The best routes to explore the Community of Madrid by Mountain Bike

Las mejores rutas en para explorar la Comunidad de Madrid en Mountain Bike

When talking about mountain bikes in the Community of Madrid, people almost always think of routes and trails in the Sierra de Guadarrama. However, both in the outskirts of the capital and in the flatter lands to the south, there are ideal routes for those seeking variety in their training, from demanding XC and marathon routes to more relaxed options to enjoy the surroundings.

Madrid is a province with a great passion for cycling, both mountain and road. In fact, its popularity can be a handicap if you are looking for isolated trails with hardly any people. Every weekend, thousands of cyclists leave from the capital or its villages to ride the best routes on mountain bikes or challenge themselves on long rides with road bikes, whether training or enjoying a day out with their group.

 

Berzosa Route

Pardo Route

Just a few minutes from the center of Madrid is the El Pardo estate, a former royal hunting ground, with its own palace and village. In its forested area, Madrid riders have managed to create their own bike park to put their full-suspension bikes to the test. If you like enduro or even downhill, you have to check out El Pardo and do this route with five linked descents. The downhills are clean, very well banked, and with their respective jumps and escape routes for those who want to add a bit of adrenaline to the ride. It is advisable to have confidence and experience jumping if you dare with any of the ramps, as well as to use a full-suspension bike.

Chorrera del Hervidero Route

Another MTB route quite close to the capital and accessible thanks to its proximity to the A-1 highway. It starts and finishes in San Agustín de Guadalix, in the foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama, and runs through the area around the Pedrezuela reservoir along very fun roads and trails. You cross pasture landscapes, trails inside the gorges formed by the Guadalix river, and the spectacular arch dam of the reservoir itself, 52 meters high. But the main attraction of the route is the stop at the Chorrera del Hervidero, a natural waterfall of the Guadalix river among rocks that is well worth a photo to take home a great memory of this journey. A rolling route, with some short climbs, ideal for a rigid XC bike, although it can also be completed well with a full-suspension bike.

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Modality: XC / Trail
  • Distance: 31.3 kilometers
  • Elevation gain: 429 meters
  • Route type: Circular
  • Start/finish: San Agustín de Guadalix
  • See the track of the route on Wikiloc

Lozoya Valley

The Lozoya Valley has countless trails and rideable sections in the heart of nature to make the most of your mountain bike. We highlight this route starting and finishing in Rascafría. A route that covers part of the Guadarrama National Park, in the area of Puerto de Cotos, among large pine forests and some high mountain fir woods. A somewhat tough route physically and accessible technically, with most of the route made up of forest tracks, although there is also a not very difficult technical section where you will need to use your brakes, such as the Horcajuelos trail. We recommend doing the route in autumn, spring, or summer. In winter, many areas will be snowed in and impassable, as the route climbs to 1,900 meters above sea level.