Best hikes in Medellín Colombia

A quick roundup of my top 4 best hikes in Medellín. Discover amazing views of the City of Eternal Spring while exploring these fun trails.

You can’t miss hiking in Medellín when visiting this great city. While most people come here for the vibrant nightlife and artistic culture, it’s worth exploring the adventurous trails too.

These routes are the best way to see Medellín as a whole and there are several fun routes along the hillsides of the Aburrá Valley, within which the sprawling city lies.

In this quick roundup, I provide the essential information for three of the best hikes in Medellín. Discover how to get to the trailheads, trail guidance and key tips.

4 best hikes in Medellín

These are my favourite hikes in Medellín. Not only will you have the best views of the city, but you’ll switch up the typical tourist areas for a more local experience.

A map showing the location of what the blog post author thinks are the best hikes in Medellín, Colombia. Each hike location is marked with black location indicator.

Cerro de Las Tres Cruces (Three Cross Hill)

Duration: 45 min (one-way)
Distance: 1.2 km (one-way)
Difficulty: moderate
Elevation Gain: 320 m

This is probably the most popular Medellín hike and, although there are usually crowds, it’s still really fun. The local fitness community has claimed Cerro de Las Tres Cruces and most of the friendly people here come to use the outdoor calisthenics gym at the viewpoint.

Two young males with muscular, toned physiques pose topless for a photo on a hillside overlooking a city. The men are stood atop Cerro de Las Tres Cruces in Medellín. — Locals training at Cerro de Las Tres Cruces aren’t shy to show off their physiques.

At the viewpoint you’ll also find three crosses overlooking the city, crosses which the hike is named after. Like many viewpoints in Latin America, religion got the final say when naming this hill. From here you also have amazing views of the valley, which is what the hike is all about.

Three metal crosses installed at a viewpoint overlooking a city on a hazy day. This is Cerro de Las Tres Cruces in Medellín. — The crosses mark the top of the hill, although there are great views of Medellín the entire way.

The trailhead is in the La Loma de Los Bernal neighbourhood within the district of Belén and you can get here by taxi or the C3007/C3007A buses.

Overall this hike is moderately challenging. There are sections where the trail becomes steepish and the uneven underfoot makes things harder. However, the route is obvious the whole way and it’s highly likely there’ll be other people here when you are.

There’s no need for a map and you definitely don’t need a guide to do this hike. Here’s my full guide to hiking Cerro de Las Tres Cruces for more information.

A plane on a runway at an airport in the middle of an urban area. This is the airport in the middle of Medellín, Colombia. — From the viewpoint you can watch planes land and take off at Olaya Herrera Airport.

A plane takes off from a runway at an airport in an urban area. This is Olaya Herrera Airport in Medellín. — From the viewpoint you can watch planes land and take off at Olaya Herrera Airport.

Cerro Quitasol (Sun Blocker Hill)

Distance: 8 km
Duration: 4 h
Difficulty: moderate
Elevation gain: 750 m

Cerro Quitasol is the hike to do if you want to escape the crowds and see a part of the city that tourists almost never do. On top of that, there’s interesting history here as pre-Hispanic ruins left by the Niquia people sit at the highest point of the route.

A circular structure made out of stones. these are pre-Hispanic ruins found on the Cerro Quitasol hiking trail that were built centuries ago by the Niquia people. — The Niquia ruins were built centuries ago.

The trailhead sits just outside of Mi Mundo apartment building in the district of Bello at the northern edge of Medellín.

The best way to get here is to take the metro train Line A to Niquia Station and then the 341 bus to Tarracota, staying on until the final stop outside of Mi Mundo. In this Medellín guide I cover how to use the city’s metro system.

The route is moderately challenging and it’s the steepness that gets people. While the underfoot is mostly flat dirt trail or stone slabs, there are exposed sections where the sun and the incline mean you’ll work up a sweat.

Trees cover a valley side over looking a city at the valley floor. This is the view of Medellín from Cerro Quitasol.

Most people don’t make it as far as the true summit of Cerro Quitasol (2,800 m) as there are plenty of great viewpoints along the hillside as you climb.

Here’s my full guide to hiking Cerro Quitasol for more information.

A city sits at the floor of a valley on a hazy day. There view is from the valley side and there are trees in the foreground. This is one of the viewpoints of Medellín from Cerro Quitasol. — Despite the haze, the views from Cerro Quitasol are great.

Mirador La Paloma (Dove Viewpoint)

Distance: 8.5 km
Duration: 4-5 h (round trip)
Elevation gain: 761 m
Difficulty: moderately hard

For me, this is the best hike in Medellín and Mirador La Paloma has all the ingredients of a good outdoor adventure; a challenging trail, no crowds and excellent views.

The route takes you up the steep hillside of the Aburrá Valley overlooking the Medellín district of Altos de Poblado and beyond to the city centre.

Most people will head back the way they came after reaching the viewpoint. However, if you fancy a long adventure, you can continue all the way to Santa Elena.

A man stands at a viewpoint overlooking a city. It's Mirador la Paloma in Medellin.

The trail starts behind a building called Drumlab Studio in a neighbourhood called Parcelación El Monte.

The best way to get here is to take a taxi as with public transport the journey lasts around 2 h. I recommend Uber or inDrive as these are usually cheaper than regular taxis and more convenient.

The ride should cost roughly 28,000 COP ($7 US) if coming from the touristy districts of El Poblado or Laureles-Estadio.

A view of Medellin from a hillside lookout called Mirador la Paloma. — You won’t find much better views of Medellín than from Mirador La Paloma.

The hike starts out easy along a steep but concrete road before you get to a forest. In the forest the trail also isn’t difficult and you’re nicely shaded from the sun.

However, after leaving the forest behind things become challenging as you tackle a steep, exposed hillside including a rocky ridge section.

This is my number one Medellín hike recommendation and here’s my full guide to Mirador La Paloma for more information.

Cerro Volador

Distance: 2.9 km
Duration: 1 h
Difficulty: easy
Elevation gain: 113 m

This is more of a stroll in the park than a hike but you still get great views of Medellín and a nice day out. Cerro Volador is the largest metropolitan park within the city and local come here to fly kites of all shapes, sizes and colours.

Two men look upward to the sky watching the kite thy are flying. The men are stood atop a hill called Cerro Volador in Medellín, Colombia.

The gentle trail is fun, easy to follow anyone and anyone can walk it. You can make it easy on yourself by starting from the carpark or a little harder by taking the steep steps up from Calle 65.

The trail itself is a concrete road and the full loop is just shy of 3 km. Along the trail there are outdoor exercise machines which you can use too. The smooth tarmac is also great for cycling if you’re traveling with a bike.

Yellow flowers in the foreground and a cityscape in the background. There is a highway leading towards the city. This is the view from Cerro Volador in Medellín.

The easiest way to get to Cerro Volador is with a taxi. From a touristy area such as Laureles-Estadio this should cost around 16,000 COP ($4 US). You can also take buses and the metro. I use Moovit for planning bus journeys within Latin American cities.

Here’s my full guide to Cerro Volador with more information about the hike.

Cover your back

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When to hike in Medellín

The dry season in Colombia typically lasts from December – April and is the ideal period for hiking. During these months skies are clearer and trails in better condition. There’s also a secondary, shorter dry season throughout June and July.

Tall apartment buildings built on a hillside overlooking a city. The city is Medellín and the view is from the trail to Cerro de Las Tres Cruces

You can hike in Medellín during the rainy season, but trails will likely be muddier and views potentially poor with cloudy skies. Just be sure to wear good shoes and to bring a rain jacket.

Tips for hiking in Medellín

Use sunscreen – all of the trails covered in this guide are mostly exposed.
Bring plenty of water – Medellín has a humid, hot climate.
Bring enough snacks – there are no shops near the trailheads of these hikes.

A wide-angle view of Medellin from atop the surrounding valley.

Bring a light rain jacket – if hiking during the rainy season, you might get in a sudden shower.
Have cash – you’ll need it for public transport or taxis.
Hike with a friend – at Cerro Quitasol and Mirador La Paloma you might be on the trail alone otherwise and it’s always good to have someone else with you.

An electric train passes along an overpass in a city in front of a large mural in the style of Botero. This is in Medellín, Colombia.

Where to stay in Medellín

These recommendations are based on personal experience or excellent ratings across major booking platforms. My preferred location is Laureles-Estadio for the quieter and safer streets.

Hostal Paisa: a well-located budget hostel with all the amenities you need.
CoNomad House: a shared living and coworking space with all amenities.
Laureles Selection Suites: a comfortable rental apartment with all amenities.
Stylish Loft: a chic one-bed studio with all amenities and coworking access.

Enjoy hiking in Medellín

So these were my picks of the best hikes in Medellín. Have a blast enjoying the fun trails and the great views of the city along the way.

Another part of Colombia with plenty of outdoor fun and a region you can easily get to from Medellín is San Gil.

Known as the country’s ‘adventure capital’, there are plenty of adrenaline-fuelled things to do in San Gil, including paragliding at Chicamocha Canyon and exploring waterfalls like Chima Falls.

All Medellín guides on A World Over:

4 of the Best Hikes in Medellín, Colombia