Cerro La Silla is a beautiful and fairly easy hike at the south-eastern end of the Anton Valley (Valle de Anton) in Panamá that all visitors should do.
The Anton Valley (Valle de Anton) in Panamá is full of short, fun, fairly easy hikes and 1 of these is Cerro La Silla.
You might be wondering why this hike is called ‘The chair’. Well, in this case, ‘La Silla’ refers to a horse riding saddle, which the hill kind of looks like.
It only takes around 1 h 30 to hike Cerro La Silla and from the top there are spectacular views of the Anton Valley and all the way to the Panamanian Pacific coastline.
Previously this hike was free, but now there’s a 5 PAB ($5 US) entry fee per foreigner. It’s annoying but I still think the hike is worth it.
If you fancy doing this great hike, then spend 5 min reading this blog post where I explain how to get to the trailhead, the trail conditions and when to climb Cerro La Silla.
Getting to Cerro La Silla trailhead
The trailhead is located just outside of Anton town and you can get here easily with a bus and then a short walk. You can also drive most of the way to the trailhead and I’ve read about people cycling here.
I don’t recommend cycling as the main road out of town is steep in sections and there’s nowhere safe to lock your bike up.
Taking the bus
This is the easiest and cheapest way to reach the trailhead for Cerro La Silla. Simply hop on a colectivo to El Roble bus stop just outside of town to the east.
The journey costs 1 PAB ($1 US) and shouldn’t take longer than 30 min with stops and normal traffic. Colectivos leave fairly frequently from Anton town centre from early in the morning.
El Roble bus stop is right alongside the main road. When you get here, in front of the bus stop, you’ll see a gravel road heading away from the main road into a neighbourhood.
Cross the main road and then follow the gravel road continuing as it bends right. Shortly you’ll come to a fork in the road and you need to bear left. Keep following the gravel road uphill and eventually you will come to another fork at a radio mast. Here there’s a sign indicating the trail to reach Cerro La Silla.
While the sign marks the trailhead, technically you begin the hike at El Roble bus stop.
With a car
If driving to Cerro La Silla trailhead, then follow the exact same route as if taking the bus. Turn onto the gravel road at El Roble and stick to it until you find an adequate place to park.
The gravel road becomes worse the higher you climb the hillside, so I wouldn’t venture too far. Also, smaller vehicles might not make it.
I can’t recommend a specific spot to leave your car at and, as it passes through a small neighbourhood, I don’t know whether the gravel road is private property.
Cerro La Silla trail
The trail has 3 distinct sections: the gravel road from El Roble, a narrow stoney lane that begins after the gravel road, and then a narrow dirt trail leading to Cerro La Silla.
The gravel road has a steep section and so does the dirt trail, but, overall, this hike is relatively easy and the trail is obvious so you’d do well to get lost.
As there’s now a 5 PAB ($5 US) entrance fee and an official schedule of 6:00 – 18:00, it seems like hiking Cerro La Silla has become more popular, so expect there to be others on the trail.
- Distance: 5. 5 km
- Duration: 2 h
- Elevation gain: 210 m
- Difficulty: moderate
The first section of the hike, the gravel road, is flat for around half of the way before it becomes steep as you climb the hillside after heading left at the initial fork. The gravel road ends at another fork just before a pylon.
Head left at this fork too, passing below the pylon and you’ll join a narrower stoney lane. This lane leads downhill and is mostly flat. Be careful here as the surface is slippery when wet. In fact, I fell here and cracked my phone screen.
As you come to the end of the lane you arrive at Las Antenas – a set of pylons – and join a dirt trail. You can see the trail leading up and over both peaks of Cerro La Silla. The short climbs to the top of the peaks are steep.
Like many hikes in Latin America, the locals have given the viewpoints religious names. At the first peak, La Cruz, you’ll find a cross and at the second, La Virgen, there’s a statue of the Virgin Mary.
From either peak and also the saddle between them there are great views of the Anton valley. And, when the conditions are right, you can see all the way to the Pacific Coast.
Hiking Cerro La Silla at sunrise or sunset
Cerro La Silla is an accessible hike making it a popular route for sunrise and sunset adventures. In the dark you’ll move slower, so bring a headlamp and give yourself at least an extra 30 min to reach the top or return to El Roble.
You’ll avoid the entry fee by starting the hike before 6:00, but you might be charged on your return.
When to hike Cerro La Silla
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 period, it usually begins raining around early-afternoon in the Anton Valley.
Cerro La Silla is a short hike, so if hiking at sunrise during the rainy season, you might be able to avoid the rain. However, the chances of having good views are slim.
More Panamá adventure travel guides on A World Over
Hiking Cerro La Silla in the Anton Valley only takes a few hours and you don’t need to bring much; the essentials are water, a rain jacket and a snack. I’d also have a warm layer with you in case you’re heading up before the sun comes out or after it sets.
There are plenty of other short, fun hikes in El Valle de Anton including
- The famous India Dormida
- Mirador La Gaita
- Cerro Gaital