Mount Pico
2,351 m
Portugal
Also known as Пику (планина), Ponta do Pico, +6Also known as
Пику (планина) · Ponta do Pico · Montaña del Pico · Monte Pico · Pico · Montanha do Pico · Muntele Pico · Пику
- Elevation
- 2,351 m
- Prominence
- 2,351 m
- Difficulty
- 3/10
- Mountain hike
- Best Season
- Jun–Sep
- Routes
- 1
AdvisoryReported 30 Aug 2026
RTP Açores reported that new access rules for Mount Pico are being prepared after companies made unused bookings in peak season, taking slots from climbers. No details or start date were given; check the official booking site before travelling.
acores.rtp.pt
Routes
1Sources differ: T2 (Camptocamp)
The single regulated trail up Portugal's highest mountain: from the Casa da Montanha registration centre (about 1,230 m) up 47 numbered posts over old lava flows and loose volcanic gravel to the summit crater, then a short, steep scramble among fumaroles to the top of the Piquinho (2,351 m). About 3.8 km and 1,150 m of ascent each way; registration, a fee and a GPS tracker are compulsory.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 3.7 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,124 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 2,351 m
- Time Up
- 4h 13m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 2h 43m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Drive or take a taxi up the forest road from the EN3 to the car park at Casa da Montanha (about 1,230 m). Register and pay inside (booking in advance through the official Pico Mountain platform is strongly advised in summer), collect the GPS tracker and attend the short safety briefing; the trail starts at the back door. There is no other legal route to the summit. The path climbs steeply and directly up the western flank, following 47 numbered wooden posts. The ground is old lava, rock, gravel and in places mud; the path is braided and sometimes faint, and between about 2,100 m and 2,240 m a parallel variant exists. Furna Abrigo, a lava tube used as an emergency shelter, is passed partway up. Post 47 is inside the summit crater (Pico Grande, about 2,250 m). From there the Piquinho, the small lava cone that forms the true summit, rises about 70 m: the ascent is short but steep, needs hands in places and passes warm fumaroles. Allow 3–4 hours up. Descend the same way, about 3–4 hours; the loose gravel is hard on the knees and slippery. Official advice is to start down at least 4 hours before sunset, and to return to the last post if the next one cannot be found within about 30 minutes in fog. The summit is usually about 10 °C colder than sea level, and after rain the path can ice over even outside winter. Return the GPS tracker at Casa da Montanha (or, if it is closed, to the Madalena fire station). Overnight stays in the crater are allowed only with a separate reservation.
Start
Casa da Montanha1,230 m
- No bus serves Casa da Montanha; take a taxi or pre-arranged transfer from Madalena or elsewhere on Pico (book in advance for night starts). Pico has an airport and ferries from Horta (Faial) to Madalena.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Casa da Montanha → Piquinho | 3.7 | 1,124 | 0 | 4h 13m |
Waypoints
- Trailhead: Casa da Montanha1,230 m
Compulsory registration, fee payment and GPS tracker; car park
- Summit: Piquinho2,351 m
Key Passages
- Steep braided path over old lava flows (posts 1–47)
- Summit crater (Pico Grande)
- Short steep scramble up the Piquinho among fumaroles
Equipment
0/8 packedDownloads
Route confidence 80%Overview
Portugal's highest mountain (2,351 m), a near-perfect stratovolcano rising straight out of the Atlantic on Pico Island in the Azores. A single regulated trail climbs 1,150 m of lava and volcanic gravel from the Casa da Montanha to a steaming summit cone, the Piquinho.
Pico dominates the island of the same name in the central Azores, more than twice the height of any other Azorean summit and visible from Faial and São Jorge when the clouds allow. It is a dormant volcano: historical eruptions in 1562–1564, 1718 and 1720 came from its flanks, and fumaroles still steam on the summit cone. The mountain has been a nature reserve since 1972 and access is tightly managed by the Azores regional government.
The climb starts at the Casa da Montanha at about 1,230 m, where every climber registers, pays a fee and receives a GPS tracker. The trail follows 47 numbered posts up the steep western flank over old lava and loose gravel to the summit crater, then a short scramble leads up the Piquinho, the small cone that forms the highest point. It is a non-technical but strenuous day of 6–8 hours, made serious by the weather: fog often hides the posts, wind is strong near the top, and the summit is typically 10 °C colder than the coast.
Numbers are capped at 160 people on the trail at once and 320 per day, with stricter limits on the Piquinho and for overnight stays in the crater. Sunrise and overnight climbs are popular for the view of the mountain's shadow over the sea and neighbouring islands.
Climbing Notes
Fitness for 1,150 m of ascent and descent on steep, loose ground is the main requirement; no technical skills are needed in summer. Book a slot on the official platform (montanhapico.azores.gov.pt) as soon as your dates are fixed, as July and August sell out weeks ahead; guided climbs include the fee. Allow a weather buffer of a day or two on the island, because the Casa da Montanha can cancel climbs in bad conditions and the summit is often in cloud.
Start early and begin the descent at least 4 hours before sunset. Carry plenty of water, warm and windproof layers, and a headlamp; staff check footwear and can refuse climbers without proper boots. In fog, move post to post and go back if you lose the line. Overnight stays in the crater need a separate booking, a tent and a good sleeping bag. From November to April expect snow or ice near the top on some days; crampons are then needed and a local guide is advisable. Under-16s must be accompanied by a parent or authorised adult.
History
Pico's recorded eruptions, all from flank vents, were in 1562–1564, 1718 and December 1720; lava from the first two reached the sea. A fumarole on the Piquinho drew attention on 29 September 2009, when its plume was visible across the island, though monitoring showed no anomalous gas release. The mountain was designated a nature reserve in 1972 and is now part of Pico Island Natural Park.
Season
Best Jun–Sep- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Possible
- May: Good
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Good
- November: Possible
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Casa da Montanha 08:00–18:00; snow or ice possible near the summit; frequent cloud
- Feb
- Winter weather; crampons may be needed
- Mar
- Unsettled; short opening hours
- Apr
- Extended opening hours; still changeable
- May
- Casa da Montanha open 24 hours from 1 May
- Jun
- Long days; book ahead
- Jul
- Peak season; slots sell out
- Aug
- Peak season; slots sell out
- Sep
- Good conditions, slightly fewer people
- Oct
- Reduced opening hours; more frequent cloud and rain
- Nov
- Casa da Montanha 08:00–18:00; winter conditions on some days
- Dec
- Winter conditions; closed 25 December
Access & Permits
- Permits
- Pico Mountain climbing registrationRequired
All climbers must book (strongly advised in advance, required for independent climbers in practice in summer), register in person at Casa da Montanha, pay the fee, carry the issued GPS tracker and sign out on return. Separate reservation needed for overnight stays in the crater.
montanhapico.azores.gov.pt
- Fees
- Climb to Furna Abrigo EUR 5, to the crater EUR 15, to the Piquinho EUR 25; overnight in the crater EUR 10 extra; free for Azores residents
- Optional EUR 30 GPS-tracker damage waiver; EUR 270–300 charge if the tracker is not returned (2024 figures)
- Rules
- Only the official trail from Casa da Montanha may be used; the mountain is a nature reserve
- Capacity: 160 people on the trail at once and 320 per day; about 30 at a time on the Piquinho (20-minute stay); 32 overnight in the crater
- Climbs starting in the afternoon or evening that finish after 08:00 the next day count as overnight stays and need a reservation
- Closed hiking footwear is compulsory; staff can refuse climbers who do not meet minimum equipment requirements
- Climbs can be cancelled by Casa da Montanha in bad weather
- Under-16s must be accompanied by a parent or an authorised adult
- Getting There
Madalena (Pico), about 30 minutes by road
Pico (PIX); Horta (HOR) on Faial with a ferry to Madalena
- By car from Madalena via the EN3 road across the island, then the signed forest road to Casa da Montanha car park
- No public transport to Casa da Montanha; taxis and transfers must be arranged, especially for night or early starts
- Ferries link Horta (Faial) and São Jorge with Pico
Hazards
- Weather
- Remoteness