Barranco del Infierno

Barranco del Infierno (view towards the sea)

In the southwest of Tenerife near the city of Adeje is the Barranco del Infierno ( Hell's Gorge ), which is one of the most spectacular Barrancos on the island and is therefore a popular destination.

Archaeological finds show that the Guanches lived in this area. Later the Spanish settlers used the water of the gorge, channeled it and directed it to the villages closer to the sea. They also created terraced gardens on the steep slopes so that they could be used for agriculture.

Today the unique landscape of the gorge is specially protected, it is now part of the Reserva Natural Especial del Barranco del Infierno nature reserve .

Sightseeing

Barrier fence at the entrance

A hiking trail into the gorge begins in Adeje, above Casa Fuerte. Since 2004 a small entrance fee has to be paid here and the maximum number of simultaneous visitors and visitors per day is limited, so it may be useful to register in advance. The hiking trail is 6.3 kilometers there and back and the maximum difference in altitude is 200 meters, which means that the difficulty of the hike is rather low.

The Hell Gorge is characterized by a varied flora and fauna, at the end of the gorge you also reach a small waterfall , which falls from about 80 meters and the amount of water varies greatly depending on the season. The waterfall and the adjoining stream are said to be the only flowing body of water on Tenerife that carries water all year round.

After an accident in 2009, access to the gorge was closed for years. Access was officially permitted again since May 2015. A 62-year-old German had a fatal accident on October 26, 2015 due to a rockfall almost at the end of the route. The ravine has been closed for a while since then. In 2016, the gorge is open again almost every day from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., protective helmets are included in the entry price.

Picture gallery

View over the gorge
Aerial view of the gorge entrance
View of Adeje
Cacti on the rock
Dry stream in the valley
Rock layers
Further look, at the bottom right you can see a channel to the drainage of the waterfall
Water-bearing brook in the valley
Lower part of the waterfall
Trail in the front part
Hiking trail in the middle part
Path in the back, just before the waterfall