Mirador La Gaita – sometimes called Cerro La Gaita – is a viewing platform atop a hill near the Anton Valley with great views of the Coclé Province countryside.
Sometimes you find those gems of hikes where the trail isn’t too hard, is interesting and leads to great views. The route to Mirador La Gaita is just that and it’s 1 of my favourite adventures in El Valle de Anton (Anton Valley), Panamá.
While there is a steep section at the start, the majority of the hike passes through a private reserve and the owners have done a great job building a fairly easy trail and maintaining it.
Overall, it takes around 2 h to reach the viewing platform from which you have really good vistas of the surrounding landscapes.
In this quick guide, I give you all the info needed to hike to Cerro La Gaita. Find out about getting to the trailhead, the trail conditions and practical tips to make the most of your day here.
Where is Mirador La Gaita
The lookout sits roughly a 45-min drive, or 16 km outside of the Anton Valley within a private community called Altos del María. Within this reserve there are also waterfalls and other hiking trails.
Unless you’re going to hike to Mirador La Gaita, or stay at 1 of the accommodations within the community, it’s unlikely you’d venture this far from the Anton Valley.
Getting to the trailhead
The start point of the hike is 2 km from the mirador in a district called Los Pintos below in the valley. You can walk, drive or take a bus here from Anton town.
I don’t recommend walking as this increases the hike to 9 km each way. Also between El Valle de Anton and Los Pintos you mostly walk along concrete roads and the views aren’t anything amazing.
Driving
If taking your own vehicle to the trailhead, then you need to head to Los Pintos. You should look for a parking spot here, and not at the right at the trailhead, as the roads are in better condition.
The trailhead sits just above Los Pintos further up the hillside, but by this point the road becomes unmaintained and very steep.
Parking in Los Pintos will only add around 20 min onto your hike. Here’s a map showing the area I recommend looking for a spot to leave your vehicle at.
Bus
A bus goes between Anton town centre and Los Pintos. I believe the bus leaves every hour and the journey costs 1.5 PAB ($1.5 US). You need to stay on until the last stop, around 1 h away and tell the river you’re going to Mirador La Gaita.
The return bus leaves from the bus stop in Los Pintos. This might not be where the driver drops you on the way to the trailhead; sometimes they take you beyond the final stop, up a steep hill, so you have less to walk.
However, for the return bus journey, you’ll need to walk down to the bus shelter in Los Pintos. I’d aim to be here no later than 15:00 to guarantee you make the last bus.
You are at the driver’s mercy here though, so if they decide to clock off early – which is what happened to us – then you’ll need to walk around 30 min towards El Valle de Anton to catch the bus from the next neighbourhood.
Mirador La Gaita trail conditions
This is a moderately difficult hike. It’s only around 2 km each way, but there are hundreds of steps you need to climb. Aside from the steep and slippery muddy ascent right at the trailhead, this isn’t a technical hike.
- Distance: 4 km (there and back)
- Duration: 3 h
- Elevation gain: 338 m
- Difficulty: moderate
The hike starts just above Los Pinos at a crossroads. You’ll see a steep, orange muddy road leading uphill. Take this road and follow it all the way until things flatten out at the top. The muddy road is slippery so take care, especially on the way back down.
At the top of the muddy slope the trail becomes narrow, more stony and easier. Here you gently climb a little higher until reaching a wider, flat gravel road. At this point, if you look right you’ll see a barbed wire fence. This is the entrance to Altos del María.
I should mention now that I’m unsure whether this hike is actually legal, although the owners of Altos de María must know that people take this route as it’s well-known. Also, there’s an intentional gap in the barbed wire fence to pass through. And, from here on the trail is signposted.
Pass through the barbed wire fence and you’ll shortly come to a sign indicating the way to Mirador La Gaita. Now you begin to climb the many concrete steps through the lush, dense forest.
After climbing the concrete steps, you continue the ascent through the forest along wooden steps. These are much steeper and can also be slippery when wet.
You emerge through the canopy and continue along the wooden walkway all the way to the viewing platform.
From here you have spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding area including nearby peaks such as Cerro La Silla, La India Dormida and Cerro Gaital. To return to Los Pintos, simply retrace your steps.
When to hike to Mirador La Gaita
The dry season in Panamá typically runs from mid-December to mid-April and is the ideal time for hiking. During this period skies are clearer and trails are in better condition.
The rainy season in Panamá typically runs from late April to early December. During this time of year, it usually begins raining around early-afternoon in the Anton Valley.
The hike to Mirador La Gaita is short, so if hiking early in morning during the rainy season, you might be able to avoid getting wet. However, the chances of having good views are slim.
What to bring to Cerro La Gaita
You don’t need to bring much for this hike; I recommend having snacks, at least 1.5 L of water, a rain jacket and sunscreen.
While the forest within Altos del María shades you much of the way, the viewing platform is completely exposed, and you can easily get burnt here, especially during the dry season.
More Panamá adventure travel guides on A World Over
The hike to Mirador La Gaita is a great adventure if you’re after truly amazing views without a full on trek. While you can make this a full day by hiking from Anton town, by taking the bus to Los Pintos, you shorten the trail to just 4 km in total.
There are other great hikes you can’t miss in the Anton Valley including La India Dormida, Cerro La Silla and Cerro Gaital. These are all really fun and generally easy trails. And you can find my guide to the Antón Valley here.