Montanejos Trail

Montanejos Trail

Montanejos Trail is the mountain race of Montanejos (Castellón), in the Alto Mijares, a village that lives on water: its Fuente de los Baños flows at around 25 °C all year round and has made it a spa destination since Roman and Andalusi times. The race starts in the Plaza de España and runs through the spectacular canyon of the Mijares river and the sierras around it. The queen distance is a 52-kilometre ultra with 2,434 metres of positive elevation, with trails of 30 and 18 kilometres.

A 52-kilometre course

The ultra drops into the Mijares canyon, between vertical limestone walls carved by the river, and then climbs into the Alto Mijares sierras on paths through pine wood, holm-oak grove and old dry-farming terraces. It links short, constant climbs to add up to 2,434 metres of ascent. It is a technical but runnable race, with the added draw of the canyon scenery.

The Alto Mijares

The Alto Mijares is one of the least populated districts in the Valencian Community: stone villages clinging to the mountainside, abandoned farmhouses and an interior climate with cold winters. The Mijares river is its backbone, with reservoirs, gorges and the Maimona ravine. The 52K and the 30K are run on Saturday; the 18K on Sunday.

Montanejos beyond the race

The plan is obvious: finish and get into the hot springs of the Fuente de los Baños, in the open air beside the river. Nearby are Jérica, with its Mudéjar tower, and Segorbe, with its cathedral and its running of bulls and horses. See more races in the Valencian Community and plan your weekend with the planner.