Mirador de Ordiales | Awesome Day Hike from Covadonga Lakes
Tucked away in the high mountains of the Picos de Europa find the incredible hike to the Mirador de Ordiales. This viewpoint is the final resting place of Pedro Pidal, an avid conservationist and founder of Spain’s first National Park.
The Ordiales viewpoint is nice, but what is even more spectacular is the hiking trail to reach it. The trail starts near the iconic alpine Lagos de Covadonga or Covadonga Lakes. It passes by pastures, and meadows, and then twists up into the high mountains. Along the trail appreciate the incredible views of the craggy limestone mountains and maybe catch a glimpse at the wild Chamois.
This is an overview of how to hike to the Mirador de Ordiales. This guide includes how to reach the trailhead, my personal hiking statistics, and tips for visiting the viewpoint as a day hike.
With memorable views and quiet paths, this is one of my favorite hiking trails in the Picos de Europa National Park in northern Spain.
Here’s how to day hike to Mirador de Ordiales from the Covadonga Lakes of Asturias Spain.
Table of Contents
Disclosure: This is part of my Hikes & Adventures series, which means these treks can be strenuous and challenging. These are my experiences and I am not an expert. Please have all the proper equipment, verify the weather conditions, use professional resources, do your own research, be mindful of constantly changing trail conditions, and take into consideration your own physical abilities and/or limitations. These guides are for entertainment purposes only. Please see my full disclosure for more information here.
- Where is the Mirador de Ordiales?
- How to Visit the Lagos de Covadonga
- Mirador de Ordiales Hike Map & Overview
- What to Pack for a Day Hike to the Ordiales Viewpoint
- Official Trailhead for Mirador de Ordiales
- What to Expect on the Hike to the Ordiales Viewpoint
- Mirador de Ordiales
- Hike Back to Lagos de Covadonga
- Conclusion | Overview of the Mirador de Ordiales Hike in the Picos de Europa National Park
Where is the Mirador de Ordiales?
The Mirador de Ordiales is a viewpoint in Spain’s Picos de Europa National Park. The only way to reach the viewpoint is to hike through the high mountains of the Picos. The trailhead is located in the Asturias section of the National Park and is accessible as a moderate-challenging day hike from the Lagos de Covadonga.
The pretty Lakes of Covadonga are a short distance from the village of Cangas de Onís. As this is one of the most popular places to see in the Picos de Europa National Park, the road is oftentimes regulated, especially during the busy summer season and holiday weekends.
Most people opt to sleep in Cangas de Onís before spending the next day visiting the Lagos de Covadonga. This is the best option for a full-day hike to the Ordiales viewpoint.
This is what I did and why this is a day hiking guide to the viewpoint.
Anillo de Picos (As a Multi-Day Trek)
It’s worth noting that some adventurous hikers may opt for a multi-day trek through the Picos de Europa. Nine mountain huts connect the three main massifs of the park: Eastern (Andara), Central (Los Urrieles), and Western (El Cornión).
The closest mountain hut to the Mirador de Ordiales is Vegarredonda, which is found in the Western Massif. Reservations are required to sleep at the mountain hut, and during the summer months, the spaces fill up fast.
The Anillo de Picos is a challenging multi-day trek that requires planning, proper gear, and high physical endurance. Those who are unsure of navigating the high mountains can utilize their mountain guides.
How to Get to the Lagos de Covadonga
As a conservation measure, the road from the Covadonga Sanctuary to the Lakes of Covadonga is closed to unauthorized travelers for the majority of the year. The road is narrow and can be extremely overcrowded during the summer months.
Near the Restaurante Merendero de Covadonga is where you will find the guarded traffic access point. It is monitored by workers for most of the day and by an electronic gate. The closure times are monitored 24 hours.
To see what days the road is open to tourists, you’ll need to check this official website.
‼️ During the authorized closures, it is mandatory to take a bus, shuttle, or taxi
No worries, the public transportation and shuttle systems are fairly easy to navigate. This is my extremely detailed guide on how to visit the Covadonga Lakes.
There are four main parking areas to catch the bus to Covadonga Lakes between Cangas de Onís and the Covadonga Sanctuary. The buses to the Covadonga Lakes are run by ALSA and can also be purchased from this official website.
Those taking the bus will have to be extremely mindful of their ticket times as you will need a minimum of 7 hours from arrival until departure for this hike. Even more, so if you hike slowly and want to enjoy the Covadonga Lakes.
I picked up my tickets from the Cangas de Onís bus station. This should be the first thing you do when you arrive in Cangas de Onís because tickets sell out fast! Bus tickets are currently 9€ and are purchased as a round-trip ticket. You must pick a departure to and from the Lakes.
From the bus station, it’s around a 50-minute bus ride to the main parking lot for the Covadonga Lakes. I took a 9:30 departure time and my return ticket was for 19:05. This gave me around 8 hours at the lakes, minus the travel time.
All buses drop at the Lagos – Parking Buferrera. There is a bathroom here and during the high season a small stand with tourist information.
Mirador de Ordiales Hike Map & Overview
This is my hiking route from the Buferrera Car Park to the Mirador de Ordiales. I completed this hike as an out-and-back hiking trail during September.
- Out & Back Trail
- This map follows the out-and-back trail Lagos de Covadonga (from Buferrera Car Park)
- Official Trail Markers: The route follows the PR-PNPE – 5 Mirador de Ordiales Hike. There are wooden signboards and yellow and white blazes throughout the trail
- Difficulty: Moderate, there’s a fairly large ascent up to the mountains and narrow pathways in some sections
- The trail is a mixture of meadows, pastures, dirt, and loose stones. Take care of your ankles, knees, and footing. It could be extra challenging during rain and muddy trails.
- It is advised to not hike during the winter season without experience and proper equipment
- Distance Out & Back: 14.5 miles (23.3 KM)
- Excursion Duration: +/ – 6.5 hours, depending on physical limitations, how much time you spend at the trailhead, breaks, etc.
- Always check in on current trail conditions/closures on the Picos de Europa National Park Website
🥾 The official hiking trail statistics from the Asturias Tourism Center state a shorter distance because they begin the statistics from the official trailhead | 7 miles (11.2 KM) / 5.75 hours | Official Trail Guide
What to Pack for the Day Hike to Ordiales Viewpoint
As this is a mountain trek, even as a day hike, it’s best to carry proper gear. It is not advised to hike in the mountains during the offseason from November – March. The weather can change fast, unexpected fog can be a safety issue, and the Picos de Europa do get snow.
Be mindful that the mountain shelter on this Picos de Europa hiking route is open from May until October. Hiking out of this time frame is not advised unless you have mountain experience and the proper gear.
I did hike the beginning section of the trail when I visited Covadonga Lakes in November a few years ago. I could not hike deeper into the mountains because I did not have the proper gear or experience to continue into the snow-covered path.
This is what I carried in my Osprey Backpack to the Covadonga Lakes and the Ordiales Viewpoint
- Osprey Kyte 36L Backpack (discontinued) Osprey offers a similar style in the Kyte 38L or the Sirrus 34L Pack
- First-Aid Kit
- Water in a Reusable Water Bottle
- Trekking Poles if you love them
- Hiking Boots or trail runners… I wanted some extra support so I opted for my La Sportiva Approach Mountain Shoes
- Extra pair of wool socks
- Sun Protectant Gear (Hat, Buff, Smartwool Baselayer Shirt) as there is little shade on the trail
- Packable Rainjacket
- REI 650 Down Jacket (I switched into this at the viewpoint)
- Snacks and a Picnic Lunch
- An offline map from some source
- Extra Power Bank for electric devices
➯ Hey… don’t forget your Travel Insurance! I love SafetyWing
Mirador de Ordiales Trailhead
There is a signboard for the Mirador de Ordiales trail near where the bus drops you. Head towards Lago Enol.
To reach the official Mirador de Ordiales trailhead, you’ll need to walk past Enol Lake, the hermitage of the Good Shepherd, and follow the gravel road to the trailhead. From there you could take the detour to the Mirador del Rey, but this viewpoint just doesn’t compare of what’s to come.
It’s a nice casual walk to the trailhead, but it does add extra distance and time. I didn’t stop to take pictures until my return trip to ensure I had enough time to complete the hike.
🥾 Buferrera Car Park to Mirador de Ordiales Trailhead | Distance: 2.5 miles (4 KM) | Duration: +/- 45 Minutes
What to Expect on the Hike to the Ordiales Viewpoint
The trail starts with a small section of forest and continues up to some meadows that act as pastures. There are huge stones along the way, and it’s possible to see small settlements known as sheepfolds. Many times the shepherds would take advantage of the summer grazing months and use these areas to stay with their herds.
As I hit the beautiful pasture area I saw free-range horses and cows. This open meadow with the mountains in the backdrop is one of my favorite sections of the hike.
The further up I continued, I saw fairly large herds of Chamois, antelope-like animals that live in these precious mountains. The true beauty was in those jagged limestone peaks that encouraged me to climb deeper into the mountains.
The climb continues to the Vegarredonda mountain hut.
🥾 Mirador de Ordiales Trailhead -Vegarredonda Hut | Distance: 2.9 miles (4.7 KM) | Duration: +/- 1.5 Hours
Vegarredonda Mountain Hut
The mountain hut of Vegarredonda sits at 4,790 ft (1,460 m) and is part of the Western Masstif of the Picos de Europa. The views coming into the shelter will leave you breathless. Please remember that if you plan to stay here, you must have a proper reservation.
If you look up in the distance, there is a higher shelter that was utilized during the Spanish Civil War. The current shelter was built in 1987 and has been used ever since.
There are rooms to sleep and a kitchen. They also sell snacks, food, and picnic options. Outside is a picnic table to enjoy a snack or drink. There is a water fountain to stock up on water before the final climb up to the viewpoint.
🥾 Vegarredonda Mountain Hut to Mirador de Ordiales | Distance: 2 miles (3.2 KM) | Duration: +/- 1 Hour
Mirador de Ordiales
From the Vegarredonda shelter, it’s about a little over an hour through the high peaks to reach the viewpoint of Mirador de Ordiales. For me, the hike doesn’t get any better than this. On a clear day, appreciate those spectacular limestone cliffs and far-off views of the distant valleys.
Some trail sections can be narrow, but more than likely you won’t be alone. I saw plenty of cows grazing in the high mountains and lots of herds of Chamois. In fact, I think I saw over 75 timid Chamois on this higher trail section.
The final section of the hike arrives near a shepherd’s hut. It’s just a little bit more of an ascent up to the place where Pedro Pidal, the Marques of Villaviciosa, was requested to be buried. He wanted to immortalize this amazing view after he passed. This is the viewpoint of Mirador de Ordiales.
Pedro Pidal was a fascinating man and is one of the main reasons the Picos de Europa exists today. He was a conservationist and protected the Asturias region (Montaña de Covadonga) of the Picos de Europa National Park in 1918. His love for the mountains of this region inspired him to be the first documented person to climb the famous Naranjo de Bulnes in 1904 with a local shepherd. He was also a politician and won a medal in the Olympics for pigeon shooting.
You can see the small stone carved plaque dedicated in his honor.
The viewpoint is lovely but be careful of the sheer drop-offs from the viewpoint. The ledge is narrow and the cliff is steep. There are incredible views of the valley below and this is a perfect place to take a break and enjoy a picnic lunch (on a clear day).
I sat here for 45 minutes or so enjoying my lunch and the beauty of the Ordiales Viewpoint.
🥾 Buferrera Car Park to Mirador de Ordiales | Distance: 7.4 miles (12 KM) | Duration: +/- 3 Hours
It’s worth noting that I hiked this route quite fast, as I had just spent the last two weeks hiking the lower Picos de Europa on the Camino Lebaniego and onto the Camino Vadiniense. Most official guides say this route takes at least 3.5 hours up and 3 hours down (6.5 hours).
Return Hike to Lagos de Covadonga
After enjoying the Ordiales viewpoint, follow the same path down. This is an out-and-back trail, but it’s just as lovely on the way up as it is down.
On the walk down I slowed down and enjoyed the views. I also stopped again at the mountain hut to replenish my water.
It took me a little over 2 hours to return to the trailhead. As I had plenty of time before my bus departed, I took my time walking back towards Lake Enol. I stopped and took some photos at the Good Shepherd Heritage and more of the lake. I finished this hike right at the entrance of the Buferrera Car Park.
🥾 Mirador de Ordiales Hike | Distance: 14.5 miles (23.3 KM) | Duration: 7 Hours, with breaks, picnic lunch, and stops
More Things to See Around Covadonga Lakes
If you arrive with some time before your bus departs back to Cangas de Onís, make sure to enjoy the natural spaces near the lakes. The Mirador de Entrelagos is a viewpoint between both lakes and offers iconic photos of Lake Enol and Lake Ercina.
You could also visit the Pedro Pidal Visitor Center if it’s open or up to the Mirador del Príncipe de Asturias. This viewpoint is best on a clear day when the fog has yet to pass over the peaks.
On the way, you could also walk through the Buferrera Mines.
There are two main restaurants/bars near the lakes. Bar Restaurante Mª Rosa is a popular stopping point near the Entrelagos Viewpoint. Head outside to the picnic table to savor views of Lago Ercina. Near the Bufferra car park is Merendero de los Lagos another restaurant serving typical cuisine with views of Lago Enol.
Conclusion | Overview of the Mirador de Ordiales Hike in the Picos de Europa National Park
In short, this is an overview of the Mirador de Ordiales hike located in the Asturias region of the Picos de Europa National Park in Spain. This incredible day hike can be reached from the popular Lagos de Covadonga.
This hiking guide includes how to reach Lagos de Covadonga and the trailhead, what to pack, and what to expect on this epic hike in the Picos de Europa. I’ve also included some of my photos for some hiking inspiration.
I have visited the Picos de Europa multiple times and this is one of my favorite hikes to experience the beauty of the high mountains in the Picos de Europa National Park.
Have you hiked to the Mirador de Ordiales? Is there anything in this guide that needs to be updated? Let me know in the comments below!
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