Barranco Ruiz is loved for its natural beauty for going out to a picnic in Tenerife.

This wide gorge which descends from the Tenerife highlands has a surface of 95,6 hectares and was formed a very long time ago. It is a wonder of nature with its diverse Tibaibas. Tibaibas are Canary Islands indigenous Euphorbias and therefore, not all worldwide Euphorbias are Tibaibas.

You could compare the Ruiz Barranco to the coastal natural wonders near Hotel Maritim.

Of course, the Canadas del Teide are Tenerife's biggest miracle. The 49,8 hectares of Barranco
Ruiz are still being explored for biological and geographical clues. The gorge and its borders seem to hide ecological secrets.

The Ruiz gorge is one of Tenerife's deepest and most spectacular gorges and may be as old as three million years. That's when three separate isles were joined to become one. The gorge of Ruiz measures 510 hectares together with Tigaiga of San Vincente which is next to it. This whole part of Los Realejos has an astounding bird and plant life.

A Tenerife that few have seen

You will learn how a Tenerife insider was able to take such a precious shot. Indeed, this unusual picture is of the Barranco Ruiz after I was given the rounds of a historical Spanish Hacienda which is more than 500 years old. Truly, the look-out I went to is off the beaten track and tourists never really get to see it.

Take note of the ruin of an abandoned cottage deep down on the bottom of the gorge.

How get to the Ruiz Barranco?

TF5 yes or no?

Drive on the road TF5 from Puerto de la Cruz towards Icod de los Vinos. Leave all Los Realejos turn offs by your wayside. Take care, as the TF5 stops being a typical multy-lane freeway at the height of lower Los Realejos, where it shouldn't be called TF5 any more and will always be an environmentally protected coastal road with only 2 lanes in each direction. Encounter the Barranco of Ruiz at about 15 km from Puerto de la Cruz before San Juan de la Rambla on your left. Of course, you would have it on your right after San Juan while coming from Icod de los Vinos.

Picnic spot Barranco de Ruiz

You also get to the entrance of the coastal Ruiz pick-nick area with parking space when you drive back to the coastal road coming up from Beach Playa Socorro.

Reach the Barranco Ruiz recreational park after the San Pedro look-out. Parque Ruiz is actually very close to an other look-out marked in my old map as Mirador Terrero after the San Pedro Look-out.

The recreational park Parque de Ruiz has rustic stalls which offer delicious tapas and drinks, such as red local wine. Many mature trees provide shade over timber tables and benches. The generous size of about 2000 square meters of this picknick area allows for privacy by bushes and shrubs.
Noise from the road is no issue.
The ground is that of natural, sandy soil. It may be less pleasant to walk on, after a longer rain. However, the Tenerife sun usually returns soon to dry it all up.

I once spent one of the nicest hours of my life at the pick-nick park of Barranco Ruiz. I was in company of a friend and a small group of Tenerife folk singers invited us to sing along.

See photos of the gorge of Ruiz barranco vegetation and geology of the location where it is adjacent to the ancient mountain road Camino Real at Icod el Alto Los Realejos of Tenerife.

Return to Los Realejos to learn about Realejos Alto and Bajo, its Tenerife history and Guanches, its culture and festivals, its sports, its region, beaches, weather, Spanish traditions, La Longuera, Tozcal, La Gorvorana, Viera y Clavijo, hotels and accommodation and much more.

Custom Search

New! Comments