Montes de Málaga — Puerto del León
The queen of the local loops. You leave Málaga on the A-7000 into the Montes de Málaga natural park and climb Puerto del León (929 m), but instead of turning for home you carry on along the ridge through Colmenar and Casabermeja — and rack up more than 2,000 m. Continuous switchbacks, pine forest, views on both sides of the ridge and ventas for coffee exactly where you need them. It's not a sprint; it's an honest long day in the saddle that leaves you feeling you've really ridden Andalusia. Balcón de los Montes in Colmenar is the right stop before the final descent home.
Who it suits
A strong rider who wants the big local Montes de Málaga loop with more than 2,000 m — Puerto del León, Colmenar, Casabermeja and back.
Traffic on the route
Water and refuelling
- 20 km · Venta Galwey (A-7000)
- 32 km · Fuente de la Reina (Puerto del León) (unreliable in summer)
- 48 km · Balcón de los Montes (Colmenar)
Cafés and stops
- Balcón de los Montes (Colmenar) — views and food
- Bars on the main square (Casabermeja)
Climbs
When your legs give out (bail-out)
- 60 km Casabermeja–Málaga bus (Casabermeja) — regional bus, bikes at the driver's discretion and depending on space
Wind, season and kit
Wind: Watch out for the terral — a föhn-type northerly wind from the sierra, extremely hot and dry. It hits Málaga and the Guadalhorce valley, but often doesn't reach Rincón (10 km east). Terral in the forecast = ride east, or go high and early.
When to set off: Start before 8:00; at weekends the A-7000 gets busier.
Season: Best in March–May and September–November. In September the share of muggy days drops from 43% (1 Sept) to 16% (30 Sept) — the end of the month is noticeably more pleasant. Summer is too hot for the inland climbs.
Gearing: At least 34×30; for this much climbing 34×32 is no bad idea.
Tyres: 28 mm.
Watch out for
- ⚠The A-7000 is busier at weekends — ride the descents with care.
- ⚠A long stretch without water between the summit and Colmenar — refill at the venta.
Your bike is waiting in Málaga
You ride this route on your own bike, straight from the door — we bring your bike over and store it, you fly in with just a backpack. We'll tell you where to ride for your form, and if something goes wrong, you call and we come and pick you up.
Metrics are calculated from the GPS track. The route has been planned with a routing engine so far — we'll ride it and check it on site (water, surface, traffic), then add the real GPX and photos here. Sources: bike2malaga RB-01, climbfinder.