This hike departs from the far north of the province of Madrid, from the Puerto de Somosierra, where the A-1 at 1,444 meter makes it pass-through to the province of Segovia. The route runs to the Pico Tres Provincias, which owes its name to the fact that it is the frontier between the three provinces of Madrid, Segovia and Guadalajara. It is a flat peak that gives a beautiful view on the mountains of Guadalajara and the Sierra Norte of Madrid.

Urbión

The Pico de Urbión is located on the border between La Rioja and Soria and at 2,228 meters it is the highest peak of the Picos de Urbión. The hike to it passes through a beautiful landscape once formed by glaciers, of which as remnants are left over lakes such as the Laguna Larga and Laguna Helada, which we also pass during the hike. The most remarkable glacial lake is the Laguna Negra, a very popular tourist attraction, which we visit at the beginning and end of the hike.

From the Paso de la Serrá (1) we follow the trail that runs parallel to the road, marked with yellow stripes on the trees. After about half an hour we arrive at the end stop of the bus, from where we follow the signposts towards the Laguna Negra.
We walk along the Laguna Negra (3) via the wooden path and at the end of the Laguna Negra we turn right (4) onto the Senda del Portillo de la Laguna Negra.
In 15 minutes we climb to the Portillo de la Laguna Negra (5) from where we have a beautiful view of the lake. The path is now marked white and red and after several minutes at the fork (6) we keep to the right, towards Pico de Urbión. A little further on we go straight ahead, following the white-red mark to the Pico de Urbión via the Laguna Larga.
After half an hour we arrive at a fork with signposts (7) where we go straight ahead, towards Laguna Larga and Urbión. About ten minutes later we pass the lake Laguna Larga (8) and we have a nice view on the Urbión.
We further follow the trail and after about a kilometre and a half and 200 meters higher we reach the Pico de Urbión (9).
From the peak we walk the first stretch back via the same route until we get to a fork about fifteen minutes from the peak (10) where we keep straight on/through the middle, via a wide path towards the Laguna Helada.
About 20 minutes further on the wide path goes to the right (11) but we follow a narrower trail to the left, following the white-red marking of the GR-86.1 and the signpost to the Laguna Helada.
Before we reach the Laguna Helada we arrive at a fork (12) and go straight ahead, following the signposts towards the Laguna Helada and Laguna Negra.
We pass the Laguna Helada and once past it on a fork (13) we leave the GR-86.1 and hold on to the left towards the Laguna Negra.
Fifteen minutes later at the fork (14) we keep to the right towards the Laguna Negra. This way we end up on the same path as on the way out and walk back to the parking lot via the same route.

How to get there?

From Soria we take the N-234 towards Burgos. At Cidones we turn right to the SO-810 towards Vinuesa and a few kilometres further we turn left onto the SO-820 towards Vinuesa / Laguna Negra. Before we reach Vinuesa we turn right towards the Laguna Negra and follow the SO-830 up to El Quintanarejo, where we turn left towards the Laguna Negra. We follow the road for a few kilometers and park the car at the (paid) parking lot Paso de la Serrá, which is almost two kilometers before the Laguna Negra. At the Laguna Negra itself there is also a parking lot, but in summer the road from Paso de la Serrá is closed. El Quintanarejo can also be reached from Montenegro de Cameros in La Rioja via the SO-830.

GPS Coordinates:
Latitude: N 41 59.879
Longitude: W 2 49.637

Longitude: W 2 49.637

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Urbión

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