OpenMadeira
Tell me about the Short Route through the Queimadas Forest hike in Madeira
💭 Thinking
The user is asking about the "Short Route through the Queimadas Forest" hike in Madeira. Let me search for this trail using the find_hikes tool. This sounds like it could be PR 9 - Levada do Caldeirão Verde or another trail near Queimadas. Let me search specifically forit.The user asked about the "Short Route through the Queimadas Forest" hike in Madeira. Looking at the results, this trail appears in the `community_trails` section — it's NOT an official IFCN PR trail. Let me extract the details: - **Name:** Short Route through the Queimadas Forest - **Description:** "This short walk in the Queimadas forest on the island of Madeira is like stepping into an enchanted tale. The trail leads through a lush laurel forest, where moss-covered trees form green tunnels. Along the way, there is also the possibility of spotting birds endemic to the island, such as the Madeira finch or the bisbis." - **Rating:** 4.0 (from 86 reviews on AllTrails) - **Difficulty:** moderate - **Length:** 2.9 km - **Route type:** out and back - **Estimated time:** 1–1.5 hr - **Area:** Parque Florestal das Queimadas - **Directions URL:** https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=32.784010,-16.905960 - **AllTrails URL:** https://www.alltrails.com/trail/portugal/madeira--2/pequena-rota-da-floresta-de-queimadas - **Notice:** Community route mapped on AllTrails — NOT part of Madeira's official PR trail network managed by IFCN, so no official open/closed status I need to clearly label this as an unofficial/community trail and present the facts from the data. Let me compose a response in English (the user's language).
How this was derived · 2 steps
Trails near QueimadasMap & photos
6 photos
Vereda do UrzalVereda do UrzalVereda do UrzalVereda do UrzalVereda do UrzalVereda do Urzal
Official PR trail (IFCN) Community route (AllTrails — not official)
Photos: walkmeguide.com · green = official IFCN PR trail · amber = community route (AllTrails)
Short Route through the Queimadas Forest

⚠️ Important note: This is a community route mapped on AllTrails — it is not part of Madeira's official PR (Percurso Recomendado) trail network managed by IFCN (the regional government's forests & nature-conservation authority). It therefore has no official open/closed status and no maintenance/signage guarantee; check access and conditions locally before going.


Key details
Distance2.9 km (out and back)
DifficultyModerate
Estimated time1 – 1.5 hours
AreaParque Florestal das Queimadas
Rating★ 4.0 (86 hiker reviews on AllTrails)

What it's like

This short walk through the Queimadas forest feels like stepping into an enchanted tale. The trail winds through a lush laurissilva (laurel forest) — a UNESCO World Heritage ecosystem — where moss-covered trees form vivid green tunnels overhead. Along the way you may spot endemic Madeiran birds such as the bisbis (Madeira firecrest) and the tentilhão (Madeira chaffinch).

The trailhead is at the Parque Florestal das Queimadas, near Santana, where you'll also find the iconic Casa de Abrigo das Queimadas — a thatched-roof shelter house that preserves the traditional architecture of Santana's typical houses.

Getting there

The trailhead is at approximately coordinates 32.7840, −16.9060, at the Queimadas Forest Park near Santana. From Funchal it's roughly a 40–50 minute drive north via the ER-101 through Santana.

Directions to trailhead ↗

Nearby official PR trails

Since this route isn't an official trail, you might also consider the official PR trails near Queimadas, which have IFCN-managed open/closed status, signage, and descriptions:

TrailPR codeDifficultyDistance
Vereda do UrzalPR 2Moderate10.3 km
Vereda do Chão dos LourosPR 22Easy1.9 km

And the community-favourite Levada do Caldeirão Verde (4.6★, 531 reviews) also starts right here at Queimadas — though it's a much longer, harder route.


Want me to check the mountain weather forecast and IPMA warnings for the Queimadas/Santana area for the day you're planning to go?

OpenMadeira can make mistakes — check the sources.