PR1.2 (Vereda do Pico Ruivo) is a 2.8 km each way (5.6 km round trip), hard, official IFCN route that requires a SIMplifica booking. Cost: €4.50 per person. Whether it is worth hiking right now depends on live conditions and today's official status, re-checked every 20 minutes in the live app.
Also known as the “Pico Ruivo trail”
Madeira
A coastal forecast will not tell you what it is doing at 1862m up on this ridge. That is what the live score is for. How the island splits one forecast into many: microclimate guide.
Is today the day?
The difference between a clear morning above the clouds and a wet, foggy drive is knowing before you go. Levadas reads the live weather, the safe-start window and how busy Vereda do Pico Ruivo is right now, then gives you one honest answer, re-checked every 20 minutes.
Ten seconds, one tap, from €2.99 once. No subscription.
Advance booking required via SIMplifica
The slot is €4.50 per person, tied to the day and time you pick. Book it on the right day, the first time.
That is the fee for this trail on its own. A full PR1 ticket (€10.50, Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo) already covers it, so anyone coming off PR1 pays nothing more.
Book now on SIMplifica How to book this trail Which trails are freeDownload GPX: free offline map
Grab the full GPS track and waypoints for Vereda do Pico Ruivo as a free GPX file, no signup. Load it into Garmin, Komoot, AllTrails, Gaia GPS or OsmAnd and follow the route offline, even where there is no phone signal.
ⓘ Source & safety
Track and waypoints from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Planning aid, not a safety guarantee. Check the official trail status and conditions before you go.Estimated hiking time
1h32
Shuttle between Pico do Arieiro and Pico Ruivo
PR1 is a one-way trail between two trailheads 36km apart by road. If you need a ride back to your car, tell us your date and we will check what we can arrange.
This shuttle is not operated by us. We search our network for someone available for your date, and if we find a match, they will contact you directly. The price is not shown here: it depends on who accepts and is only communicated if we find availability.
- Tell us your date Enter your email, the date you need the ride, and how many people.
- We check our network We search for a local operator available on that date. No price is shown yet.
- You hear back directly If we find a match, they contact you with the price. If not, we let you know too.
Is there a shuttle between Pico do Arieiro and Pico Ruivo?
This shuttle is not operated by us: you can request a connection between the two trailheads directly on this page, and we check our network for someone available. If we find a match, they will contact you directly with the price, which depends on who accepts and is only communicated if we find availability.
About Vereda do Pico Ruivo
Starts at Achada do Teixeira and climbs to Pico Ruivo (1862 m), the island's highest peak. Conditions can change rapidly and the area is often shrouded in cloud. The Pico Ruivo shelter gives access to PR1, PR1.1 and PR1.3. Offers panoramic views and the 'Standing Man' (Homem em pé) basalt rock formation. Panel duration of 1h 30m is for the round trip.
Vereda do Pico Ruivo (PR1.2) is a round trip route of about 5.6 km in Madeira.
What you'll see
Expect panoramic viewpoints, a mountain summit and laurel forest (laurisilva).
Landmarks on the route include Ruivo, Encumeada Baixa and Achada do Teixeira.
The path runs between roughly 1,592 m and 1,862 m above sea level, so conditions can change with altitude.
Difficulty
Vereda do Pico Ruivo rates as hard on our objective scale, based on 5.6 km round trip, 585 m of ascent and high exposure.
This grade is an estimate from distance, ascent and exposure, not an official IFCN rating.
How long it takes
Allow about 1h 30m for the round trip (you return the same way).
The app's live 0-100 score also flags the latest safe start time for the day. See it in the app.
Getting there and back
Starts at Achada do Teixeira. Ends at Pico Ruivo. There is a car park at the start, though its size is not recorded on the map.
Best time to walk it
Late spring to early autumn (May to Oct); clearest at dawn before cloud builds. The 1862 m summit gets ice, snow and freezing wind in winter.
High trails are best early: clear summits and the chance of a sunrise above the clouds before the cloud builds.
Most of this route sits in shade, which keeps it walkable on days when open ground is punishing.
The sun and shade reading comes from the slope's aspect and steepness, so it describes terrain shading and not tree cover.
A live 0-100 score picks the best 30-minute window for the day. See today's window in the app.
Booking
Vereda do Pico Ruivo is a regulated trail with a daily visitor cap, so you must reserve a timed slot in advance through SIMplifica before you go. The official fee is around €4.50 per person. A full PR1 ticket (€10.50, Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo) already covers this trail, so that fee applies only when it is walked on its own. Levadas does not sell tickets or make the reservation for you.
Official trail status
According to IFCN, as of 20 Aug 2026, this trail is currently officially open.
The section between the Pico Ruivo mountain hut and Pico Ruivo is now fully accessible
IFCN's own status page is dated 24 Jul 2026. The date above (20 Aug 2026) is ours: it records when we last read that page, not when IFCN wrote it.
Official status can change, so always check the latest before you go.
Fire and other live hazards near this trail are tracked on the Madeira trail alerts page
Frequently asked questions
Is Vereda do Pico Ruivo worth hiking today?
It depends on today's conditions, and that is exactly what Levadas answers. The app reads the current weather at Vereda do Pico Ruivo, the safe-start window, how busy it is and the official IFCN status, then gives one honest go-or-wait score from 0 to 100, re-checked every 20 minutes. It is decision-support, not a safety clearance: an official IFCN closure always overrides the score, no matter how good the weather looks.
How long is Vereda do Pico Ruivo?
Vereda do Pico Ruivo is about 5.6 km round trip.
How difficult is Vereda do Pico Ruivo?
Vereda do Pico Ruivo rates as hard based on its distance, ascent and exposure (an objective estimate, not an official IFCN grade).
Is Vereda do Pico Ruivo safe?
Vereda do Pico Ruivo is a high-exposure route: long unfenced stretches with a drop beside the path. It reaches 1,862 m, and the weather up there is not the weather at the coast. None of that tells you about today, and this page does not try to. Conditions decide, which is why Levadas reads the current weather on Vereda do Pico Ruivo, the safe-start window and the official IFCN status, then gives one go-or-wait score from 0 to 100. It is decision-support, not a safety clearance, and an official IFCN closure overrides the score however good the weather looks.
How long does Vereda do Pico Ruivo take to walk?
Allow about 1h 30m for the round trip.
Can I download a GPX track for Vereda do Pico Ruivo?
Yes. Tap Download GPX on this page: the first download on any device asks for an email so we can also send the free trail pack, then every later trail downloads instantly.
Do I need to book Vereda do Pico Ruivo?
Yes. Vereda do Pico Ruivo is a regulated trail with a daily cap, so you must reserve a timed slot through SIMplifica in advance. The official fee is around €4.50 per person. A full PR1 ticket (€10.50, Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo) already covers this trail, so that fee applies only when it is walked on its own.
Where does Vereda do Pico Ruivo start and finish?
Vereda do Pico Ruivo starts at Achada do Teixeira and finishes at Pico Ruivo.
What will I see on Vereda do Pico Ruivo?
Highlights include panoramic viewpoints, a mountain summit and laurel forest (laurisilva).
When is the best time to hike Vereda do Pico Ruivo?
Late spring to early autumn (May to Oct); clearest at dawn before cloud builds. The 1862 m summit gets ice, snow and freezing wind in winter.
Is Vereda do Pico Ruivo open right now?
IFCN lists Vereda do Pico Ruivo as officially open. Status can change, so check the latest before you go.
How do I check live conditions for Vereda do Pico Ruivo?
Levadas scores Vereda do Pico Ruivo from 0 to 100 using live weather along the path and the official status, refreshed every 20 minutes. You also see how busy it is. Open the trail in the app to see the live score and the best time to go today.