One of the easiest and most accessible trails in El Valle de Anton (Anton Valley), La India Dormida hike (Sleeping Indian) is a must-do-activity during your stay.
In El Valle de Anton (Anton Valley) legend has it that during the times of Spanish colonialism a local girl fell in love with a conquistador.
She was La Emparedada, daughter of local tribe leader Chief Urraca, who forbade the affair with the Spaniard. Heart-stricken, la Emparedada fled to the hills, never to be seen again.
When you look closely at the hill where La Emparedadas’ spirit is believed to wander, the outline of a person lying on their back can be seen. Locals say this is La Emperadada eternally resting, claimed by nature.
While the story of the Sleeping Indian may or may not be true, what’s certain is that La India Dormida hike is a brilliant adventure. The route is short and, when the weather plays ball, the views of the valley are fantastic.
La India Dormida hike
There are several routes to La India Dormida but most people start at Piedra Pintada. This is a large petroglyph at the western edge of town with carvings thought to be well over 1000 years old. In this guide, I cover the route from Piedra Pintada.
Overall, the hike is moderately difficult with a relatively steep rocky trail running through the forest making up the majority of the ascent. From atop the hills, you can see that the Anton Valley is actually the enormous crater of the extinct Valle Volcano (Valley Volcano).
It’s possible to extend the hike beyond La India Dormida along the top of the crater, which I’ll also touch on in this guide.
The Piedra Pintada trailhead has an official schedule of 8:00 – 16:00 and during these hours you pay a $3 US entry fee.
- Distance: 1.5 km (from Piedra Pintada trailhead to La India Dormida)
- Duration: 1 h 30 min
- Elevation gain: 297 m
- Difficulty: moderate
Getting to the trailhead
To begin the hike, make your way to Piedra Pintada which sits just off the junction where the church Capilla Catolica Santa Cruz is located. The trailhead is marked on Google Maps. You won’t come to the petroglyph until 300 m after starting the hike, but the trailhead shares the same name.
I’ve read online that a colourful bus with ‘Pintada’ written above the windshield goes between the main road in town (Avenida Central) and Piedra Pintada every 30 min or so from 6:00 – 18:00 and costs $0.25 each way.
If you’re staying near the town centre, then I recommend taking this bus. From here it’s roughly a 2 km walk to the trailhead mostly along the main road, which isn’t that interesting. That said, if you want to see more of the town, then walking to the trailhead is the way to go.
La India Dormida hike trail
The first section of the hike is a well-maintained concrete path. You pass by some small houses and lodgings as you head uphill delving deeper into the forest.
Shortly after the trail becomes steeper and the underfoot a mixture of mud and stones. This is the hardest section of the hike and makes up the rest of the ascent.
This section might challenge some people, but along the way there are a couple of waterfalls – Los Enamorados and Salto del Sapo – which are good points to rest.
Just below the ridge you come to a rocky section where you need to do a bit of light scrambling. It’s nothing too difficult but can be slippery when wet, so spread your weight out using your hands and feet.
After the short scramble you emerge from the forest and climb the final section of the hillside arriving at the ridge. From here you get a great perspective of the valley, including stunning views over the town, and can see how the trail continues along the ridge.
La India Dormida hike extended route
You’ll see on the map I’ve included in this guide that there are a few different trails you can choose from to extend the hike.
Most people either do the figure-of-8 loop atop the ridge before heading back to Piedra Pintada via the route they ascended, or they continue along the ridge passing Cerro de La Cruz viewpoint.
At Cerro de La Cruz you can drop back down to the valley floor or continue even further along the ridge to other viewpoints.
Hiking La India Dormida for sunrise or sunset
La India Dormida is a popular sunrise and sunset hike. During these hours the sky transitions through beautiful colours illuminating the valley and nearby mountains such as Cerro Gaital, La Silla and La Gaita.
If heading up for either of these times, then bring a headlamp and give yourself at least an extra 30 min to reach the top or return to Piedra Pintada.
In the dark you’ll move slower and the technical parts of this trail will be more challenging. I’d also bring a warm layer to stay toasty before the sun rises or after it sets.
You’ll avoid the entry fee by starting the hike before 8:00, but you might be charged on your return to the trailhead.
When to hike La India Dormida
The dry season in Panama 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.
I recommend hiking at sunrise bringing breakfast and a hot drink with you. I can’t think of a more special way to start the day in Anton Valley.
The rainy season in Panama typically runs from late April to early December. During this period in the Anton Valley, it usually begins raining around early-afternoon.
While this gives you the morning to reach the viewpoint of La India Dormida hike, there’s a good chance you’ll get caught in a storm on the way down.
You might be able to avoid getting wet by hiking at sunrise during the rainy season. However, the chances of having good views at the top are slim. It’s more likely the sky will be cloudy and grey.
Also, this trail is a little dangerous when wet as there are slippery, rocky sections and parts where water flows along the route.
More Panama adventure travel guides on A World Over
La India Dormida hike is a quick but fun adventure leading to great views of the Anton Valley and nearby peaks. You don’t need a full backpack to complete this trail: just some water, a rain jacket and a snack. I’ve got more adventure travel guides to Panama here.
Another Anton Valley hike: Cerro La Silla