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    Pináculo jagged volcanic pinnacles on the Folhadal ridge, Madeira
    seasonal
    mountainpoint to point

    Caminho do Pináculo e Folhadal

    Central Peaks & Plateau
    Reservation required — €4.50 per person. Book via SIMplifica before you go. How to book

    15 km

    Distance

    620m

    Elevation gain

    5.5-7h

    Duration

    3

    Tunnels

    CardioHard · 4/5
    TechnicalHard · 4/5
    ExposureHard · 4/5

    Extreme levada with tunnels up to 900m, some of them waist-deep in water. Closes for long stretches; check the trail status before planning around it.

    Navigation

    Trail Map

    Terrain © Mapzen / AWS Open Data

    Elevation profile

    GPX Track

    Traced from OpenStreetMap. Works with Garmin, Komoot, AllTrails. Check it against signage on the trail.

    Download

    Trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Elevation: Open-Meteo (Copernicus DEM)

    Preparation

    Know Before You Go

    Exposure warning — Vertigo risk

    This trail has sections with significant drops or narrow ledges. If you're uncomfortable with heights, browse low-exposure alternatives.

    Hazards & Considerations

    800-900m tunnel potentially waist-deep flooded
    high
    Multiple long tunnels (800m+) with low ceilings
    high
    Steep sections with exposure and vertigo risk
    high
    Active rockfall zones
    high
    15km length causing physical exhaustion
    high
    Trail currently closed due to damage
    high

    Access Points

    Parking

    Encumeada car park

    Best times for this hike

    Full calendar →
    3 best months8 to avoid
    Jan
    Feb
    Mar
    Apr
    May
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    Photography

    Photography on This Trail

    What to Shoot

    Mountain PeaksExtreme ExposurePinnaclesPanorama

    Best Months

    AprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctober

    Kit Notes

    Wide-angle (14–24 mm) for the pinnacle formations. Stable tripod essential — wind exposure on ridges is brutal. Start before 7 AM to catch the cloud sea before it burns off. Currently closed; check status (anticipated April 2026 reopening).

    Best photo spotsPhotography itinerary

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