Sierra Nevada National Park , GRANADA

Introduction

The singular natural, cultural and scenic wealth of the Sierra Nevada massif converts this enclave into one of the natural spaces of greatest interest in Andalusia. Sierra Nevada reaches heights of over 3,000 m, which makes it the massif of highest altitude in western Europe, after the Alps. The peak of Mulhacén (3,481 m) is the ceiling of the Iberian peninsula.

In the surrounding area there are numerous glacial lakes, the highest one being the Laguna de Altera, at 3,146 m. Declared a National Hunting Reserve in 1966, twenty years later Sierra Nevada received the denomination Biosphere Reserve, granted by Unesco. At last in 1989 it was declared a Natural Park, which affected the regions of the Río Nacimiento and the Alpujarra in Almería, Marquesado del Zenete, Valle de Lecrín, Granada Alpujarra and north Sierra Nevada, in Granada. Recently it has been declared a National Park.

Sierra Nevada is one of the largest Andalusian Protected Natural Spaces on the peninsula, with a surface area of 171,646 hectares shared between the provinces of Granada and Almería. The Romans called it Mons Slorius. The Arabs, Xolair Atzalg or Gebal Xolair (Arabicized Mozarabic place-names, meaning: "mountain of the sun"). It has been considered a natural marvel throughout history. Arab treatise writers such as Al Jatib or El Idrisi describe it with precision. From these beauty spots the caravans laden with silk produced in its regions, departed bound for rich, legendary and distant countries.

Places

54 municipal areas in both provinces belong either partially or totally to the Park.

Granada:
Aldeire, Alpujarra de la Sierra, Bérchules, Bubión, Busquístar, Cádiar, Cáñar, Capileira, Carataunas, Cástaras, Cogollos de Guadix, Dílar, Dólar, Dúrcal, Ferreira, Gójar, Güéjar-Sierra, Huéneja, Jérez del Marquesado, Juviles, La Calahorra, Lanjarón, Lanteira, La Tahá, La Zubia, Lecrín, Lugros, Monachil, Nevada, Nigüelas,Órgiva, Padul, Pampaneira, Pórtugos, Soportújar, Trevélez and Válor.

Almería:
Abla, Abrucena, Alboloduy, Alcolea, Alhabia, Almócita, Alsodux, Bayárcal, Beires, Bentarique, Canjáyar, Fiñana, Fondón, Íllar, Instinción, Las Tres Villas, Laujar de Andarax, Nacimiento, Ohanes, Padules, Paterna del Río, Rágol, Terque and Santa Cruz.

Information Office
Carretera de la Sierra, 71
18071 Pinagelin (Granada)

The Alpujarra

La Alpujarra, last Moorish redoubt in the Kingdom of Granada is at the south of the massif forming a natural region of marked personality. Its impregnability against the Romans, Arabs and even Castillians and French throughout history have made it possible that ancient traditions and customs have survived intact to the present day.

Its natural resources have been used for a long time: from the old occupations of the snowfields to the new form of tourist exploitation through its winter ski stations, the southernmost in Europe and which leave behind the nostalgic memory of the trams that traversed its passes in the not too distant past. There are too many other economic resources to count: crops, products of human activity, fishing, hunting, sport, craftwork etc. But its real importance (apart from nature) is the cultural framework of its numerous human settlements.

Location map of Sierra Nevada National Park

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Sky Resort

HOTELS IN THE SKI RESORT, RESERVE NOW!

Europe's southernmost ski station is located at only 31 kms from Granada city, in Monachil municipal term. It is the ski area with more hours of sunshine than any other European Ski Resort.

Nevertheless most of the slopes face north east which means the best snow conditions throughout the whole season (november - may)! It is also the only ski resort from which you can see the sea while skiing.

Flora and Fauna

Flora
Its bio-climatic variations signify a variety of flora and fauna that singles it out from the group of European natural spaces (a large quantity of endemic species exist and more than 60 exclusive botanical species). It consists of distinctive woods with extensive areas of Holm oaks above all in the Almería Sierra Nevada, as well as maples, ashes, service trees, yews, holly trees and birches.

These different types of woods serve as an origin for other communities such as: Sarothamnus scoparius, broom, esparto grass, rosemary, rock roses, thyme, etc., with a rich and varied flora where aromatic, essential, medicinal and melliferous species abound and constitute an enormous economic potential for the area. Numerous endemic species, among which the "camomile of the mountain" (Artemisia granatensis) and Erygeron frigidus stand out because they are in danger of extinction.

Also the numerous arctic-alpine species, which grow here in their most southern location in Europe, are worthy of mention (Ranunculus glacialis, Saxifraga opositifolia, Arabis alpina, etc.). The total flora in Sierra Nevada has been catalogued at more than 2,000 species, of which approximately 15% are national endemic species and nearly a hundred are exclusive to Sierra Nevada.

Fauna

The mountain goat (Capra pyrenaica), habitual in the high peaks is the most characteristic species of Sierra Nevada. Badgers, stone martens and wildcats are typical species of the lower areas. It has vertebrates of zoogeographical importance as they are sub-alpine species that are found here in their southernmost location. This is the case of the "topillo nival" (Microtus nivalis), typical of alpine mountains, this being the most southern location that is known about and are obvious relics of the glaciations.

Among the invertebrates are the insects (coleopterons, orthopterons, lepidepterons, dermapterons and lepidopterons) about which there exists more complete and accessible information. The conditioning factors of this mountain range have made them acquire a characteristic aspect, dark colours, hard tegument and a large body. Some features are similar to the adaptations made by species that live on oceanic islands, as is the case of the Ortóptero Baetica ustulata which has lost the ability to fly due to the isolation of its habitat during thousands of years, reducing its wings and increasing its weight; in this way it has managed to survive the strong winds that blow on the high ground. Among these there are valuable endemic species, such as the Carábidos family, predatory coleopterons typical of humid environments, where one can see the species Iberodinodes baeticus move rapidly over the plains.

Ants typical to arid zones have endemic representation here; the most characteristic is the ant Proformica longiseta, its speed and slightly straightened way of walking is the reason for its being able to bear the high temperatures.

Image of a Parnassius apollo, example of the fauna in the National Park Sierra Nevada

Among the butterflies there are also numerous endemic species, those such as Parnasius apollo subsp. nevadensis, are well known and a characteristic representative of mountain fauna. The numerous watercourses, which pass through the mountains, provide resources like trout-fishing, habitual in the rivers of the Park, as well as: common toads, common frogs, salamanders. Tortoises and stripe necked terrapins. Snakes. Saurians. A wide variety of bird fauna exists, especially birds of prey.