Mountain biking and gravel cycling in Aragón
General
From green nature in the mountains to dry plains; in Aragón you'll find an enormous variety of landscapes. In the north, the region covers the central part of the Pyrenees. The southernmost point of the region is at almost the same latitude as Valencia. Spaniards in particular know how to find the most beautiful off-road routes, but nowadays more and more Northern Europeans are also discovering Aragón as an MTB and gravel destination. The vast nature, the large network of unpaved roads and the world-famous mountain biking region Zona Zero offer endless possibilities for adventurous cyclists.
On this page, we share twelve mountain bike and gravel routes for various skill levels. From leisurely rides on well-maintained gravel paths to rugged mountain bike trails; this selection of routes showcases how versatile Aragón is as a cycling destination.
Aragón is one of Spain's – and perhaps Europe's – most versatile cycling destinations. But beyond that, there are more reasons why mountain bikers and gravel riders love to visit this cycling destination. For example, there is an enormous network of unpaved paths, and there is little traffic outside the cities. Life in the villages is also peaceful and pleasant. This gives Aragón an authentic character; here, you still feel the real Spain, far from the tourist crowds.
The climate of Aragon means that conditions are virtually ideal for cycling adventures all year round, somewhere. In winter and early spring, the lower-lying areas of Zaragoza province are the best choice thanks to the sunny and dry climate, although it can be chilly. In spring and autumn, both Zaragoza and Teruel are fantastic destinations. As soon as summer arrives, the snow on the mountain tops slowly disappears and the mountain passes become accessible again, attention shifts to Huesca province.
A cycling holiday to Aragón should never consist solely of cycling. Life in this tranquil region is truly authentic. If you stop at a village café during your ride, you'll be warmly received. Before you know it, you'll be chatting with some locals, who proudly talk about their village. A coffee stop or lunch in Aragón is soon longer than planned. Life here proceeds calmly and congenially.
Aragonese cuisine is another reason to linger after your journey. Aragón is known for local products such as Jamón de Teruel, Ternasco de Aragón (young lamb), artisanal cheeses and olive oil from Bajo Aragón.
Definitely cycle through one of the region's many beautiful villages. Or even better: take a walk through the medieval streets on a rest day. Albarracín and Aínsa belong to the most beautiful villages in Spain and are well worth a visit.
Are you going mountain biking in Zone ZeroStay with Hotel Sanchez. From here, you can easily access one of the many mountain bike routes. There is also secure bike storage, and you can clean your bike in the wash-down area.
At Benasque, located in the northeast of Huesca province, lies SOMMOS Hotel Benasque. You're right here in the Pyrenees. After a long day on the bike, you can relax wonderfully in the spa, while your bike is safely stowed in the modern bike storage.
In Teruel you can have a particularly unique overnight stay in Parador de Teruel. This charming four-star hotel is built in the Mudéjar style and is located on the outskirts of Teruel. You can also safely store your bicycle at this hotel. Parador de Teruel is an ideal hotel if you want to stay in a special location and combine cycling with a visit to the historic centre of Teruel.
Mountain bike and gravel routes in Huesca
Ordesa Viewpoints
- Discipline Mountain bike / e-MTB
- Type Round trip
- Distance: 48 km
- Altimeters: +1.750 m
- Highest point 2.210 m
- Difficulty Physically demanding / Technically average to simple
- Start and end point Broto of Sarvisé
Directions
The route begins with a few quiet kilometres on secondary asphalt roads towards Fanlo, ideal for warming up the legs. Just before the village, you turn off onto the unpaved forest road of the Sierra de las Cutas. The climb is long – about 16 kilometres – and continuous, but the road surface is good. The highlight of the route follows on top of the mountain ridge, where at over 2,000 metres above sea level you pass the impressive edge of the Ordesa Gorge The descent is via a wide, fast gravel road with loose stones towards Torla-Ordesa. From there, you return relaxed to the starting point via the valley road.
2. Journey to the Underworld – Ground Zero
- Discipline Mountain Bike / Enduro / e-MTB
- Type Round trip
- Distance: 55 km
- Altimeters: +1.570 m
- Highest point 1.120 m
- Difficulty Physically demanding / Technically demanding
- Start and end point Aínsa
Directions
One of the absolute classics of the famous mountain biking area Zone Zero in the Sobrarbe region. The route starts in the medieval town Aínsa combines spicy, undulating sections with steep climbs over narrow mountain roads and wide gravel paths. The real appeal, however, lies in the descents. You'll ride over old, restored mule tracks filled with stones, roots, and technical turns. The most spectacular section leads through the characteristic Badlands: stark grey marl hills that give the landscape an almost alien character and push your riding skills to the limit.
3. The Ibones of Partacua
- Discipline Mountain bike / e-MTB / Mountain gravel
- Type Round trip
- Distance: 38 km
- Altimeters: +980 m
- Highest point 1.930 m
- Difficulty Physically average / Technically average to simple
- Start and end point Tramacastilla de Tena, Piedrafita de Jaca
Directions
This route passes along the imposing rock faces of the Sierra de Guara and Peña Telera in the Tena Valley. You start with a gradual climb on a well-maintained forest road that winds upwards through dense woods towards the alpine meadows. You then cycle across a spectacular high plateau past various Big bones – glacial lakes – including the PiedrafitaLake. The descent consists of fast, playful gravel roads with some sections over grassland, while you are constantly rewarded with impressive panoramas of the surrounding mountain peaks.
4. Ascent of Pico Pelopín
- Discipline Mountain bike / e-MTB
- Type Circular route (also possible as a round trip)
- Distance: 28 km
- Altimeters: +950 m
- Highest point 2.005 m (top of the Peloponnese)
- Difficulty Physically average / Technically average to heavy (upper section)
- Start and end point Yosa de Broto from the Cotefablo tunnel car park
Directions
The route begins with a direct climb from the vicinity of the Cotefablo Pass, on the border of Alto Gállego and Sobrarbe. You quickly gain altitude via a steep mountain road with loose stones and significant gradients. Above 1,800 metres, the road gives way to narrow paths across the alpine meadows on the ridge. After reaching the summit, a technical descent awaits towards Linás de Broto or Yosa de Broto, alternating open mountainsides with winding forest paths before rejoining the route back.
MTB and gravel routes in Zaragoza
5. Tarazonica Green Route
- Discipline Leisure cycling / Gravel / Family route
- Type Single journey
- Distance: 22 km (Aragonese section to Tudela)
- Height difference +80 m / -200 m (mainly descending towards Navarra)
- Highest point 480 m
- Difficulty Physically very simple / Technically very simple
- Starting point: Tarazona
- Destination Tudela (Navarre)
Directions
This entirely car-free route follows the former course of a narrow-gauge railway. From the monumental station building of Tarazona Take a relaxed bike ride along the river Queiles. The wide, flat route is excellently maintained, fully signposted and closed to motorised traffic. Along the way, you will pass irrigation fields, orchards, olive groves and small villages at the foot of the Moncayo. Along the route, you'll find various rest stops and beautifully restored former stations.
6. Natural Pathway of La Alfranca
- Discipline Leisure cycling / Family route / Gravel
- Type Back and forth
- Distance: 30 km (15 km each way)
- Altimeters: +40 m
- Highest point 210 metres
- Difficulty Physically very simple / Technically very simple
- Starting point: Zaragoza (Ebro weir, left bank)
- Destination La Alfranca Nature Reserve (Pastriz)
Directions
A flat riverside route that starts on the outskirts of Zaragoza and follows the green corridor along the river Ebro follows. You’ll soon leave the city behind and cycle through the nature reserve Los Sotos and Galachos del Ebro Nature Reserve. The route consists of well-maintained gravel paths and wooden boardwalks that span small marshy areas. You will ride through dense floodplain forests with poplars, willows and alders, past various birdwatching hides, before arriving at the nature and visitor centre of La Alfranca.
7. From Farlete to San Caprasio (Los Monegros)
8. La Calcenada – Rond de Moncayo
- Discipline Mountain bike / Marathon / Extreme gravel
- Type Round trip
- Distance: 104 km
- Altimeters: +2,550 m
- Highest point 1,590 m (Collado del Campo)
- Difficulty Physically very heavy / Technically average
- Start and end point Calcena
Directions
A gruelling route, inspired by the legendary endurance race Calcenada, which the full Moncayo Massif circled. From Calcena climb via steep gravel roads to Purujosa and Beratón, briefly describing the province Soria The route alternates between long, challenging climbs and fast descents on wide forest tracks through beech and pine woods on the northern side of the mountain. Around the halfway point, the landscape changes again, with the woods giving way to drier slopes dotted with low shrubs. Talamantes. The final steep climbs eventually take you back to the impressive limestone gorge of Calcena.
MTB and gravel routes in Teruel
9. Ojos Negros Green Way
- Discipline Leisure cycling / Gravel / Family route
- Type Single journey
- Distance: 92 km (from Santa Eulalia del Campo to the provincial border with Castellón)
- Height difference +350 m / -700 m (mainly descending from north to south)
- Highest point 1.220 m (Puerto de Escandón)
- Difficulty Physically average to light / Technically very simple
- Starting point: Santa Eulalia del Campo (of Teruel)
- Destination Barracas (provincial border with Castellón)
Directions
This route follows the former railway line along which iron ore used to be transported to the Mediterranean Sea. From the Jiloca valley, you gradually climb towards the Escandón Port, the highest point of the route. From there, a long, comfortable descent through the region begins Gúdar-Javalambre. The route is virtually entirely car-free and follows a dead-straight path through tunnels with automatic lighting and over impressive viaducts spanning deep ravines.
10. The Route of the Three Taifas (Camino del Cid)
- Discipline Mountain Bike / Enduro / e-MTB
- Type Round trip
- Distance: 55 km
- Altimeters: +1.570 m
- Highest point 1.120 m
- Difficulty Physically demanding / Technically demanding
- Start and end point Aínsa
- Discipline Mountain bike / Bikepacking / Gravel
- Type Linear route (usually spread over 4 to 5 stages)
- Distance: 307 km (entire route through the province of Teruel)
- Altimeters: around +5,300 m
- Highest point 1,700 m (Sierra de Albarracín)
- Difficulty Physically demanding / Technically moderate
- Starting point: Ateca or Calatayud (province of Zaragoza)
- Destination Cella (province of Teruel)
Directions
An impressive historical route that follows in the footsteps of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, also known as El Cid. Upon entering the province of Teruel, the route passes through the vast high plains of Alto Jiloca and the abandoned heather moorland from Pozondón. Then you climb the Sierra de Albarracín where endless pine forests and striking red sandstone formations set the scene. Along the way, you'll pass medieval castles, fortifications and ancient villages, before the route descends into the Jiloca Valley at Cell.
11. Val de Zafán Green Way (Matarraña)
- Discipline Leisure cycling / Gravel / Family route
- Type Single journey
- Distance: 35 km (from Valdealgorfa to the border with Tarragona)
- Height difference Predominantly downhill (-300 m)
- Highest point 520 m
- Difficulty Physically simple / Technically very simple
- Starting point: Valdealgorfa (Lower Aragon)
- Destination Lledó-Arnes Station (provincial border)
Directions
This former railway line was once intended to La Puebla de Híjar to connect to the Mediterranean. The route begins spectacularly with the more than two-kilometre-long Equinox Tunnel at Valdealgorfa. Then you cycle through the picturesque region Matarraña, vineyards, ancient olive groves and almond orchards. Along the way you will cross rivers Matarraña and Algars over magnificent stone railway bridges that are among the most beautiful structures on the route.
12. Rodeno – route and the source of the Tagus
- Discipline Mountain bike / e-MTB
- Type Round trip
- Distance: 42 km
- Altimeters: +1.050 m
- Highest point 1,620 m (Puerto de El Cubillo)
- Difficulty Physically moderate to heavy / Technically moderate
- Start and end point Albarracín
Directions
This varied route reveals the impressive landscapes of the Sierra de Albarracín see. From the medieval Albarracín you drive almost directly into the protected nature reserve Pinares de Rodeno inside. You cycle between impressive red sandstone formations and vast pine forests on well-maintained, winding forest paths. After that, the route steadily climbs to the high plains of the Universal Mountains, passing close by the source of the Tagus The return journey leads back down to the river gorge via fast forest tracks and some traditional paths. Guadalaviar, after which you return to Albarracín.
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Cycling routes in Aragon
Naturally, Aragón has some unmissable cycling routes. We've put a few on our Komoot page (see below).