Bear Hiking Trail
Description
Sendero del Oso, also known as Bear Hiking Trail, begins at about 200 meters from the Papallacta Virgin, next to the “Control la Virgen” of the Cayambe Coca National Park. The area is cold and often very humid, but it also offers some lovely landscapes and the chance to meet an Andean bear, which frequents this area in search of the achupallas they feed on. The trail is visible and has a few signs for guidance, easy to follow most of the time. It can be very muddy while it runs alongside the Sucos Lagoon, Mentala and Baños lagoons. Although it's true that it has some climbs, most of the route is downhill until reaching the Cayambe Coca National Park Control, connecting with the gravel road that leads to the Papallacta Hot Springs, where the route ends.
Data Table
| Place | Elevation |
|---|---|
| “Control la Virgen” | 3980m |
| Sucos Lagoon | 3897m |
| Mentala Lagoon | 3867m |
| Baños Lagoons | 3830m |
| Cayambe Coca National Park Control | 3903m |
| Termas de Papallacta | 3312m |
National Park
Photos
Baños Lagoons
Sucos Lagoon
Achupalla food of bears
Flora
- How to get
- Distances
- Recommendations
How to get
Eastern Cordillera; 39 kilometers in a straight line to the east from Quito.
- “Control la Virgen” Normal Approach: Take the Pifo – Papallacta highway (E20) towards the east; already in the highest part of the paramo just passing the Virgin of Papallacta, you will be able to see on the right an old shelter “Control la Virgen”, where you should start the hike.
