GR 131 El Bastón: Across La Palma’s backbone

An insight into the hike:

On La Palma, GR 131 is known as El Bastón and follows the island’s backbone. From sea level in Puerto de Tazacorte it climbs to the Caldera rim and 2,426-metre Roque de los Muchachos. It then crosses Cumbre Nueva and Cumbre Vieja along a chain of young volcanoes to the lighthouse at Fuencaliente.

Its scenic range is exceptional: subtropical west coast, alpine summit country above a sea of cloud, observatories, pine forest, black ash, craters and finally the Atlantic again. The trail is also highly exposed, with wind, sun and temperature capable of changing quickly at elevation.

The complete linear traverse measures 65.8 kilometres, 3,819 metres up and 3,835 down. It is officially divided into three very demanding stages. No overall duration is stated because stage choice, transfer and accommodation matter more than a calculated total. The full GR 131 is not a day hike.

Every stage needs its own logistics; pickup or onward transport at Roque de los Muchachos and Refugio El Pilar must be secured in advance. Water is limited and mist can obscure markings. This overview presents El Bastón as one complete project. Sunhikes provides detailed figures, profiles and safety advice for all three sections.