Lying South of the provincial capital of Jaén, about 12 km away from the city and having a direct access through the Otíñar road, the Monte de la Sierra Periurban Park, which was so declared in 1991, covers an extension of 2.720 ha and there are two converging obstacles running through it: the river Quiebrajano (where the Centre for the Recovery of Protected Species is located) and the Las Hazadillas ravine, adapted to recreational use, it being outfitted with stoves, tables, benches, recreational furniture, fountains, kiosk, etc., besides other facilities. These features, along with its vicinity to the city of Jaén, have turned this park into the traditional leisure-activity area for the Jaenans.

Natural Heritage

The Sierra of Jaén is an ecological paradise with a continuously changing landscape consisting of an abrupt and rugged orography of hillock-shaped and smooth contours made up of limestone and dolomites, where it is easy to find rocky shelters with cave paintings, fossils and immense, verticalwalled gorges where climbing is practiced, as well as widely varied vegetation. From the Otíñar gorge to the Quiebraquijano reservoir there rises an abrupt topography of continuous and rugged slopes overlaid with vegetation typical of the Mediterranean woodland (holm oaks, gall oaks, thyme fields, wild olives, etc.), alternating with patches of forestation pine-woods (Aleppo pine and black pine). The park’s characteristic fauna include species such as ibex, wild boar, squirrel, partridge, hedgehog, civet cat, sparrowhawk, Bonelli’s eagle and goshawk.

Main activities

Within the Monte de la Sierra Periurban Park lies the Cañada de las Hazadillas recreational area, outfitted with water fountains, benches, tables, litter bins, kiosk, barbecues, children’s playground, etc. It also includes a Nature Classroom admitting about sixty people which organizes guided visits to nearby natural enclaves.