Guadarrama National Park, National park between Madrid and Segovia, Spain.
Guadarrama National Park is a protected area between Madrid and Segovia in Spain, stretching across two autonomous communities and covering high mountain zones with granite peaks, pine forests, and alpine meadows. The landscape shifts with altitude from dense oak woodlands in the valleys to bare rock formations along the ridges.
Conservationists and hiking clubs campaigned for protection of these mountains since the 1920s, but the area only received official recognition as a national park in 2013. The designation ended decades of political discussion between the Madrid and Castile and León regions over joint management.
The park takes its name from Sierra de Guadarrama, derived from an Arabic word for mountain range, reflecting the area's long multicultural past. Hikers encounter stone shelters and livestock watering points that herders used across generations and remain visible today.
Visitors should prepare for changeable mountain weather, as temperatures and visibility can shift quickly, especially above the tree line. Several access points on both sides of the range make it easy to reach by car or public transport from Madrid and surrounding towns.
Wolves returned to these mountains in the 2010s after an absence of seven decades, now settling again in remote forested areas. Observers can also spot Spanish imperial eagles and Eurasian black vultures circling above the ridges.
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