Sierra de las Nieves National Park

Sierra de las Nieves is a national park in Málaga Province in southwestern Andalusia, extending across seven municipalities and reaching its highest elevation at Torrecilla Peak. The protected area includes limestone mountain ranges with deep gorges, extensive pinsapo fir forests and karst caves that create different microclimates at varying altitudes.

The region was recognized as a natural park in 1989 and declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1995 before officially receiving national park status in July 2021. The elevation to national park followed decades of conservation efforts by local environmentalists and authorities who sought to preserve the biological diversity of the mountain ranges.

The area takes its name from old snow storage pits where local inhabitants collected winter snow for centuries and sold it to surrounding towns during summer. These pit systems lie scattered across the high slopes and recall a time when ice was still manually harvested.

Visitor centers in several municipalities offer maps and basic orientation for hikers exploring marked trails through the different altitude zones of the park. The paths range from easy walks along the lower valleys to steep climbs near the peaks, so hikers should choose their route based on physical fitness.

The pinsapo fir grows almost exclusively in this area and forms one of the last natural stands of this ancient tree species on the Iberian Peninsula. Visitors can observe these rare conifers in higher zones where they form dense groves on the northern slopes.