Parque Natural de la Sierra de Cardeña y Montoro

Sierra de Cardeña y Montoro covers 38,449 hectares in the far northeast of Córdoba province, where Sierra Morena folds into gentle hills and deep valleys before giving way to the Meseta. It is one of the largest natural parks in Andalusia and one of the last refuges of the Iberian lynx on the peninsula: together with the nearby Sierra de Andújar (Jaén), it forms the eastern population core for this felid, with an estimated 90 to 120 individuals across both territories. Holm oak and cork oak dehesa blankets most of the surface, stretching as far as the eye can see, broken only by clearings where livestock graze under extensive farming.

Altitude ranges from 400 metres on the valley floors to 828 metres at the highest point. The terrain is formed by Palaeozoic materials—granite, slate and quartzite—overlain by acid soil that favours holm and cork oak. Streams and brooks draining towards the Guadalquivir carve narrow valleys where riparian vegetation—ash, elm and oleander—contrasts with the dryness of the surrounding landscape in summer. The scent of gum cistus pervades the sun-facing slopes during the warm months.

Wildlife is the park's defining feature. In addition to the Iberian lynx, the area supports Spanish imperial eagle, black stork, black vulture and griffon vulture. Red deer are plentiful and drive the annual rutting season in September and October, a sound spectacle audible from the viewpoints at dusk. Wild boar, Egyptian mongoose and common genet complete the mammal roster. Otter and Spanish pond turtle inhabit the watercourses. The sparse human presence—population density is below 5 inhabitants per km²—has allowed these species to maintain stable populations in a largely undisturbed territory.

The Iberian wolf, once common in these sierras until the mid-twentieth century, now survives in eastern Sierra Morena only as a token presence. Its potential recovery depends on connectivity with northern Spanish populations, an ongoing debate between environmental managers and local livestock farmers.

The park is shared between two municipalities: Cardeña to the north and Montoro to the south. Cardeña is a village of around 1,400 inhabitants with basic services, rural accommodation and a park visitor centre. Montoro, larger (around 9,000 pop.), holds Historic Heritage status and sits on a meander of the Guadalquivir with a notable stock of manor houses, Renaissance churches and a bridge of Roman origin. Local cuisine draws on dehesa products: acorn-fed Ibérico ham, game meat and Picual variety virgin olive oil.

The trail network includes dehesa routes, wildlife-watching itineraries and forestry tracks suitable for mountain biking. The park does not draw heavy visitor numbers, which preserves the quiet and makes it a fitting destination for those seeking nature without crowds. The deer rutting season (September–October) and spring, when cistus and lavender flower, are the periods of greatest interest for a visit.