Cardón: Nature, Trails and Tradition

Cardón lies at the foot of the Montaña Cardón Natural Monument and has steep terrain shaped by erosion. The trails from Cardón lead to various destinations: the Sanctuary of the Virgen del Tanquito, ravines, a church and Second World War trenches near La Pared. If you are considering Cardón as a place to stay, the specific trail destinations give you an idea of whether nature, religious tradition or cultural history is your main interest. The yellow, green and blue routes each have a different focus.

Montaña Cardón natural area

Montaña Cardón is a protected area and a Site of Community Importance with the code ES7010034. A Jorao or Jorjado scrubland, characterized by Asteriscus sericeus, a species endemic to Fuerteventura, dominates the higher elevations. The endangered Egyptian vulture breeds on the rocky cliffs. Significant remnants of a plant community have been preserved on the eastern flank of Montaña Cardón; outside the Jandía Peninsula, these remnants are found only here on Fuerteventura.

Trails and destinations

GR section 12 runs for 11.90 km between El Cardón and La Pared. The yellow route from Cardón leads to the Sanctuary of the Virgen del Tanquito in the protected natural area of Montaña Cardón; it follows the FV-618 to the junction with the Camino Cardón. The green route leads into the Barranco de Cardón and to the Second World War trenches near La Pared. The blue route runs through the Barranco de Cardón and reaches the Nuestra Señora de Fátima Church via the Barranco de Tarajal de Sanco. The destinations are therefore clearly distinct: a sanctuary, trenches and a church.

Virgen del Tanquito: sanctuary and festival tradition

The Sanctuary of the Virgen del Tanquito is a small natural rock overhang that has been adapted with an exterior wall and a door. The climb to the Chapel of the Virgen del Tanquito begins at a signposted car park 2.6 km north of El Cardón. Springs at the sanctuary flow all year round, though not in large quantities. The image of the Virgen del Tanquito is not in the cave sanctuary but in the village of El Cardón. The sanctuary and the image are therefore two different points of reference: a natural rock formation and a place in the village. Festivals in honor of Nuestra Señora del Tanquito are a deeply rooted tradition in El Cardón; the celebrations include a traditional Romería.

Archaeological traces

On the southern slope of Montaña de El Cardón lies Rincón de las Hermosas, a concentration of stone structures used for dwelling, livestock rearing and burial. These uses distinguish the site from the trenches near La Pared: here, dwelling, livestock rearing and burial are the main functions, while the trenches are associated with the Second World War.

Discover more destinations: Llanos De La Concepción, Costa de Antigua, La Ampuyenta, Caldereta, Majanicho, El Roque, Tefía, Valles de Ortega

For the broader travel overview: Fuerteventura.