Els Ports Natural Park

Els Ports Natural Park covers the Catalan part of the Els Ports mountains, a massif that goes beyond the boundaries of the Terres de l’Ebre and extends into the provinces of Teruel (Aragon) and Castellón (Valencian Community). These ranges stand out for the richness of the fauna and flora that live there and are in fact a refuge for many threatened animal and plant species. Notable are the Iberian ibex and the beech woods, which here have their southernmost enclave in Europe. The rock formations also draw a landscape unique in Catalonia. Nor should we forget the historical ties between the towns around the massif and the now abandoned farmsteads of the area. The use of the natural resources of these places, such as hunting, livestock farming, timber extraction, lime and pitch production, and the building of snow wells, recalls times of intense human presence in this natural area. In 2001, with the declaration of Els Ports Natural Park and the Fageda del Retaule Partial Nature Reserve, the natural values of one of the most significant natural areas in Catalonia were recognised; it is the second largest after the Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park. Since then, several interpretation centres in Roquetes, La Sénia and Horta de Sant Joan can be visited to help you learn about the natural and cultural riches hidden inside these mountains.