Picos de Europa National Park restricts Cares route on 15 October
Published on 10/18/2026 at 08:44 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Picos de Europa National Park (Picos de Europa) restricted the Route of the Cares on 15 October 2026, affecting a major mountain approach used by visitors from Cangas de Onis and across Spain. The park remains open, but the complete path between Caín and Poncebos cannot currently be walked.
Route of the Cares restricted from 15 October
The restriction concerns maintenance and repair work on infrastructure along the route. The affected points are the Puente de los Rebecos, about three kilometres from Caín in León, and the Puente de Bolín, about eight kilometres from Poncebos in Asturias.
The park authority has not set an end date for the works. The restriction remains in force until the repairs finish, so the normal crossing between the two ends of the gorge is unavailable. Details of the 15 October restriction were reported by La Nueva España, while El Comercio also reported the maintenance programme and its effect on access.
The Cares gorge route and its repaired bridges
The Route of the Cares runs through a gorge linking Caín and Poncebos, with the Cares river below the path. El Comercio describes the route as eleven kilometres long and identifies it as one of Spain's best-known walking itineraries. The route's present path was built in 1945, following an earlier hydraulic channel constructed in 1916.
That history gives the October 2026 restriction a direct link to the landscape itself: the work is focused on infrastructure that makes the narrow mountain passage usable. Visitors can still reach sections before the two bridges, but the two closed points divide the route into separate walks rather than one continuous crossing. Background on the Cares route records the route's length, history and current maintenance works.
What the October restriction changes on the Cares
The practical change is not a general closure of the national park. It is a break in the through route, with access continuing on the Caín and Poncebos sides until walkers reach the respective bridge. The return journey must begin and end at the same side of the route.
The arrangement also means that an itinerary planned as a crossing must be changed before setting out. No reopening date has been announced, and the park is expected to communicate the return of the full route after the works are complete.
Visiting Picos de Europa National Park: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The restriction began on 15 October 2026 and affects the Route of the Cares between Caín and Poncebos, including the Puente de los Rebecos and Puente de Bolín.
- The complete crossing is unavailable, but partial walks remain possible from Caín or Poncebos. Walkers must turn back before the affected bridge and return to their starting point.
- Caín is on the León side and Poncebos is in Asturias. The route therefore links two autonomous communities, while Cangas de Onis is a nearby reference town in Asturias.
- The path follows a mountain gorge and includes narrow sections, steep terrain and exposed drops. The route is unsuitable for visitors looking for a level urban walk.
- The route is approximately eleven kilometres between its two ends. The present path dates from 1945 and follows the line of an older channel built in 1916.
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Frequently asked questions about Picos de Europa National Park
What has changed at Picos de Europa National Park?
The Route of the Cares has been restricted since 15 October 2026 because maintenance work affects two bridges. The full crossing between Caín and Poncebos is unavailable.
When does the Route of the Cares restriction end?
No end date has been announced. The complete route will remain unavailable until the works finish and the park communicates its reopening.
Where is Picos de Europa National Park and how do you get there?
The route connects Caín in León with Poncebos in Asturias. Cangas de Onis is a reference town for the Asturias side of the wider mountain area.
