El Contador, Tenerife: Pine Forest Walks, Mountain Trails and Visiting Guide
El Contador brings you into the pine-covered mountains above Arico, where traditional paths cross ravines, old terraces interrupt the forest and longer trails climb towards Tenerife’s high country. Come for a relaxed woodland visit or a demanding mountain walk, choosing your starting point carefully: driving to the recreation area and hiking up from the villages below are very different outings.
In this guide
Where is El Contador?
El Contador lies in the uplands of Arico, on Tenerife’s southeastern side, within the Corona Forestal Natural Park. The name refers to the mountain locality as well as its recreation area and neighbouring camping area. For visitors, the recreation area is the most useful reference point when planning access and walks.
This is a different environment from Arico’s coast: pine trees replace much of the dry coastal vegetation, the air can feel noticeably cooler and clouds sometimes drift through the ravines. The attraction is the combination of woodland, volcanic terrain and old rural paths, with enough variety for both a picnic outing and a substantial hiking day.
Recreation area and camping
The Área Recreativa El Contador provides a base for spending time in the forest without committing to a long ascent from the lower settlements. A picnic and a modest walk make a sensible introduction, particularly for mixed groups whose members have different levels of fitness.
Check the current equipment information and notices on Tenerife ON before travelling, especially if your plans depend on toilets, water or cooking facilities. Carry your own drinking water and ready-to-eat food. Permission to visit a recreation area does not automatically mean that barbecues or other sources of heat are allowed; fire restrictions can change with conditions.
Overnight camping is a separate activity. El Contador has an official tent-camping area listed through Tenerife ON, where you should arrange the necessary reservation and check its specific conditions. A daytime picnic does not authorise an overnight stay, and the camping listing should not be interpreted as permission to sleep anywhere in the surrounding forest.
Choosing your walking route
There is no single walk that describes every visit to El Contador. Compare the starting point, ascent and return arrangements before choosing a track. Routes sharing the same destination can involve very different distances and terrain.
Short walks from the recreation area
For a gentle introduction, start at the recreation area and follow a mapped, signed path for a distance that suits your group, returning the same way. Set a turnaround time rather than following successive junctions without a plan. Allow roughly one to two hours for an unhurried woodland outing; this is a suggested time allowance, not the duration of a particular official circuit.
Nearby paths let you experience the pine forest without first climbing from the villages. Nevertheless, individual sections can be stony or steep. Choose the exact route using the official map rather than assuming that every path beside a picnic area is an easy family trail.
Walking up from Villa de Arico or Arico Nuevo
The PR-TF 86 corridor connects Villa de Arico with El Contador and continues into the mountains. Its lower approach passes cultivated land and the Ortiz area before entering the pines. This suits walkers who enjoy seeing the landscape change with altitude, provided they account for the sustained climb and the journey back.
A separate approach, PR-TF 86.2 from Arico Nuevo, is listed by Tenerife’s tourism authority as a difficult, linear walk of 10.7 kilometres taking approximately five hours. Those figures describe the one-way route to El Contador. Arrange collection or calculate the full return journey before setting out.
This approach passes through the Tamadaya landscape and crosses several ravines before reaching El Contador. Choose it for a substantial walking day rather than as a quick way to reach the picnic area.
Continuing towards the high mountains
Above El Contador, PR-TF 86 continues towards the Parador through increasingly elevated terrain. The Casa Forestal branch offers another mapped option in this wider network. A through-walk to the Parador requires a separate mountain itinerary, an early start and transport planning; it should not be added casually to a woodland stroll. Use the current Tenerife ON route descriptions to establish distance, ascent and any access conditions.
Forest, ravines and traces of rural life
The scenery changes repeatedly as paths move between open slopes, pine shade and rocky ravine crossings. Canary Island pines give the landscape its character, but the details are equally rewarding: exposed rock faces, boulders, dry-stone boundaries and terraces that reveal earlier cultivation.
The Casas del Contador and surrounding agricultural traces add context to the walking routes. They belong to a working rural landscape rather than a purpose-built visitor attraction. Stay on established paths and respect buildings, plots and boundaries without assuming that an old-looking structure is open to exploration.
Clear intervals reveal the shape of the surrounding slopes; low cloud creates a more enclosed forest atmosphere. Neither guarantees distant views, so choose El Contador for its landscape at walking pace rather than for a single panoramic viewpoint.
Getting to El Contador and parking
For the recreation area, approach through Villa de Arico and follow the signed ascent towards El Contador from the TF-28 area. The upper approach is a mountain road: allow time for bends, reduced visibility and passing other vehicles. Check access notices before leaving and avoid navigation shortcuts onto unfamiliar forest tracks.
Use designated parking at the recreation area, leaving entrances and emergency access clear. For a village-to-forest hike, park at your actual starting settlement instead and arrange the finish in advance.
If travelling without a car, check TITSA for connections to the relevant Arico settlement. Do not assume that a bus serving the villages continues to the recreation area. Confirm any onward taxi and return pickup before beginning a linear walk.
When to visit and what to bring
Choose a day with moderate temperatures and a settled forecast. Check Tenerife ON for current trail and forest notices, particularly during heat, strong winds or periods of elevated fire risk. Conditions at the coast are not a reliable guide to cloud, temperature or visibility higher up.
Wear footwear with good grip and carry water, food, sun protection, a warm layer and a charged phone with an offline map. Loose stones, pine needles and damp rock require attention, especially on descents and ravine crossings. Keep children close where paths narrow or the ground drops away.
For a first visit, allow half a day for the drive, a short forest walk and a picnic, with a stop in Villa de Arico afterwards if time permits. Choose the ascent from Arico Nuevo for a more demanding hiking day, and reserve the onward mountain crossing for a properly planned expedition.