Pichincha · Hiking

Ruta Saraurco

An out-and-back trail, 12 miles each way (23 miles round trip) in Pichincha, Ecuador.

11.6 mi
round trip
8,181 ft
climb
15,215 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Ruta Saraurco is an out-and-back trail, 12 miles each way (23 miles round trip) in Pichincha, Ecuador, inside Parque Nacional Cayambe-Coca. It runs between about 11,460 ft and 15,220 ft above sea level, with roughly 5,570 ft of climbing one way. It is demanding mountain hiking, with rocky or exposed stretches where you need sure footing. Most of the way is dirt. The nearest town is El Verde, about 4.1 miles northeast of the trailhead. There are 2 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

Ruta Sagrado CuicochaPhoto: Ymblanter, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Sendero Cumbre Rucu PichinchaPhoto: David Ceballos from Quito, España, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Ruta Sagrado Cuicocha

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Conditions and forecast

Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at Ruta Saraurco for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors