Medellín Locals Guard Secret Hillside Nature Walks From Tourists

Medellín trail counters logged 8,400 passes last week on the lesser-used routes around Quebrada La Picacha in Belén, more than double the count from the same week in 2024.

The increase tracks with the city’s July heat, when residents seek shaded morning routes before afternoon rains arrive. City planners added new signage on these paths in March 2025 as part of the Valle Verde initiative, which targets neighborhoods outside the main tourist circuits.

Two routes drawing steady local traffic

In Belén, the La Picacha path begins at the footbridge on Calle 30 Sur and climbs through bamboo stands for 2.8 kilometers before reaching a small viewpoint at 1,650 meters. Further south in Envigado, the Sendero del Alto trail starts behind the Unidad Deportiva Los Alpes sports complex and follows an old aqueduct for 3.4 kilometers, passing native oak stands that stay cool even at midday.

Both routes connect to neighborhood running clubs that meet at 6:15 a.m. on weekdays. The Envigado path links directly to the weekly Saturday circuit run organized by the Instituto de Deportes, which supplies water stations at the 2-kilometer mark.

Numbers behind the shift

Instituto de Deportes figures show 47,000 registered users on Medellín’s non-cable-car trails during the first half of 2026, up from 31,000 in the same period two years earlier. Access remains free, though the city charges 8,000 pesos for guided group sessions that include safety briefings.

Early risers report the clearest conditions between 6 and 8 a.m. Those planning a first visit can download the Valle Verde app for offline maps or stop at the Belén or Envigado sports complexes for printed route sheets before heading out.