Els Ports Natural Park

Nature area / Countryside / Open space, Natural parks, PEIN (Plan for areas of natural interest), Natura 2000 network, Natura 2000 Network: Special Protection Area (SPA)

The Els Ports Natural Park is located between the regions of Baix Ebre, Montsià and Terra Alta. It is distinguished by its shapes, its two differing climates, as well as its fauna, a highlight being the Spanish ibex, to which the park acts as a reserve.

The Els Ports Natural Park is located between the regions of Baix Ebre, El Montsià and La Terra Alta. In 2001 the Generalitat de Catalunya declared the massif a Natural Park, adding the partial reserve of the beech forests of Els Ports, interesting due to the scarce presence of the beech in the south of Europe.

The park covers a surface area of approximately 800 square kilometres, and is home to over a thousand botanical species. In addition, it has become the most important Spanish ibex reserve in the country. Other animals of note in the park are the vulture, Iberian lynx, golden eagle, blue rock thrush, adder or European nase.

Visitors will find two clearly differentiated climates: on the south eastern slopes the landscape is typically Mediterranean, but in the western part the temperatures are much cooler and there is more rainfall in the areas above a thousand metres. The highest point is the Caro mountain (1,447 metres) from where the Pyrenees and the Balearic Islands can be seen on a clear day.

On the massif there is an abundance of caves, eddies and chasms. An example, is the erosion that the Matarranya river causes as it passes through the mountain, leaving spectacular formations.

This gift of nature favours hiking and caving. In this respect, there are many mountain bike routes and footpaths in the park, such as the Els Ports trail, classified as difficult, and the Fou gulley, an easy path.

Before starting out to enjoy any activity, a visit to the Nature Reserve Offices (in Roquetes), the Montsià Regional Museum (in Amposta, which shows us the importance of the ecological environment of Els Ports) and the Ecomuseum of Els Ports (in Horta de Sant Joan), is recommendable.

Virtual tour:

- Itinerari Roca LLisa
- Itinerari del Mas de Barró
- Racó d´en Marc

Year of declaration: 2001
Regulations: Act 160/2001, 12th June, declaration of the Els Ports Natural Park and the Fagedes dels Ports partial nature reserve.
Area: 38354
Ownership: Public
District: Arnes; Horta de Sant Joan; Prat de Comte; Alfara de Carles; Paüls; Roquetes; Tortosa; Mas de Barberans; Sénia, la.
Visitor centres: N

Annual closing: Open all year round
Opening hours - summer : Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 13:00 and 17:00 to 19:00; Saturdays and on the eve of public holidays from 09:00 to 13:00 and 17:00 to 19:00; Sundays and public holidays from 09:00 to 13:00.
Opening hours - winter: Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 13:00 and 16:00 to 18:00; Saturdays and on the eve of public holidays from 09:00 to 13:00 and 16:00 to 18:00; Sundays and public holidays from 09:00 to 13:00.
How to get there: AP-7 motorway (Barcelona-Valencia) to exit 40 to La Albera/Tortosa or exit 41 to Amposta/Sant Carles de la Ràpita.
Languages: Catalan, Spanish

Facilities

Accommodation

Parking

Picnic area

Chapel

Refuge

Restaurant

Viewpoint

Signposted itineraries

Flora

The vegetation of the Els Ports massif presents characteristics that are typical of Mediterranean latitudes, although elements like the relief, altitude and geographical situation favour the presence of Eurosiberian and boreo-alpine species. All in all, more than one thousand species can be found. On the eastern slopes and the sunnier areas, maquis made up of kermes oak and dwarf fan palm predominates, whilst kermes oak groves occupy the western slopes and holm oak groves cover the higher mountain areas. The Mediterranean stratum is formed by black and red pine with bearberry, and the summits present vegetation that is resistant to high winds, such as Erinaceo-Anthyllidetum montanae and Conopodio-Festucetum gautieri. The rupicolous vegetation is very typical and is of particular interest thanks to several endemic species. The beechwoods present in the upper strata in the south of the massif are the southernmost beech groves on the Iberian peninsula and have been granted special protection within the Fagedes dels Ports Partial Nature Reserve.

Fauna

The area has become the most important reserve for Iberian ibex in the country. Other animals worth mentioning in the park are the vulture, the Iberian lynx, the golden eagle, the blue rock thrush, the viper and the Ebro nase.

Routes

Las ocho áreas recreativas y de ocio repartidas por el Parque Natural son el mejor punto de partida para conocer sus rincones, mediante los treinta itinerarios que proponen en conjunto. Algunos de los más emblemáticos son: Els Estrets, La cueva de Picasso, La Moleta, Fuente del Teix, El camino de los Hortets, El rincón de la cueva de Marc o La piedra y el agua. Además, los senderos GR 7 y GR 171 cruzan el Espacio y la travesía Estels del Sud (Estrellas del Sur) lo rodea en cinco etapas.