Set inside the Somiedo Natural Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, this Cantabrian pass trades the brutal gradients of its Asturian neighbours for a scenic, steadily graded climb through bear and wolf country.
A steady, approachable ascent
From La Riera, it’s 19.4 km for 992 m of elevation gain, averaging 5.1%, with a steeper section around 8.6% roughly two-thirds of the way up. The summit sits at 1,477 m, on the boundary between Asturias and the province of León.
A refuge for Cantabrian wildlife
The Somiedo Natural Park protects one of the last strongholds of the Cantabrian brown bear in Spain, alongside wolves, capercaillie and golden eagles, in a landscape of glacial lakes and traditional teito huts.
Getting the ride right
A packable rain jacket is worth carrying — the Cantabrian Mountains catch weather quickly, and conditions on the pass can shift well ahead of what’s happening down in the valley.
When to go
May to October — the pass stays open through the warmer months, with the best light and clearest views in late spring before the summer haze sets in.
Good to know
A shorter, gentler alternative climbs from the south via the village of Meroy, useful for riders looking to link the pass into a loop rather than an out-and-back from La Riera.
