Hoces del Río Duratón Natural Park, Protected natural park near Sepúlveda, Spain.
Hoces del Río Duratón Natural Park is a protected area in the province of Segovia, Castile and León, where a river has carved deep canyons with vertical walls up to 100 meters tall into limestone. The terrain extends over more than 5,000 hectares and includes plateaus, valleys, and rocky slopes covered with low Mediterranean scrub and scattered pines.
The regional government created this protected area in 1989 to preserve the natural environment and rock formations. A monastery from the 8th century, dedicated to Saint Fructus, recalls his time as a hermit in this territory.
The protected area takes its name from the Duratón, a river that has cut deep into limestone over thousands of years. Hikers often watch griffon vultures circling above the canyon walls and settling into rocky crevices.
Visitors explore the area through two main trails: one along the clifftops and another at the riverbank at the bottom of the canyons. Sturdy footwear is recommended, as paths can be uneven and sometimes cross over rocks.
The park shelters the largest colony of griffon vultures in Spain, with over 500 breeding pairs nesting along the limestone cliffs. The birds return to their nesting sites in large flocks each evening.
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