This mass of mountains locates in the south of the Jaén countryside, some 30 km away from the capital.
It borders on the depressions of the Guadalquivir and the Guadiana Menor at north and east, an on the foothills of the Lucena mountain chain at south. It is an isolated massif, the shelter of a rich Mediterranean flora including species of a very restricted distribution and endemic species.
The Mágina Peak is the highest point of the province with 2167 metres. It forms a block together with the hills named Loma Lisa and Loma de los Bolos whose lowest elevation is 800 meters high.
The limestone rocks provoke a landscape made of karstic rocky formations and hills that house typical Mediterranean vegetation and due to the permeability of the ground, give rise to subterranean aquifers.

 

It was declared Natural Park in 1989 by a law. It is part of the subbetica mountain chains and divides in two different areas: on the north, the mountain belonging the elongated Bética Mountain Chain made of resistant carbonate rocks and abundant slopes and strong inclines and the Guadalquivir Valley, soft uneven depression with little valleys.
Olive is the largest culture in the park, along with the fig trees and cherry trees. The most interesting activities available in the park are the observation of birds and mammals, trekking and speleology. The most outstanding routes have the following names Gibralberca, Fuenmayor, Adelfal de Cuadros and Las Viñas.
The Natural Park was the natural border between the Muslim and Christian territories during the XIII and XV centuries; therefore, threre is still many fortifications and castles in the villages of the park.

Location: Albánchez de Mágina, Bedmar y Garcíez, Bélmez de la Moraleda, Cambil, Huelma, Jimena, Jódar, Pegalajar and Torres.

Area: 19.900 hectares.

Most common animal species: Predatory birds: royal and Bonelli's eagles, common hawk, kestrel; ring ouzel, red thrush, finch, greenfinch and goldfrinch; wild goat, boar and genet.

Mos common vegetation: Holm, gall oak, mastic tree, Spanish pine, and barberry.

Access: free.

How to arrive: From the south of Andalucía, the Granada highway or highway A-324; from Granada and Ubeda highway A-301 and from Jaén, highway A-316.

 

Map of Sierra Mágina, Natural Park.