PR22 (Vereda do Chão dos Louros) is a 1.9 km, easy, 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.
Madeira
A coastal forecast will not tell you what it is doing at 890m up here. That is what the live score is for. How the island splits one forecast into many: microclimate guide.
Is today the day?
At 890m, Vereda do Chão dos Louros makes its own weather. A coastal forecast will not tell you what today looks like up here. The pass reads the live conditions on the trail and gives you one honest answer, re-checked every 20 minutes.
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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.
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 Chão dos Louros 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
29min
About Vereda do Chão dos Louros
A circular trail explored from several start points, around the Chão dos Louros forest park. It forms part of the PR21 Caminho do Norte and the Natura 2000 network, connecting to a belvedere with views over the São Vicente valley. Runs through lush laurel forest (UNESCO World Natural Heritage since 1999) of Lauraceae species: laurel, til and Madeira mahogany.
Vereda do Chão dos Louros (PR22) is a loop route of about 1.9 km in Madeira.
What you'll see
The route takes in laurel forest (laurisilva), endemic Madeiran flora and panoramic viewpoints.
The path runs between roughly 830 m and 890 m above sea level, so conditions can change with altitude.
Difficulty
Vereda do Chão dos Louros rates as easy on our objective scale, based on 1.9 km, 65 m of ascent and low exposure.
This grade is an estimate from distance, ascent and exposure, not an official IFCN rating.
How long it takes
Allow about 45m one 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 Chão dos Louros. The car park at the start has room for about 5. The car park is about 260 m from the start.
What to bring
4 drinking-water points are mapped along the route. Fill up where you can, but carry enough to finish without them.
Best time to walk it
Year-round; the short forest-park loop is pleasant in any dry spell and greenest in spring, though often damp and cloudy.
This route runs through a mix of sun and shade.
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 Chão dos Louros 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. 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.
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 Chão dos Louros 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 Chão dos Louros, 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 Chão dos Louros?
Vereda do Chão dos Louros is about 1.9 km (loop).
How difficult is Vereda do Chão dos Louros?
Vereda do Chão dos Louros rates as easy based on its distance, ascent and exposure (an objective estimate, not an official IFCN grade).
Is Vereda do Chão dos Louros safe?
Vereda do Chão dos Louros is a low-exposure route, so a drop beside the path is not the thing to plan around. 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 Chão dos Louros, 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 Chão dos Louros take to walk?
Allow about 45m.
Can I download a GPX track for Vereda do Chão dos Louros?
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 Chão dos Louros?
Yes. Vereda do Chão dos Louros 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.
Where does Vereda do Chão dos Louros start and finish?
Vereda do Chão dos Louros starts at Chão dos Louros.
What will I see on Vereda do Chão dos Louros?
Highlights include laurel forest (laurisilva), endemic Madeiran flora and panoramic viewpoints.
When is the best time to hike Vereda do Chão dos Louros?
Year-round; the short forest-park loop is pleasant in any dry spell and greenest in spring, though often damp and cloudy.
Is Vereda do Chão dos Louros open right now?
IFCN lists Vereda do Chão dos Louros as officially open. Status can change, so check the latest before you go.
How do I check live conditions for Vereda do Chão dos Louros?
Levadas scores Vereda do Chão dos Louros 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.