Charcos de Quesa

There is no public transport to go from Quesa to the natural pools. You can get to them by car or on foot from Quesa (taking the PR-204 route to Charco de la Horteta).

You have to take road CV-580 to reach Quesa.

How to get to Charcos de Quesa

Charcos de Quesa is 7.8 km (about 13 min) away from Quesa village. A a curvy local road in good condition passing through landscapes of olive trees and green mountains. Charcos de Quesa easy to reach, and several signs indicate ‘Los Charcos’. In this link, you’ll see the route from Quesa to Charcos de Quesa.

You’ll arrive at the Recreational Area of Los Charcos de Quesa. From there, the path to the natural pools is wide and has no gradient. In less than 1 km, you arrive at the swimming holes. There you can do a linear route next to the river to see all the pools.

In peak season, you pay €2 per vehicle. The parking lot of the Recreational Area of the Charcos de Quesa has a capacity for about 20 vehicles. It’s next to the beautiful Charco de la Horteta. From there, it’s a 4-minute walk to the other natural pools on a flat path surrounded by trees. We recommend leaving the car in this car park. 
There is also parking further on, right next to the main pools, with capacity for only 5 vehicles.

During the summer weekends, there are a lot of people. It’s advisable to avoid these days to enjoy the site more and also to protect it. It’s always open.

Swimming in natural pools and waterfalls
Hiking
Mountain Sports (climbing, dry and wet canyoning, rappel, etc.)
Picnic

It’s forbidden to make fires, use barbecues, litter, camp and park in areas not authorized for it.

Avoid bringing chairs and umbrellas. These can not be stuck on the rocks and can destroy the site.

Do not play music so as not to disturb the animals in the surroundings.

Remember that soap and detergents should not be used in rivers and pools.
Also, most sun creams contaminate the water, try to apply them well before taking a dip.

(Scientists have found that sunscreen releases significant amounts of titanium dioxide, which damages aquatic life.
Soaps have phosphates, are also non-biodegradable and harm the environment).

Things to do near Charcos de Quesa?

Quesa village has a few places worth visiting:
– San Antonio Abad Church (18th century).
– The Tourist Office houses a museum dedicated to Alberto Hernandez and Mercedes Rubio. These are works inspired by Catalan Romanesque and Gothic iconography. This building hosts temporary exhibitions.
– On the hill near the village are the remains of the Castle of Quesa (XI century) and the Ermita de la Cruz viewpoint.

There is an extensive network of hiking trails in the surroundings of Quesa. For example, the route of ‘Las Fuentes’ passing through the recreational area Salto del Molino, or the path of the Cinglas between lush pine forests between vertical rock walls.

There is also a trail through the Rio Grande canyon to Abrigo de Voro. This place has cave paintings from the Neolithic period, the last hunter-gatherers of 10,000 years ago. They have been declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

There is also a via ferrata of high difficulty (it is a K4) with an itinerary traced on a rocky massif equipped with a cable and steps.

To take a dip in the interior of VALENCIA, near Charcas de Quesa, we recommend the following natural pools:

In the village of Bolbaite there are 3 impressive natural pools in the river Sellent.

On the outskirts of Chella is Salto de Chella, a beautiful 25 m waterfall that falls into a stunning pool. The viewpoint provides a breathtaking view of the waterfall, pool and surrounding countryside.

In the village of Anna there is a very nice and well-known lake. You can also make the route of the 3 waterfalls. For swimming, the best is the Gorgo de la Escalera, the most spectacular waterfall.

For an amazing river swim, we recommend Pou Clar, Bugarra and Gestalgar.

You can have a picnic in the recreational area at the entrance or sit on the rocks next to the pools.

There are a couple of restaurants in Quesa, but there are more in the nearby town of Navarres.

The gastronomy includes gazpachos and the ‘torrá de carne’.

You can’t camp in the area of of Charcas de Quesa. Yet, you can go to the ‘Rio Grande Campground‘ which is 300 m walking from the natural pools.

The natural pools are small and have a diameter ranging from 3 to 8 m.