PR6.1 (Levada do Risco) is a 3.0 km each way (6.0 km round trip), 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.
Also known as the “Risco Waterfall”
Madeira
A coastal forecast will not tell you what it is doing at 1288m 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 Levada do Risco 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.
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 Levada do Risco 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
1h
About Levada do Risco
A short levada walk in the Rabaçal area of west-central Madeira, sitting around 1,000 metres up and sharing its first stretch with the busier 25 Fontes route. After a steep drop from the car park down to the water channel, the path runs mostly level through dense UNESCO laurel forest with thick moss and giant ferns. It ends at the Risco viewpoint, where a waterfall of roughly 100 metres falls down a dark cliff into a misty rock basin below.
Levada do Risco (PR6.1) is a round trip route of about 6.0 km in Madeira.
What you'll see
Along the way you'll find a levada water-channel path, waterfalls, laurel forest (laurisilva) and panoramic viewpoints.
Landmarks on the route include Risco.
The path runs between roughly 1,000 m and 1,288 m above sea level, so conditions can change with altitude.
Difficulty
Levada do Risco rates as easy on our objective scale, based on 6.0 km round trip, 238 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 2h 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 Rabaçal. Ends at Risco. The car park at the start has room for about 50.
What to bring
One drinking-water point is mapped on the route. Fill up if you pass it, but carry enough to finish without it.
Best time to walk it
Year-round, but it stays cool, damp and often foggy; go early and skip heavy-rain days when the stones and roots turn slippery
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
Levada do Risco 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 Levada do Risco worth hiking today?
It depends on today's conditions, and that is exactly what Levadas answers. The app reads the current weather at Levada do Risco, 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 Levada do Risco?
Levada do Risco is about 6.0 km round trip.
How difficult is Levada do Risco?
Levada do Risco rates as easy based on its distance, ascent and exposure (an objective estimate, not an official IFCN grade).
Is Levada do Risco safe?
Levada do Risco is a low-exposure route, so a drop beside the path is not the thing to plan around. It reaches 1,288 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 Levada do Risco, 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 Levada do Risco take to walk?
Allow about 2h for the round trip.
Can I download a GPX track for Levada do Risco?
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 Levada do Risco?
Yes. Levada do Risco 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 Levada do Risco start and finish?
Levada do Risco starts at Rabaçal and finishes at Risco.
What will I see on Levada do Risco?
Highlights include a levada water-channel path, waterfalls, laurel forest (laurisilva) and panoramic viewpoints.
When is the best time to hike Levada do Risco?
Year-round, but it stays cool, damp and often foggy; go early and skip heavy-rain days when the stones and roots turn slippery
Is Levada do Risco open right now?
IFCN lists Levada do Risco as officially open. Status can change, so check the latest before you go.
How do I check live conditions for Levada do Risco?
Levadas scores Levada do Risco 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.