Cabezo de la Jara (Sierra Espuña)

The Cabezo de la Jara trail ascends to a secondary summit of Sierra Espuña Natural Park at 1,260 metres, offering a shorter and more approachable alternative to the Pico Morrón route while still delivering panoramic views across the limestone uplands and the agricultural valleys of the Murcia region. The trailhead is at the Área Recreativa Las Alquerías, accessed by car from Alhama de Murcia in approximately 40 minutes from Murcia city; parking is free at the recreational area. No permit is required.

The round trip covers 7.5 kilometres with around 350 metres of total ascent, typically completed in three to three and a half hours. The trail is part of the official Sierra Espuña marked network and is waymarked throughout with yellow-and-white paint markers. The ascent begins on compacted earth paths through mature pine plantations — part of the extensive early twentieth-century reforestation effort that defines much of Sierra Espuña's character — before transitioning to open limestone heath and scattered rockier ground near the summit.

The area is particularly rewarding for wildlife observation. The rocky upper crags support a resident population of Spanish ibex (cabra montesa), commonly visible on the ridgeline in the early morning hours; the animals are most active before 9 a.m. and in the late afternoon. Bonelli's eagle and short-toed snake eagle have both been recorded hunting over the summit. Binoculars are strongly recommended.

From the summit, views take in the full Sierra Espuña plateau to the north, the Guadalentín valley and the irrigated huertas to the east, and on clear winter days the distant ridges of the Betic Cordillera extending toward Granada. No water sources exist on the route; all water must be carried from the Las Alquerías recreational area. The pinewood can be muddy after winter rain and waterproof boots are advisable between October and February.