Ruta 3
An out-and-back trail, 2.1 miles each way (4.1 miles round trip) in Azuay, Ecuador.
- 2.1 mi
- round trip
- 1,812 ft
- climb
- 12,824 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Ruta 3 is an out-and-back trail, 2.1 miles each way (4.1 miles round trip) in Azuay, Ecuador, inside Parque Nacional Cajas. It runs between about 12,180 ft and 12,820 ft above sea level, with roughly 660 ft of climbing one way. It is a mountain path with steeper and uneven sections, so wear proper hiking shoes. Most of the way is dirt. The nearest town is Sayausi, about 12 miles northwest of the trailhead. Peaks within about 3 miles include Cerro San Luis, Cerro Padre Urcu and Taquiurco. For camping, Buen lugar para acampar is within about 6 miles. There are 10 other mapped trails within about 3 miles, so you can combine or extend the outing. Distances, elevations and the route shape here come from OpenStreetMap and the Copernicus 90 m elevation model. Trails, access rules and conditions change, so check locally before you go.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: Ceancata, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Caminantes Ruta 15: Barabón – Pallkarumi – Sayausí
~21 min drive
A 7.6-mile point-to-point route in Azuay, Ecuador.
Photo: Vscc11, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Caminantes Ruta 3: Llacao - Cerro Pachamama - Zhiquir
~33 min drive
A 5.6-mile point-to-point route in Azuay, Ecuador.
Sendero a Luspa
~4 min drive
An out-and-back trail, 1.3 miles each way (2.5 miles round trip) in Azuay, Ecuador.
Caminantes Ruta 7: Ucubamba – Cerro Cabullín - Rayoloma
~33 min drive
A 4.0-mile point-to-point route in Azuay, Ecuador.
Cardenillo
~1 min drive
An out-and-back trail, 0.7 miles each way (1.4 miles round trip) in Azuay, Ecuador.
Ruta 2
~1 min drive
An out-and-back trail, 1.6 miles each way (3.2 miles round trip) in Azuay, Ecuador.
Ruta 7
~10 min drive
An out-and-back trail, 9.7 miles each way (19 miles round trip) in Azuay, Ecuador.
Desde Mama Tomasa
~1 min drive
An out-and-back trail, 1.1 miles each way (2.2 miles round trip) in Azuay, Ecuador.
Sendero Oeste a Guagualzhumi
~38 min drive
An out-and-back trail, 0.4 miles each way (0.7 miles round trip) in Azuay, Ecuador.
Sendero a Cima Del Guagualzhumi Rocoso
~39 min drive
An out-and-back trail, 0.5 miles each way (1.0 miles round trip) in Azuay, Ecuador.
Conditions and forecast
Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at Ruta 3 for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
