Linarejos recreation area and the Cerrada del Utrero walks

The Arroyo Linarejos, a clear mountain stream, runs down to the Guadalquivir in the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas Natural Park, near Vadillo Castril. From Cazorla you drive the A-319 over the Puerto de las Palomas and turn at the Empalme del Valle into the river valley.

The recreation area is a picnic ground and car park. In the warm months a low weir holds the stream back and people swim in that pool. From the tables a short path leads to limestone pools and a viewpoint. A few minutes downhill, at El Valle, the Cerrada del Utrero trail starts: a loop of about 1.6 km through the Guadalquivir gorge, looking across to the Linarejos waterfall — Cola de Caballo (horse’s tail) when the stream is running.

If you have time left, the Tranco reservoir lies further on along the same A-319. Torre del Vinagre and the River Borosa valley follow on that road, beyond this turning.

*After a dry winter the fall can shrink to a trickle. After heavy rain it is worth checking the gorge path is open.

The recreation area

There is a large car park, wooden tables and chairs, a drinking fountain and a kiosk that usually opens in July and August. The stream runs through poplars, willows, ashes and gall oaks. Early or midweek you often see fallow deer, a wild boar or a mouflon at the water.

The bathing pool is not a municipal swimming bath. A low weir holds the stream: if the flow is good you can get in; after a dry summer little depth remains. The water is cold even in August. There is no lifeguard.

From Cazorla take the A-319 to the Empalme del Valle and turn right onto the JF-7092. After the bridge over the Guadalquivir keep left on the JF-7091. About two kilometres on, a lane on the left leads to the area. The last metres are unpaved and narrow: an ordinary car will do, but an SUV or a higher car is more comfortable, especially after rain.

Walks from Linarejos

Pools and viewpoint from the picnic ground

From the tables a path follows the stream uphill. In half an hour there and back you reach limestone pools and a natural viewpoint over the gorge and the waterfall. This is the easiest outing, the one that fits a picnic and a swim if the water is high enough. The rock arch at the viewpoint has no rail all the way round: stay a few steps back, especially with children.

Cerrada del Utrero trail

The marked loop is 1.6–1.7 km and takes about 45 minutes. It starts at El Valle, opposite the turning for Vadillo Castril, beside the information point and another kiosk. The car park at that junction is smaller than the one at the recreation area; in Holy Week and in August it fills early.

The path climbs beside the Guadalquivir, on steps cut in the rock with a wooden rail, as far as the Utrero weir. The river drops there in one fall. A little further on you see the Linarejos waterfall — about sixty metres when the stream is strong. You round the Penon del Lanchon and return to the road through a stand of maritime pine.

The park service rates it as moderate. There are steps, the path sits above the riverbed and loose stone can fall. Anyone who can walk unaided will manage. A pushchair will not: the steps and the width of the path do not allow it. Small children need carrying, or you stay at the picnic ground.

Cerrada del Utrero: Map
Cascada de Linarejos: Map

Making a longer day of it

If you want more miles you can follow forest tracks toward Valdeazores, Los Organos and Torre del Vinagre. That is a long day, six or seven hours, and no longer the gorge stroll. It makes sense if you are staying nearby and leave early; for a picnic and the waterfall the short loop is enough.

Torre del Vinagre visitor centre: Map
Valdeazores: Map
Los Organos: Map

How to reach the Linarejos recreation area

From Malaga to Cazorla you take the A-92 and A-44, or the A-45 through Antequera; that drive is set out on the town page. From Cazorla the area is 20 to 25 minutes: A-319 toward the Tranco reservoir, Empalme del Valle and the track to the picnic ground. No bus stops at the stream or at the start of the Cerrada.

Car hire: the flexible option

With a car in Cazorla you can spend the morning at Linarejos and, if light remains, drop down to the Tranco. The last kilometre is a dirt track: an SUV or a higher car is easier there, especially after rain.

Hire a car at Malaga Airport

Taxi or private transfer

A transfer to a hotel in Cazorla, La Iruela or Arroyo Frio, then a local taxi the next day to the Empalme del Valle or the recreation area. Agree the return time as well: nothing regular runs from the picnic ground.

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. None of those services enter the park: from the town to Linarejos you still need about 20 minutes by car or taxi. Without your own vehicle the practical plan is to stay in Cazorla or Arroyo Frio and book a taxi out and back the same day.

Practical tips

Park at the recreation area if you are picnicking or using the stream pools. Park at El Valle, by the Vadillo Castril turning, if you only want the 45-minute loop.
In Holy Week and in August both car parks fill early. Leave Cazorla first thing.
The waterfall depends on winter rain. After a dry year it is often little more than a thread.
On the gorge path wear shoes with grip: the steps by the weir are usually wet.
The kiosk at the area and the one at El Valle usually open in summer. The rest of the year bring water and food.
The lip of the fall and the arch of the viewpoint have no continuous rail. It is not worth stepping to the edge for a photograph.

Frequently asked questions about Linarejos and the Cerrada del Utrero

Where does the 45-minute trail start?

At El Valle, opposite the turning for Vadillo Castril, beside the information point. From the recreation area a shorter walk follows the stream to the pools and the viewpoint.

Can you go with children?

The picnic ground and the stream path work well if you watch the edge of the viewpoint. The Cerrada del Utrero is fine if the child walks on their own: there are steps and the path sits above the river. A pushchair will not fit that trail.

Is there a swimming pool?

A low weir holds the stream back into a natural pool inside the recreation area. It fills from the stream itself, not from a town supply. In summer, if the flow is good, people swim there. After a dry year little depth remains.

How long from Cazorla?

Twenty to twenty-five minutes by car on the A-319 to the Empalme del Valle and the track. The drive from Malaga to Cazorla is a separate stage: it usually takes more than two hours and is described on the town page.

When does the waterfall look its best?

In spring and early summer, after a winter with rain or snow. By late August, after heat without rain, it is often only a thread on the rock.

Can you eat there?

There are picnic tables at the area. The kiosk there and the one at El Valle usually open in July and August. The rest of the year bring food and water; Cazorla and Arroyo Frio have bars all year.