Hiking by season in southern Granada: winter to autumn

Short answer. On the Costa Tropical, winter is mild: in Motril, average highs are 17.6 °C in January and 18.6 °C in December (1981–2010 normals), which makes low coastal routes a good winter choice. Above 2,000 m in Sierra Nevada, snow and ice are possible in winter. Spring suits every level as rain decreases; summer is hot at low altitude (average highs around 30.1 °C in August), so walk early or late; and the official Sulayr guide recommends the first half of autumn.

Coastal climate month by month (Motril)

These are long-term averages for Motril, on the coast. The mountain routes are much cooler, and conditions change quickly with altitude.

Motril, 1981–2010 normals (WMO, via Wikipedia).
Month	Average high	Average low	Rainfall
Jan	17.6 °C	9 °C	49.2 mm
Feb	18.3 °C	9.9 °C	40.4 mm
Mar	20 °C	11.5 °C	28.6 mm
Apr	21.5 °C	12.9 °C	30.8 mm
May	23.7 °C	15.1 °C	19.7 mm
Jun	27 °C	18.4 °C	6.1 mm
Jul	29.5 °C	20.9 °C	0.8 mm
Aug	30.1 °C	21.2 °C	1.9 mm
Sep	27.4 °C	19.1 °C	21.4 mm
Oct	24.2 °C	15.8 °C	46.2 mm
Nov	20.7 °C	12.5 °C	63.8 mm
Dec	18.6 °C	10.3 °C	70 mm

Winter (December–February)

The coast stays mild (average lows of 9–10.3 °C), but December is the wettest month (70 mm on average): avoid ramblas after rain. In Sierra Nevada, snow and ice are possible above 2,000 m; the Refugio del Poqueira trail and the Sulayr then require winter equipment and experience.

Routes with official data that stay below 800 m:

Pine tree in the foreground and snowy mountains behind — In the Sierra de Lújar, with snow on the mountains in the distance. · bluecatproject, CC BY 2.0

Comparison of trails with official data

Only trails whose distance, time and difficulty are published by an official source. Times are the official estimates, without stops.
Trail	Area	Route type	Distance	Time (official)	Altitude / Elevation	Difficulty
Las Lagunas	Motril	Loop	2 km	30 min	0–4 m	Easy
Fábricas Azucareras	Motril	Loop	2.3 km	28 min *	28–44 m	Easy
Acantilados de Sacratif	Motril	–	2.4 km	40 min *	9–55 m	Medium-low
Cumbre del Cerro Gordo (Motril)	Motril	–	2.6 km	1 h	211–499 m	Medium-high
Rambla Cañizares	Motril	–	2.8 km	45 min *	73–124 m	Easy
Camino Antiguo de Granada	Motril	–	3.5 km	1 h 04 min	206–363 m	Easy
El Maraute	Motril	Loop	3.8 km	49 min	19–97 m	Easy
Azud de los Vados	Motril	Loop	4.8 km	1 h 02 min *	59–124 m	Easy
Cultivos Subtropicales	Motril	–	5.2 km	1 h 05 min *	26–48 m	Easy
Vega de Motril	Motril	Loop	6.6 km	1 h 20 min	1–40 m	Easy
La Defensa Costera	Motril	–	7 km	1 h 26 min	0–22 m	Easy
Fuente de la Bullarenga	Motril	Loop	7.5 km	1 h 38 min	288–459 m	Medium
Sendero Sierra del Chaparral	Costa Tropical	–	7.9 km	2 h 40 min	255–558 m	Medium
Sierra del Conjuro	Motril	–	8.8 km	2 h *	482–658 m	Medium-low
Garnatilla – Alcántara	Motril	–	10.4 km	2 h 46 min *	289–722 m	Medium
Senda Mediterránea Salobreña – Almuñécar	Salobreña	Linear (one way)	14.54 km	4 h	1–82 m	Easy
Ruta Vega Baja de Salobreña y Motril	Salobreña	Loop	19.3 km	5 h	10–25 m	Easy

* Official time for the return walk (“ida y vuelta”).

Spring (March–May)

Rain decreases (from 28.6 mm in March to 19.7 mm in May in Motril) and highs rise from 20 to 23.7 °C. It is a good season at every level. High up, snowfields can stay hard into spring: the official Refugio del Poqueira sheet asks for care on hard snow.

Summer (June–August)

Almost no rain falls on the coast in July (0.8 mm) and average highs reach 30.1 °C in August. Salobreña’s tourist office recommends walking early in the morning or at sunset; many low routes have little or no shade. Higher routes in the Alpujarra and Sierra Nevada are an alternative, with the usual mountain precautions.

Autumn (September–November)

The official Sulayr guide calls the first half of autumn ideal for the long-distance trail. On the coast, highs fall from 27.4 °C in September to 20.7 °C in November, while rain returns (46.2 mm in October, 63.8 mm in November): watch for storms and flooding ramblas.

A base for every season

Rincón Salvaje is in Vélez de Benaudalla, between the coast and the Alpujarra: when the mountains are snowy, the coast is a short drive down the valley; in summer, mountain routes are within reach.

Winter in southern Spain: official winter averages for the coast, Málaga and Granada
Remote work in Andalusia: city, coast or village for a stay of several weeks

Frequently asked questions

Can you hike in southern Granada in winter?

Yes, especially on the coast and low routes: Motril’s average January high is 17.6 °C. Above 2,000 m in Sierra Nevada, snow and ice are possible and winter equipment is needed.

What is the best month to hike the Sulayr?

The official Junta de Andalucía guide recommends the first half of autumn.

Is it too hot to hike in summer?

On the coast, average highs reach 30.1 °C in August. Walk early or at sunset, carry plenty of water, or go higher.

When does it rain most?

On the coast, from October to January; December averages 70 mm in Motril.

Sources · Facts checked on 8 November 2026