PR6.8 (Levada do Paul II) is a 1.2 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 1345m 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 Paul II 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 Paul II 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
18min
About Levada do Paul II
PR6.8 is a short, near-level levada walk on the high Paúl da Serra plateau, running about 1.2 km one way beside the Levada do Paul II between the Rabaçal loading chamber and the Estrada do Rochão. It was built as an accessible route open to everyone, including people with reduced mobility, so the surface stays gentle with almost no climbing. Looking south you take in the rolling Calheta landscape, with its distinctive ridges and spurs spread out below the plateau.
Levada do Paul II (PR6.8) is a one way route of about 1.2 km in Madeira.
What you'll see
Expect a levada water-channel path, panoramic viewpoints, gentle, family-friendly walking and high mountain terrain.
The path runs between roughly 1,264 m and 1,345 m above sea level, so conditions can change with altitude.
Difficulty
Levada do Paul II rates as easy on our objective scale, based on 1.2 km, 35 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 38m.
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 Estrada do Rochão. This is a one-way route, so you finish where your car is not: plan a second car, a taxi from the far end, or the walk back before you set off. The car park at the start has room for about 50.
Best time to walk it
Apr to Oct; the plateau sits near 1,280 m and can be cold, windy or fogged in during winter
High trails are best early: clear summits and the chance of a sunrise above the clouds before the cloud builds.
This route is mostly open to the sun, so it bites on a hot, clear day. Start early and carry more water than you think you need.
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 Paul II 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 Paul II 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 Paul II, 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 Paul II?
Levada do Paul II is about 1.2 km (one way).
How difficult is Levada do Paul II?
Levada do Paul II rates as easy based on its distance, ascent and exposure (an objective estimate, not an official IFCN grade).
Is Levada do Paul II safe?
Levada do Paul II is a low-exposure route, so a drop beside the path is not the thing to plan around. It reaches 1,345 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 Paul II, 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 Paul II take to walk?
Allow about 38m.
Can I download a GPX track for Levada do Paul II?
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 Paul II?
Yes. Levada do Paul II 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 Paul II start and finish?
Levada do Paul II starts at Rabaçal and finishes at Estrada do Rochão.
What will I see on Levada do Paul II?
Highlights include a levada water-channel path, panoramic viewpoints, gentle, family-friendly walking and high mountain terrain.
When is the best time to hike Levada do Paul II?
Apr to Oct; the plateau sits near 1,280 m and can be cold, windy or fogged in during winter
Is Levada do Paul II open right now?
IFCN lists Levada do Paul II as officially open. Status can change, so check the latest before you go.
How do I check live conditions for Levada do Paul II?
Levadas scores Levada do Paul II 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.