach Cazorla from Ubeda or Jaen and, with a change, from Malaga or Granada. How that journey from Malaga fits together is on the Cazorla guide. Buses on to Santiago-Pontones are scarce and do not suit a visit of a few hours. Without your own vehicle the practical plan is to stay in Cazorla or Pontones and book a taxi out and back the same day.

Practical tips

  • There are two ways to visit the source. The short one: drive the JF-7047 to the picnic ground and walk down to the pool — about ten minutes. The long one: leave the car in Pontones and walk the Sendero Fuente-Segura, about five kilometres out through the valley, past the three hamlets of Fuente Segura.
  • Bring water and something to eat from Pontones. There is a fountain and a kiosk at the picnic ground, but the kiosk is not open all year. On the path and on the way to the Juan Leon viewpoint there is no other fountain.
  • In August the picnic-ground car park fills early. Leave Pontones or Cazorla first thing if you want a table in the shade and a place for the car.
  • The JF-7047 is a narrow provincial road, with bends and little verge. Parking is at the end, at the picnic ground. If you walk from the village, leave the car in the widening at Ponton Bajo, beside the park, about 200 metres towards Santiago de la Espada.
  • The Juan Leon viewpoint is a separate walk: more than five kilometres out and more than three hundred metres of height. It does not fit the same day as the circuit if you have small children or only want the pool.
  • Look at the pool from the bank, behind the fence. Do not go in: the water comes from a flooded cave under the rock, it is deep, and it is not a bathing place. Near the picnic ground there is another cave, the Cueva del Nacimiento: a prehistoric site, not an open visit.
  • Avoid the drive just after snow or heavy rain: the JF-7047 and the path pick up mud, loose stone and, if it has snowed, ice. In summer the valley is hot in the sun; at the rock face, in the shade, it is cooler. If you climb to the viewpoint at midday the heat is more obvious.

Frequently asked questions about the source of the Segura

How do you get there from Cazorla?

Take the A-319 towards the Tranco, then continue towards Hornos and Santiago-Pontones on the A-317. The sierra stretch takes about an hour and a half. At Ponton Bajo take the JF-7047 up to Fuente Segura as far as the picnic ground, or leave the car in the village and walk the Sendero Fuente-Segura. Malaga to Cazorla is a separate stage and is covered in the town guide.

Can you drive to the source?

Yes. The JF-7047 is the provincial road of about 4.7 kilometres from Ponton Bajo to Fuente Segura. It ends at the picnic-ground car park, and from there the pool is a few minutes on foot. If you would rather not drive up, leave the car in Pontones and walk about five kilometres on the path.

What is the JF-7047?

It is the Jaen provincial road that links Ponton Bajo with the hamlets of Fuente Segura and the picnic ground at the source. It is not a dual carriageway, but a narrow mountain lane of under five kilometres, with bends and little verge. Parking is at the end, at the picnic ground.

How long is the path from Pontones?

The Sendero Fuente-Segura is about 4.8 to 5.5 kilometres one way, easy walking, and takes under two hours. The circuit that returns by the road is about 9.6 kilometres with some 100 metres of height.

Is there water all year?

The spring does not dry up altogether, but the look of the pool changes. In spring and after rain or snowmelt it looks full and the colour is cleaner. After a dry summer the flow drops and the surface looks smaller. The hamlets and the picnic ground are still worth the visit; what changes is how much water you see.

Is it suitable for children?

The picnic ground and the pool are, if you arrive by car. The path from Pontones is easy for walkers used to a few kilometres; for very small children it is long. The Juan Leon viewpoint is not a short family stroll.

Where do you park?

At the picnic ground by the source, at the end of the JF-7047. If you walk from the village, leave the car in Ponton Bajo, in the widening beside the park, about 200 metres towards Santiago de la Espada.

When is the best time?

Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons, both for temperature and for the look of the valley. In summer leave early. Just after snow or heavy rain is a poor time: the JF-7047 and the path pick up mud, loose stone and, if it has snowed, ice.