PR TF 10 Cruz del Carmen - Punta del Hidalgo

Nestled within the verdant landscapes of Tenerife’s Anaga Rural Park, the PR TF 10 trail threads its way from the historic Cruz del Carmen down to the rugged coastline at Punta del Hidalgo. This iconic footpath, cherished by keen hikers and scholars of Canarian history alike, traverses ancient laurisilva forests that once dominated the subtropical world during the Tertiary Period, circa 15 to 40 million years ago. The starting point, Cruz del Carmen, was established as a strategic crossroads in the 16th century and later became renowned for its hermitage built in 1946, a place of pilgrimage and local tradition. Walking this particular route offers a rare glimpse into centuries of human interaction with the landscape; the village of Chinamada, through which the trail passes, is distinguished by its cave-houses—still inhabited and a living testament to early Guanche settlement techniques that predate Spanish conquest in 1496. The trail’s progression reveals terraced farms, historic livestock paths, and evidence of the island’s agricultural past, recalling the heyday of Canary Islands trading routes during the 17th and 18th centuries. Arriving at Punta del Hidalgo, explorers may note the 19th-century lighthouse that has long guided Atlantic seafarers, as well as the coastal salt pans—remnants of an epoch when salt was vital for preserving fish and meat bound for the Americas. With each step, the PR TF 10 not only showcases the geological and botanical riches of Tenerife but also narrates the enduring spirit and adaptability of its people across centuries.