Sierra Nevada National Park (Spain)

The Parque Nacional de Sierra Nevada is a national park located in the provinces of Granada, Almería, and Málaga in Andalusia, Spain. It was declared a national park on 14 January 1999. It stretches from the Alpujarra to El Marquesado and the Lecrin Valley, covering a total area of 85,883 hectares, making it the largest national park in Spain. It incorporates the municipalities of Abla, Abrucena, Alboloduy, Alsodux, Bayárcal, Beires, Canjáyar, Fiñana, Fondón, Laujar de Andarax, Nacimiento, Ohanes, Paterna del Río, Rágol, Las Tres Villas, Aldeire, Alpujarra de La Sierra, Bérchules, Bubión, Busquístar, Cáñar, Capileira, Dílar, Dólar, Dúrcal, Ferreira, Güéjar Sierra, Huéneja, Jerez del Marquesado, Juviles, Lanjarón, Lanteira, Lecrín, Lugros, Monachil, Nevada, Nigüelas, Pampaneira, Pórtugos, Soportújar, La Taha, Trevélez, Valor and La Zubia.GeographyThere are more than 20 peaks over 3,000 meters, with the highest being Mulhacén, Veleta and Alcazaba . The rivers that rise on the north face of the range feed the Guadalquivir basin, the most important ones being the Fardes and Genil. Meanwhile, the rivers that rise on the west and south faces run down into the Mediterranean. These include the Dúrcal, Ízbor, Trevélez and Poqueira, which are all tributaries of the Guadalfeo, which itself rises in the Sierra Nevada, and the Adra and Andarax, with their tributaries. The south and west faces are where you will find the majority of the almost 50 high-mountain lakes that exist in the Sierra Nevada, many of which are also the sources of streams and rivers. Much of the landscape, particularly above 2,400 metres was shaped by the action of glaciers, resulting in characteristic U-shaped valleys.