Quebrada La Vieja, Hiking trail in Eastern Hills, Bogotá, Colombia.
Quebrada La Vieja runs through the Cerros Orientales, the forested hills along the eastern edge of Bogotá, on calle 71 between the Circunvalar avenue and carrera Segunda. The stream crosses the path and spills over a low weathered wooden plank barrier into a shallow brown pool below, while a wooden handrail of two long beams on short posts follows the trail up a moss-covered stone bank. Dense trees, ferns and shrubs border both sides.
The Cerros Orientales were declared a protected area during the 20th century to safeguard Bogotá's water supply and prevent the forests from being cleared for construction. As the trail grew in popularity over the years, authorities introduced a reservation system to manage the number of daily visitors.
Quebrada La Vieja is a favorite spot for people from Bogotá who walk early in the morning before the day begins. Along the path, trees are marked with small signs that help walkers identify local plant species.
Access to the trail requires prior registration through the Bogotá Water Board website, so it is worth planning the visit a few days ahead. The entry points are located in the Rosales neighborhood, which is easy to reach from the city center by taxi or public transport.
The stream crossing the trail drops over a low wooden plank barrier into a shallow brown pool, splitting into two white streams through the slats. Neighbours of the Las Acacias barrio began recovering the quebrada in 1984, when it was fenced off and polluted; Bogotá's water utility then cut the sewage outlets draining into it from nearby buildings.
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