The Bear Trail (Senda del Oso), greenway in central Asturias

Greenway · Asturias · since 1995

The Bear Trail complete guide to the most visited greenway in Asturias

36 km greenway built on the old 19th-century mining railway. It crosses the councils of Teverga, Proaza, Santo Adriano and Quirós. This is the guide written by those of us who have been riding it for more than 20 years.

Want to ride it by bike?

Bike rental for the Bear Trail

36 km Y-shaped greenway

+30 Tunnels

1.5% Average gradient

Easy Difficulty

What the Bear Trail is

What is it?

What is the Bear Trail

A 36 km greenway on a 19th-century mining railway, and one of the most visited cycling routes in Asturias. Here are the key facts that make it unique.

Greenway · 36 km

From mining railway to greenway

36 km Y-shape

+30 Tunnels

1995 Greenway

The Bear Trail is a greenway built on the route of the old mining railway that, for nearly a century (late 19th century to 1963), carried coal from the Teverga and Quirós valleys down to the steel works in Trubia.

After the mines closed, the tracks were abandoned until in 1995 the Principality of Asturias turned them into a Greenway, as part of the national network coordinated by the Spanish Railway Foundation. It crosses four councils (Teverga, Proaza, Santo Adriano and Quirós), passes through more than 30 rock-cut tunnels, several limestone gorges and Atlantic riverside woodland, and ends at the bear enclosure run by the Asturian Bear Foundation, now home to Molina.

Its Y-shape makes it unique in Spain: a main trunk leaves Tuñón, climbs to Caranga and there splits towards the Teverga valley (Entrago) and the Quirós valley (Santa Marina).

Built on the old mining railway
Crosses 4 Asturian councils
Y-shape: trunk + 2 branches
1.5% gradient · almost flat

See the trail map

The Bear Trail greenway crossing the Asturian valleys

Greenway19th-century railwayAsturias

Plan your route

Interactive map of the Bear Trail to explore the route

Click a route to highlight it and click a point below to zoom in. Toggle the side layers to show car parks, water fountains and restaurants.

Click to zoom to each point:

Points of interest

10 waypoints marked on the map

The same points you see above, with distance from Entrago (start of the downhill tourist route).

Entrago

Main access · our shop · 60 parking spaces

0 km
Valdecerezales tunnels

Dramatic stretch on the Teverga branch · limestone walls

3–5 km
Caranga

Y-junction · split to the Quirós valley

11 km
Peñas Juntas

Limestone canyon on the main trunk

14 km
Proaza

Village · 20 spaces · Bear House · restaurants

16 km
Molina enclosure

Viewpoint over the Bear Foundation’s enclosure

17 km
Buyera

End of the short route · picnic area

18 km
Tuñón

North access · 40 spaces · pre-Romanesque church

22 km
Valdemurio

Reservoir on the Quirós branch (with detour)

28* km
Santa Marina

End of the Quirós branch

+14 from Caranga km

* With detour to the Valdemurio reservoir from Caranga.

Free downloads

Download the Bear Trail map

Two formats: printable A4 PDF or GPX for your GPS/navigation app. No sign-up, no email.

Printable PDF

A4 PDF map

Map with every point of interest
Distances and times to each stop
Icon legend
Water fountains, car parks and bars listed
Size ~2 MB

Download PDF

For your GPS

GPX file

Full Y-shaped track (3 sections)
Named waypoints
Compatible Garmin · Wahoo · Strava · Komoot · OsmAnd
Any app/device that takes tracks
Size ~50 KB

Download GPX

Map of the Senda del Oso (Bear Trail) by bike: easy Entrago–Buyera route (18 km) and Valdemurio reservoir variant (28 km), with villages, rest areas and distances

💡 If you rent a bike with us, the printed map is included in the rental. We hand it to you in the shop before you set off.

Before you go

What you need to know before going

Routes are presented starting from Entrago downhill, the way most people ride it.

Ask us

Distances

18 km

Popular tourist route

Entrago → Buyera · downhill

Short route · Entrago → Buyera 18 km
Route via Valdemurio 28 km
Full Y 36 km
Trunk · Tuñón → Caranga 11 km
Quirós branch · Caranga → Santa Marina 14 km

DownhillNo uphill

Technical profile

1.5 %

Average gradient

Practically flat · −200 m downhill

Total descent −200 m
Difficulty Easy
Surface Compacted gravel
Lit tunnels +30
Best season All year

FamilyGreenway

Duration

2-3 h

By bike at an easy pace

With stops and lunch it fills the whole day

Walking full section 5-6 h
Kid-friendly Yes, from babies
Dog-friendly Yes
Wheelchair accessible Yes (in sections)

KidsDogWheelchair

Y-shaped

The 3 sections of the Bear Trail

The Bear Trail is Y-shaped. Starting from Entrago downhill, the first section is the Teverga branch, then the main trunk towards Tuñón, and from Caranga a third branch heads to Santa Marina (Quirós valley). Each section has its own character. Exact distances and gradients in kilometres per section.

Teverga branch · downhill

Entrago → Caranga

11 km downhill · vertical landscape

Valdecerezales gorge
Vertical limestone walls
Short tunnels

The branch that plunges into the Valdecerezales gorge, with hundred-metre limestone walls framing the path. A bold piece of mining engineering, where the trail runs almost suspended over the river Teverga.

The first section if you start from Entrago. The most dramatic.

Main trunk · downhill

Caranga → Tuñón

The star section · 11 km downhill

Molina enclosure
Peñas Juntas gorge
Longest tunnels

Crosses the river Trubia over the La Esgarrada bridge and runs through riverside woods of alders, poplars and ash trees. Passes the Molina enclosure half-way (a must stop), the Peñas Juntas gorge and several lit tunnels.

Natural continuation of the Teverga branch. Concentrates the most popular landmarks.

See the Molina enclosure in detail

Quirós branch · downhill

Caranga → Santa Marina

The quietest · 14 km downhill

Valdemurio reservoir
Villages with hórreos
Less crowded

The Quirós branch is the quietest. It passes the Valdemurio reservoir (crystal-clear water with activities such as kayaking) and carries on to Santa Marina, through farming landscapes and villages with hórreos (traditional granaries).

A quiet alternative. A detour into the Quirós valley and its rural scenery.

Want to compare all three sections in detail? where the Bear Trail starts

How to do it

How to explore the Bear Trail by bike or on foot

Both options are valid and the trail is designed for both. Each has its audience, and you can combine them (bus there + walk back, for example).

By bike

The most popular way

The tourist route is Entrago → Buyera: 18 km downhill that take 2-3 hours at an easy pace, stopping to eat, to see the Molina enclosure and to photograph the tunnels. To make it longer, add the detour to the Valdemurio reservoir (Entrago → Valdemurio → Buyera).

Everyone rents in Entrago and returns by transfer from Buyera: that is what makes it comfortable by bike without having to pedal back uphill. You never have to ride all the way to Tuñón.

Rent bikes

On foot

By sections, at your own pace

The best approach is to pick a section to match your fitness (from 2 km to the full Y). The Buyera → Proaza → Tuñón section (6-7 km) is the top family-friendly pick: it concentrates the main landmarks and takes about 2.5 hours with kids.

To walk the full trail, allow 5-6 hours at a strolling pace. The return can be combined with the bus (Autos Bimenes line from Oviedo).

Bear Trail on foot

6 must-see landmarks

What to see on the Bear Trail

The six stops not to miss. Swipe through the cards to see them.

Full guide: what to see on the Bear Trail

01 · The most visited

Molina enclosure

Asturian Bear Foundation

In Proaza, half-way along. Paca and Tola lived here; today Molina does, visible for free from a lookout by the trail.

Full story of Paca, Tola and Molina

02 · Spectacular geology

Peñas Juntas gorge

Karst canyon of limestone walls

Limestone walls that almost touch above the river Trubia. One of the most photographed spots on the route.

The gorges of the Bear Trail

Tunnels of the old mining railway on the Bear Trail

03 · The unique feature

The Tunnels

+30 tunnels carved into the rock

More than 30 tunnels from the 19th-century mining railway, all solar-lit. The longest is 300 m.

Tunnels in detail

04 · To extend the day

Valdemurio reservoir

Lake in the Quirós valley

On the Quirós branch, with kayaking and paddle-boarding in summer. A good stop to extend the day.

05 · The most dramatic

Valdecerezales gorge

Teverga branch · vertical walls

A path hanging over the river Teverga between walls hundreds of metres high. Quieter than Peñas Juntas.

06 · Pre-Romanesque gem

Church of Santo Adriano

Tuñón · Historic-Artistic Monument

10th-century pre-Romanesque church 200 m from the Tuñón car park, with original mural paintings.

History of the Bear Trail

By car and bus

How to get to the Bear Trail

The main access is Entrago (Teverga), about 45 minutes from Oviedo by car. There is free parking at Entrago, Tuñón and Proaza, and a regular bus from Oviedo.

Oviedo Cathedral, starting point for the Bear Trail

Car

Oviedo 40 km · 45 min

See route

Distance40 km
Duration45 min
RouteA-63 + AS-228

Gijón, starting point for the Bear Trail

Car

Gijón 70 km · 1 h

See route

Distance70 km
Duration1 h
RouteA-8 + A-66 + A-63

León Cathedral, starting point for the Bear Trail

Car

León 85 km · 1 h 15

See route

Distance85 km
Duration1 h 15
RouteAP-66 + P. Ventana

Car

Somiedo 45 km · 50 min

See route

Distance45 km
Duration50 min
RouteAS-265 + P. San Lorenzo

Free car parks

In high season arrive before 10:00

60 Entrago spaces · main access
40 Tuñón spaces · start of the trunk
20 Proaza spaces · near the enclosure

Exact routes, bus timetables and coordinates: how to get to the Bear Trail

With the family

How to do the Bear Trail with the family

Flat, shaded, with bears half-way and tunnels that delight little ones. The ideal family section is Entrago → Buyera: 18 km downhill by bike, very easy, with all the highlights along the way: the Molina enclosure, the tunnels and the gorges.

By bike at an easy pace it takes 2-3 hours with stops. We pick you up in Buyera with the transfer and bring you back to Entrago, so you never have to pedal uphill. For babies and toddlers, child seats and bike trailers work perfectly.

Tunnels lit by solar power
Rest areas with picnic tables
Drinking fountains in Entrago, Proaza and Buyera
Bars and restaurants at every stop

Bear Trail by bike with kids: full guide

FlatShadedWith bearsTunnels

When to go?

When is the best time to visit the Bear Trail

The best time is spring (May–June) and autumn (September–October): lush forest and few crowds. It can be ridden all year: quick guide by season.

Full calendar

Top

Spring

May–Jun

The best

Lush forest, mild temperatures and low crowds.

Summer

Jul–Aug

Very busy

Rideable but crowded. Arrive before 10:00. Shade along much of the route.

Top

Autumn

Sept–Oct

Second best

Ochre colours, no crowds, seasonal food.

Winter

Nov–Mar

Still rideable

Surface can be slippery. Lit tunnels. Shorter daylight.

Before you come

Practical tips from people who know it

A short list of things we always mention when someone asks about the trail. It all fits in a small backpack. No technical gear needed.

Lighting

Tunnels have solar-powered lights, but always carry a headtorch or your own front and rear bike lights. Daylight doesn't always reach inside.
Footwear

Closed trainers work perfectly. No flip-flops: the surface is compacted gravel with loose stones.
Gear

Light rain jacket even in summer (this is Asturias). Sun cream and a cap between June and August.
With dogs

Always keep the dog on a lead. Don't approach the livestock guardian dogs (mastines) in the villages.
Bear Trail with a dog
Parking

In high season arrive before 10:00. Car parks fill up quickly.
Respect

Don't leave any waste, not even organic. The trail is a wildlife area.
Overnight

There are camper-van areas in Tuñón, Proaza, Entrago and Teverga.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the Bear Trail

Quick answers to what first-time visitors ask: kilometres, sections, access points and the Molina enclosure.

Need help?

+34 644 199 430

How many kilometres does the Bear Trail have?

The Bear Trail totals 36 km in a Y shape. The main trunk (Tuñón–Caranga) is 11 km. From Caranga it splits to the Teverga valley (11 km to Entrago) and the Quirós valley (14 km to Santa Marina). The most popular tourist route is the 22 downhill km (Entrago → Tuñón), which takes 2-3 hours by bike.

Which is the prettiest section of the Bear Trail?

The most popular and landmark-packed section runs from Proaza to Tuñón via Buyera. It concentrates the Peñas Juntas gorge, the Molina enclosure and several tunnels of the old railway. It is also the top pick on foot with children. For a more dramatic, quieter section, try the Caranga-Entrago branch (Valdecerezales).

Can you walk the Bear Trail?

Yes. The compacted gravel surface is comfortable to walk on, and the Buyera-Proaza-Tuñón section (6-7 km) is the family pick. Sections and times: walking the Bear Trail.

Where are Paca, Tola and Molina?

Tola died in 2018 and Paca on 10 April 2025. Today the bear Molina lives in the Proaza enclosure, visible from a lookout on the trail. Their full story: Paca and Tola.

When is the best time to visit the Bear Trail?

Spring (May-June) and autumn (September-October). Summer is busy: arrive before 10:00. Month by month: the best time to visit the Bear Trail.

Is it accessible for people with reduced mobility?

Yes over much of the route. The compacted gravel surface and 1.5% gradient allow electric wheelchairs or handbikes on the flat sections. The Entrago, Tuñón and Proaza car parks have reserved spaces and access ramps onto the trail.

Is there free parking?

Yes, free at Entrago (60 spaces), Tuñón (40) and Proaza (20). In high season they fill up before 10:00. More in how to get to the Bear Trail.

Is there a bus to the Bear Trail?

Yes, Autos Bimenes runs a regular line from Oviedo Bus Station. Stops and timetables: getting there by bus.

Can I download the map for free?

Yes. We offer the map as a printable PDF (1 A4) and as GPX for GPS, both free with no sign-up. If you rent a bike with us, we also give you the printed map in the shop.

10.

Is the GPX compatible with my GPS?

Yes. It is a standard GPX file compatible with Garmin, Wahoo, Strava, Komoot, OsmAnd and any device or app that accepts tracks. It includes the 3 sections of the Y and all named waypoints.

11.

Is there mobile signal along the whole trail?

Generally yes: good 4G coverage along most of the route. There are a few specific spots (inside long tunnels, deep parts of the Quirós branch) with weaker signal. We recommend downloading the map offline in Google Maps before setting off, just in case.

12.

Is the map up to date?

Yes, updated in 2026. We review distances, car parks and points of interest every year. If you spot something that has changed, drop us a line.

13.

Can I plan the route on Google Maps?

Partially: Google Maps recognises the greenway as a cycle path but does not have all the waypoints. For accurate planning, use Wikiloc, Komoot or our downloaded map.

When you are ready

If you want to ride it, we can help

For over 20 years we have been renting bikes for the Bear Trail (Senda del Oso) from our shop in Entrago, right at the start of the route. More than 200 bikes checked every day, helmet and insurance included, return transfer from Buyera. Book without paying in advance.

Rent bikes on the Bear Trail Book now