Top 7 Mountain Passes around Garafía

The climb to Roque del Faro begins immediately after you have driven through the dark tunnel of the LP-1 to the village of Franceses. (Be careful, the tunnel is unlit, be sure to take off your sunglasses and drive through slowly if you don't have light.) The pass then winds 8.30 kilometers through a wonderful jungle landscape. You will climb a total of 569 meters. On average, you'll get your money's worth here at 6.8 percent. However, there are also slightly flatter and even even sections of the route where there is time to breathe. The asphalt is consistently fine. However, there are a few individual holes and rippled spots in the tar caused by the heat on the route. As is usually the case in the north of the island, car traffic is very manageable. This pass is an important key climb if you want to either continue towards Roque de los Muchachos or continue towards the west side of La Palma.

The "Llano Negro" climb leads from the coastal town of Santo Domingo 8 kilometers uphill to LP-1. Once you reach the top you also have the opportunity to get some food, as there is a supermarket and a gas station with a snack restaurant there. The pass itself is pleasant to drive at 6.8 percent; you will climb 688 meters here. The road is in great condition. In addition, you don't have to worry about much traffic here. The vegetation on the climb is relatively similar from bottom to top; at first you will pass individual houses directly on the road. At the top there are always vantage points on the side of the road where you can pause. The entire pass is relatively open and unforested, making it very vulnerable to wind on stormy days. This can be a bit uncomfortable, especially in the last stretch, on the long straight if there is a headwind. Once you have reached the top, you have the decision to continue towards the Roque de los Muchachos, or you can take the route towards Roque del Faro and thus towards the north of the island.

Very long and quite demanding climb that from the center of Santa Cruz leads up to the "Roque de Los Muchachos" at 2426 meters above sea level. In total there are almost 41 kilometers that must be covered to reach the desired summit, but during the entire journey you can admire the wonderful landscapes that gradually open up to our eyes. Overall it is a street with little traffic and very quiet; I highly recommend checking the weather conditions before venturing towards the top because temperatures can drop significantly in winter and finding yourself pedaling in temperatures close to zero is not such a remote eventuality as you might expect from an island of the Canaries

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR59PSJ4vA8 The LP-4 highway, known as Carretera del Roque, is an impressive route in La Palma that extends for 47.84 kilometers. This mountain road leads to the Roque de Los Muchachos Astrophysical Observatory and the highest point of the island, connecting with the LP-403 in its final section. It begins in the Mirca neighborhood, in Santa Cruz de La Palma, goes up to the observatory and then descends to Hoya Grande in the Villa de Garafía. It is a spectacular route to enjoy panoramic views of the island.

The LP-4 highway, known as Carretera del Roque, is an impressive route in La Palma that extends for 47.84 kilometers. This mountain road leads to the Roque de Los Muchachos Astrophysical Observatory and the highest point of the island, connecting with the LP-403 in its final section. It begins in the Mirca neighborhood, in Santa Cruz de La Palma, goes up to the observatory and then descends to Hoya Grande in the Villa de Garafía. It is a spectacular route to enjoy panoramic views of the island.

Hard descent with continuous descents of the bike and some dangerous sections. The views are from another galaxy but I consider that unless you take it as a walk to take out the bike and push, there are more fun tracks and trials in other areas of the island. In my case, I abandoned the GR a few meters further on and after crossing a hell of stones and burned forest I reached a point where the descent was continuous for 60 minutes along some cartoonish tracks and paths.

This section of the LP-114 highway connects Santo Domingo with Las Tricias. The dense vegetation on both sides of the road creates a landscape that looks like something out of Jurassic Park. The stage has little traffic and good asphalt.

This climb to Las Tricias follows the LP-114, which you take as soon as you head back from Santo Domingo towards LP-1 and thus to the south/west side of the island. The highest point is reached about 1 kilometer after the town of Las Tricias. There you will find yourself at the fork in the road that leads towards Barlovento and Roque de los Muchachos, or towards Tijarafe. The road has recently been completely resurfaced and, as is usually the case in the north, there is little traffic on the road. With its 6.89 kilometers and 505 meters in altitude, this climb should definitely not be underestimated. The vegetation here is very green, you will pass many pretty dragon trees. The effects of the last forest fires can also be clearly seen on the pine trees. The last kilometers of the pass are the most difficult. Again and again you are faced with very steep ramps. In Las Tricias there is a supermarket that invites you to take a break and a beautiful photo spot with the typical Canarian church.