Sámara Loop Trail

Sámara Loop Trail is the official PNT 13 circuit from Sámara Viewpoint: 2.85 miles (4.59 km) over dark volcanic ground and around pine-dotted cones, returning to the same roadside viewpoint. Allow about 2½–2¾ hours and roughly 840 feet (256 m) of climbing. Its rolling grade makes it one of the more manageable high-country walks here, but loose stone and the nearly 2,000-metre elevation make it a real hike rather than a quick stop at the overlook. The distance here covers the circuit only, not the separate PNT 13.1 summit spur.

The signed path leaves the viewpoint through Canary Island pine, then climbs toward a junction on the volcanic slope. Follow the dark-green PNT 13 markers to keep circling the cones and return to the same start. A separate PNT 13.1 sign points up toward Alto de Sámara; that spur is optional and is not included in the distance or time above. It branches from and rejoins the main outing, so take it only if you want the extra climb and are ready for a longer walk. The summit spur is the clearest route to the broad Teide and Pico Viejo panorama.

Much of the tread crosses dark tephra, lapilli and scoria. The rises are small and manageable, but loose, uneven stones need more care than the mileage suggests, especially on sloping sections. At roughly 1,872–2,101 metres, open stretches get strong sun and the high-country weather can turn cool, cloudy or windy; the pine cover is intermittent rather than dependable shade.

This is young volcanic terrain, with the dark gravel of recent eruptions running up against Canary Island pine. The route passes Teide white broom (retama), Teide sticky broom (codeso) and rosalillo de cumbre. The Sámara and Botija cones are the walk’s main landmarks; take a moment to look across their overlapping rims instead of treating the loop as a simple connector between viewpoints.

Kestrels hunt over the open slope, while Berthelot’s pipit, Canary Islands chiffchaff, blue tit and Tenerife lizard are among the wildlife recorded along the route. The Iberian grey shrike is less common around the transition between pine and broom. The highland mouflon story is part of the landscape too: the animals were introduced to Tenerife in the 1970s for hunting and now threaten some native plant communities, so this walk passes through habitat the park is trying to protect.

Begin at Sámara Viewpoint (Mirador de Sámara) on TF-38 at kilometre 7.5. Parking there is limited, and there are no nearby services; plan food and water before reaching the trailhead. Access is free and no reservation is required under the normal rule. Check the park’s current access notices before driving out, since temporary restrictions can affect trail sectors. The loop’s best photo is the dark lapilli in the foreground with pines and the volcanic cones behind; take the summit spur if you want Teide and Pico Viejo in the frame.