A quick but complete guide to hiking up to Mirador la Paloma (Dove Viewpoint) above Medellín, Colombia.
There are plenty of stunning viewpoints of Medellín from the top of the surrounding Aburrá Valley and one of the absolute best has to be Mirador la Paloma (Dove Viewpoint).
From this vantage point you have unobstructed views of the red-brick city and can truly appreciate how vast the metropolis is.
Getting to the viewpoint takes a bit of work; it’s a steep uphill climb and, in parts, the trail gets a bit technical. However, the challenge only adds to the fun and makes the hike more worthwhile.
In this quick guide, I cover all you need to know to hike to Mirador la Paloma in Medellín. I explain how to get to the trailhead, give details about the trail conditions and include a map.
Where is Mirador la Paloma?
The viewpoint is located on the eastern side of Medellín on the mountainside of the Aburrá Valley. Looking toward the city, the closest districts to the viewpoint are Loreto, Altos del Poblado and Tesoro. These districts sit at the foot of the mountainside below Mirador la Paloma.
How to get to the trailhead
The trail to Mirador la Paloma starts at the entrance to a chic neighbourhood called Parcelación El Monte that’s up in the hills above Altos del Poblado. On Google Maps a building called Drumlab Studio appears next to the entrance of the neighbourhood. Drumlab studio is the location you want to arrive at.
You have 2 options to get to Drumlab Studio. The first is public transport and the second is a taxi.
As a tourist, it’s highly likely that you’re staying in either Laureles-Estadio or Poblado. From either of these districts, public transport to the trailhead takes around 1 h 30 min. For this reason, I recommend taking an Uber instead.
I was staying at a hostel in Laureles and the Uber journey took 30 minutes and cost around $5 US (2024). While Uber is much cheaper than taxis, it isn’t the cheapest option in Medellín. inDrive usually a little friendlier to your wallet, so that would be my main taxi-alternative recommendation.
Mirador la Paloma trail
- Distance: 8.5 km
- Duration: 4-5 h (round trip)
- Elevation gain: 761 m
- Difficulty: moderately hard
I’d describe the trail to Mirador la Paloma as moderately hard. While a good chunk of the hike is steep terrain, the short distance means you won’t struggle too much.
The hike has three distinct sections. The first is a paved road that leads from Drumlab Studio to the forest above Casa de Retiro la Polka.
The next section is a dirt trail that runs through the forest as you climb the mountain side. In this section there are flat and very steep parts.
The final section is a steep climb as you leave the woods behind and continue on a dirt/rocky trail up to the viewpoint.
Section 1
Starting out at the entrance to Parcelación El Monte/Drumlab studios, head along the road that goes left following the sign to Casa de Retiro la Polka.
After roughly 600 m you’ll get to a fork in the road. Heading left would take you to case de Retiro la Polka. You don’t want to do this, so head right. After a couple of hundred metres more, the road forks again. This time head left at the fork.
The paved road now turns to gravel as you head towards the forest and a red and white pylon. As you approach the pylon, a narrow grass trial heads into the trees to the right and uphill. Take this trail and leave the road behind.
Section 1 should take around 20 minutes to complete.
Section 2
In section 2 it’s important to stick to the tail map I’ve provided. There are several trails running through the forest and, while I believe that all of these eventually bring you out of the forest towards the viewpoint, I’m not 100% sure of this. In some parts the trail won’t be that visible, but trust in the map.
This entire section is shaded nicely by trees. It’s a nice setting as there are plenty of birds chirping away and large insects scurrying along the ground. The path is formed of mostly hard mud with the odd rocky section.
If you do this hike after rain, know that from section 2 onwards in many places the trail is very slippery. You’ll need to take your time in areas, even the non-steep parts, as you can easily fall.
Section 2 should take you around 30 minutes to tackle.
Section 3
This is the best part of the hike. The tree coverage disappears and there are several good spots to view the city from as you climb the mountainside. These are good points to rest at and take in the views.
Leaving the forest behind the trail in general becomes steeper and more slippery. The surface of fallen leaves that gave grip to the trail within the forest gives way to a bare hard mud surface.
There are several parts where the trail has become entrenched and so you’ll need to scramble. There are also a few rocky sections that you’ll need to climb over.
Along with the technical aspects of this section, there is also a barbed wire fence that you should be careful of. In some parts the trail runs right next to it, so I recommend keeping as much distance as possible between you and the barbs.
In this final section of the Mirador La Paloma hike there are also multiple trails. All of these bring you to the viewpoint, so you can make things easier for yourself by choosing the least technical.
On the route map Mirador la Paloma is marked as point number ‘2’. However, as you approach the viewpoint, you re-enter the forest and the views disappear.
This might seem like an anticlimactic end, but the views getting to it are great so you won’t mind. The ‘viewpoint’ is a flat section shaded by trees making it a good point to call it a day and head back down to Medellín.
The final section of the hike until point ‘2’ takes around 1 h 30 min. If you follow the map until point ‘3’, you’ll enter a neighbouring town.
Final tips for the Mirador la Paloma hike
My final tips for this hike are:
- Don’t do it in the rain or just after – this trail would be really dangerous
- Go early – there’s less traffic on the roads and the hike becomes harder once the sun is high in the sky. I recommend aiming to start the hike no later than 8:00.
- Wear sunscreen – there’s little tree coverage in the final section
- Wear good hiking shoes – the trail is technical so decent shoes will help a lot
More adventure travel guides on A World Over
Have a blast taking on the Mirador la Paloma hike in Medellín. It’s a fun adventure and the views of the city are stellar. If you want more travel recommendations for Colombia, then check out these next guides.