Sobrepuerto, Natural site in Huesca Province, Spain
Sobrepuerto is a protected natural site in the Spanish Pyrenees nestled between the Gállego and Ara rivers across mountainous terrain with summits above 2,000 meters. Mixed forests of pine and beech dominate shaded areas, while boxwood and thorny shrubs cover sun-facing slopes.
The region hosted several mountain villages including Basarán, Cillas, and Cortillas that were home to resilient communities. The last residents abandoned these settlements in the early 1970s when the harsh conditions made life unsustainable.
The area shows how mountain communities organized their lives around forestry and herding, with the landscape shaped by centuries of these activities. Walking through, you notice cleared pastures and managed forests that reflect this connection between people and land.
Visitors reach the area mainly on foot via forest trails starting from either Ara Valley or Gállego Valley, though some access roads permit vehicles. Most exploration requires walking on marked paths through the mountain terrain.
Ruins of abandoned villages still dot the landscape, their structures gradually disappearing into the forest as nature slowly reclaims the former settlements. These ghost communities offer glimpses into lives that were lived here generations ago.
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