The Picos de Europa National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional de Picos de Europa) is a national park located in the Picos de Europa mountain range in northern Spain. It is found within the borders of three regions: Asturias, Cantabria, and Castile and León. These regions help manage the park. The park is also a well-known place for people who enjoy hiking and walking trails.
History
It was the first national park in Spain. It was created on July 22, 1918, with the help of Pedro Pidal, 1st Marquess of Villaviciosa de Asturias. At first, it covered the western area of the park, focusing on the Lakes of Covadonga. The park was originally called Parque Nacional de la Montaña de Covadonga and had an area of 169.25 km². In 1995 and again in 2014, the park was expanded to reach its current total area of 671.27 km².
On July 9, 2003, UNESCO approved Biosphere Reserve status for the National Park. Picos de Europa is one of several biosphere reserves in the Cantabrian Mountains that are being combined into one large reserve called "Gran Cantábrica."
Geography
The total area of the park is 671 km² and is divided among Castilla y León, Asturias, and Cantabria. The highest point in the park is Torre de Cerredo peak, which is 2,648 meters above sea level. The lowest point is 75 meters above sea level in the Deva River, creating a difference in elevation of 2,573 meters.
The park’s geology shows how glaciers shaped the limestone formations that make up the Cantabrian Mountains. The human population living in the park is approximately 1,300 people.
Vega de Liordes, a separate area in the León section of Picos de Europa within the Posada de Valdeón municipality, recorded a temperature of −35.8 °C (−32.4 °F), the lowest temperature ever measured there, on January 7, 2021.
Flora and fauna
The area has several types of wood. These include beech trees and Cantabrian holm oak trees.
There are many animals that are protected in the region. These include the Cantabrian capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus cantabricus), the Bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), the Cantabrian brown bear, and the Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus). The most well-known animal of the Picos de Europa is the Cantabrian chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica parva), also called rebeco. Many sculptures of this animal can be found around the park.