Parque Natural de Izki

The essentials of Parque Natural de Izki

  • • The Basque Country's most extensive Pyrenean-oak forest with 3,500 continuous hectares
  • • Habitat of the middle spotted woodpecker, with just 40-60 Iberian breeding pairs
  • • Marquínez artificial caves carved from sandstone since the Middle Ages
  • • Walled town of Antoñana with original 13th-century gates
  • • Mushroom season with ceps, chanterelles and thistle mushrooms in autumn
EcotourismAdventure

Description

Izki Natural Park spans 9,143 hectares on the southern slopes of the Alavese Mountains in southeastern Álava province. Its botanical centrepiece is the most extensive Pyrenean-oak forest (Quercus pyrenaica) in the Basque Country and one of the largest along the entire Cantabrian rim, with over 3,500 hectares of continuous cover on hillsides between 600 and 1,000 metres. In spring, when pale, almost translucent young leaves emerge, the woodland takes on a luminous quality that contrasts with the dark, furrowed bark of centuries-old oaks.

The park's geology alternates Lower Cretaceous sandstone, marl and limestone, with conglomerate outcrops forming small cliffs and ledges at higher elevations. The Río Izki, which gives the park its name, flows along a gentle valley floor fed by a network of streams rising on the wooded slopes. Wetland areas include peat bogs and waterlogged patches where sphagnum moss blankets the ground and water seeps among rushes and ferns. The Antoñana spring at the park's foot maintains a steady flow that has supplied the medieval walled town of the same name for centuries; its defensive perimeter still retains two original 13th-century gates.

The middle spotted woodpecker (Dendrocoptos medius), a medium-sized woodpecker with a red cap and streaked breast, finds in Izki's oak forest one of its rare Iberian populations. An estimated 40 to 60 breeding pairs depend on old oaks with natural cavities in which they nest each spring. Other woodland birds include the nuthatch, short-toed treecreeper and long-tailed tit. Raptors rule the open skies above forest clearings: the European honey-buzzard hunts wasps in summer, while the goshawk dashes between trunks chasing pigeons and jays. At night, tawny owls call from the densest canopy. Mammals include roe deer, wild boar, European wildcat, pine marten and edible dormouse, and red-deer numbers have risen over the past two decades following reintroduction programmes.

The human landscape around the park is shaped by small hamlets and medieval walled towns built from golden sandstone. Corres, Urarte and Quintana are scattered along the woodland edge, each with just a handful of permanently occupied houses. Marquínez, at the park entrance, holds a cluster of artificial caves carved into the sandstone that served as dwellings, granaries and shelters from the Middle Ages through to the 19th century. These hollows, arranged on several levels linked by stairways cut into the rock, form one of the most distinctive troglodyte sites in northern Spain.

The park's trail network exceeds 40 waymarked kilometres, with routes ranging from 4 to 16 kilometres. The Izki oak-forest trail (10 km, circular) crosses the heart of the woodland along wide forestry tracks where light filters through the canopy, casting shifting patterns on the leaf-litter floor. The Marquínez caves route (6 km) combines cultural and natural heritage, descending from the caves to the Río Izki through a shaded ravine. In autumn the park becomes mushroom territory: ceps, chanterelles and thistle mushrooms sprout beneath damp leaf litter, and local foragers maintain a mycological tradition that stretches back generations.

Practical information

Everything you need to know for your visit to Parque Natural de Izki

How to get there

How to get there

By car Public transport
From Vitoria-Gasteiz (35 km), take the A-1 south and turn off on the A-132 towards Maestu. From Logroño (65 km), use the AP-68 to Oyón and continue on the A-126. The interpretation centre is in Korres. Free parking at park entrances. No direct public transport.
Area Information
Natural Park Interpretation Centre in Korres. Rural accommodation in Maestu, Antoñana and Santa Cruz de Campezo. Restaurants serving Alavese cuisine in nearby towns. Over 40 km of waymarked trails.
Geography
Southern slopes of the Alavese Mountains. Elevations from 600 to 1,175 m (Kapildui). Cretaceous sandstone, marl and limestone substrate. Gentle Izki river valley, peat bogs and conglomerate outcrops.
Flora & Fauna
Pyrenean-oak forest (Quercus pyrenaica) of 3,500 ha, sphagnum peat bogs, beech on shaded slopes. Fauna: middle spotted woodpecker (40-60 pairs), goshawk, honey-buzzard, roe deer, wildcat, pine marten, red deer (reintroduced).

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Izki's Pyrenean-oak forest (Quercus pyrenaica) is the most extensive in the Basque Country and one of the largest in northern Spain, covering over 3,500 continuous hectares. Its uniqueness lies in occupying an unusual biogeographic position for a species more typical of continental climates. It also supports one of the few Iberian populations of the middle spotted woodpecker, a species that depends on mature oaks with natural cavities.
Yes, the Marquínez artificial caves are freely accessible. A 6-kilometre waymarked trail from the village visits the different levels of hollows carved into the sandstone. No special equipment is needed, but sturdy footwear is advisable as the terrain can be slippery after rain. Information panels along the route explain the historical use of each cavity.
Yes, mushroom foraging in the park's public woodlands is regulated by the Basque Government. A seasonal permit is required, obtainable online or from local town halls. The usual limit is 5 kilograms per person per day. Rakes and other tools that damage the mycelium are prohibited. The main season runs from September to November.
Yes, several forest tracks in the park are open to mountain bikes. The most popular route circuits the oak forest along the main tracks (about 20 km) with gentle elevation changes. Narrow footpaths are reserved for walkers, especially in middle spotted woodpecker protection zones. Moderate speed is recommended to avoid disturbing the woodland fauna.
Antoñana is a medieval walled town that retains two original 13th-century gates and an urban layout virtually unchanged since the Middle Ages. Its sandstone houses, the Church of the Assumption and the fountain fed by the park's spring make it a rewarding cultural complement to a day in the forest. The town can be walked in under an hour, but the experience has a charm that is hard to match.