How to book to visit the Hayedo de Montejo (Sierra Norte de Madrid)

Although throughout the year you can visit the Montejo Hayedo, In the Sierra Norte Madrid, without a doubt the season of autumn It is the best time to do it.

At that time is when you will be able to see the forest covered in ocher color offering a picture of great beauty.

Where is the Hayedo de Montejo

El Hayedo de Montejo It is a natural enclave located in the Sierra del Rincón within the so-called Sierra de Ayllon.

In this beech forest which occupies about 250 hectares, and is one of the beech southernmost in Europe.

Also know as Mount El Chaparral, this beech forest extends on a slope between 1.200 and 1.600 meters above sea level, and there are centuries-old trees.

In this way on your walk through this forest you can see beech more than 20 meters high, the most notable being the one known as The Rock, a tree that is more than 250 years old.

On the slope, in addition to the beech trees, you can also see oaks and hollies, and in the lower part of the forest, delimited by the Jarama river, heather, birch and rowan trees grow.

Declared Biosphere Reserve, It is a protected natural area, so to know it it is essential to sign up for the guided tours established.

How to visit the Montejo Hayedo in Sierra Norte

And given the usual large influx of visitors, to participate in the guided tours of the Montejo Beech Forest, in advance you have to make a online booking that with him new reservation system goes through enter a raffle, leaving as an alternative the in-person reservation.

At the outset you should keep in mind that you can visit the Montejo Hayedo every day of the year, except Mondays (except in the months of October and November), the day when access to this nature reserve is closed to visitors.

To do this you have to sign up for one of the free guided tours that are offered, which are carried out at different times and by three routes with different levels of difficulty.

Routes through the Hayedo de Montejo in Sierra Norte

The guided tours of the Montejo Beech Forest They are carried out in groups of up to 20 people, so the number of people who can visit said natural area each day is limited.

River Path in Hayedo de Montejo

Of the routes you can do in the Hayedo de Montejo, the so-called River Path It is the one with the least difficulty and for which there are more schedules available.

It is also the only visit that can be carried out on a weekday, except on Mondays, when the beech forest is closed to the public.

This route, lasting an hour and a half, runs along the shore of the Jarama river, and during it you can see oak and beech forests.

Hillside Path in Hayedo de Montejo

La Hillside Path It is a circular route of medium difficulty, which runs partly along the river bank, but also ascends the hillside through melojo and beech forest, with stretches of sunny areas with scrub.

If you sign up for this route, you will have to hike for an hour and a half.

Mirador Path in Hayedo de Montejo

The third route, the most difficult, is the Mirador Path, which goes up to the highest area of ​​the beech forest, and also lasts an hour and a half.

How to participate in the draw to visit the Hayedo de Montejo

This year, and starting from the second half of November, a new reservation system to visit the Hayedo de Montejo, for which you must enter a drawing among all the applications received within the established period.

How to book online

La online booking is done through the official website of the Sierra del Rincón, having a advance notice 15 days. regarding the fortnight in which you want to visit the beech forest.

Thus, it must fill a form from 9,30:1 a.m. on the 24st of the month until midnight on the 5th, so that participate in the draw to make the visit in the second fortnight of said month.

And to visit it in the first fortnight of the following month, the form is available from the 15th to the 20th.

You can make any reservations you wish, with a maximum of 5 people per path, day and time.

The visit is done with a maximum of 10 people, including the guide, and you must be at the Hayedo, at the latest, at least 10 minutes before the time of your guided tour.

You can also make inquiries through the following email: info.reservabiosfera@sierradelrincon.org.

How to make an in-person reservation for day passes in Montejo de la Sierra

If you have not been lucky in the draw, or at the last minute you decide to visit the beech forest, you have the alternative of day passes with in-person reservation, for which a certain number of places are reserved and distributed in order of arrival.

To make these last minute reservations, you must go directly to the office on the same day of your visit. Sierra del Rincón Biosphere Reserve Information Center, In the 64 Royal Street of the village of Montejo de la Sierra.

Given the great demand for visit the Montejo Hayedo in the Sierra Norte of Madrid, in any circumstance it is recommended to do the reserve online, because in the case of the day passes It is very possible that you arrive at the office and they are already sold out.

On the other hand, once your online reservation is confirmed, the day of your visit first you have to go to the aforementioned Resource Center to collect previously reserved authorizations, at the latest, one hour before your planned visit.

Then you head to the Hayedo, 8 kilometers from Montejo de la Sierra, where you will deliver the authorizations to the guides.

Map: how to get to the Hayedo de Montejo

El Hayedo de Montejo is in the Sierra Norte, an hour and a half from Madrid, from where you arrive via the AP1, having to turn off at Buitrago de Lozoya.