7 forests near Girona where your dog will be happier than you

Shade, trails, leaves, mud, volcanoes, and a forest that looks like it’s straight out of a fairy tale.

When someone arrives at Mas Torrencito with a dog, sooner or later the question comes up:

«Miguel, where can we go for a walk tomorrow?»

And of course, answering «through the forest» in Girona is about as useful as telling someone who’s hungry to go to a restaurant. We’ve got quite a few forests. 😂

So we’ve put together something a bit more useful.

This isn’t just a list of Girona’s prettiest forests. There are already hundreds of articles like that online.

This list is built for people traveling with a dog.

We want to know if there’s real shade, how much walking is involved, whether it’s an outing for a twelve-year-old Golden or for a Border Collie who, after 15 kilometres, still looks at you asking:

«So what now?»

And we also want to know something essential in summer: whether it’s worth going when Girona decides to hit 35 degrees.

If instead you’re after lesser-known spots, we already have another guide with 10 dog-friendly routes around Girona that go a bit off the usual circuit.

This one is different.

These are the classics that are genuinely worth knowing… seen through a dog’s eyes.

🔥 Before you head out: check the Pla Alfa

Especially between June and September, there’s one thing you should do even before putting the dog in the car:

check the Generalitat’s Pla Alfa (fire-risk plan).

Fire risk can change from one day to the next, and when the maximum level is activated, access to certain forest areas may be restricted.

And it’s not just theory.

This very summer, Les Gavarres suffered a major fire, and during July temporary access restrictions were applied to the massif.

So our recommendation is very simple:

🔥 strong heat + forest + summer = two minutes checking the Pla Alfa before you leave.

👉 Check the updated Pla Alfa

🌳 1. La Fageda d’en Jordà — Santa Pau

Let’s start with the obvious one.

Yes, we know it shows up on absolutely every list.

But there are touristy places that are overrated, and touristy places that are famous because they’re genuinely extraordinary.

La Fageda belongs to the second group.

It’s an entirely unusual beech forest, growing at around 550 metres of altitude on an old lava flow from the Croscat volcano. The volcanic terrain creates those little mounds known as tossols, while the beech trees turn the walk into a kind of green cathedral.

And with a dog it has one huge advantage:

shade.

There’s a very simple official route of about 2.6 km and roughly an hour, though longer routes can be linked from the area.

📍 From Mas Torrencito: around an hour by car
🚶 Walk: from 2.6 km, with options to extend it
⛰️ Difficulty: very easy on the short route
🌳 Shade: excellent
💧 Water: better to bring your own for the dog
🐕 Dog: in a protected natural area, always best kept under control and on a lead
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Crowds: high, especially on weekends and in autumn
☀️ Best time: autumn and spring; in summer, early morning
⭐ Mas Torrencito dog rating: 9/10

🐕‍🦺 Which dog is it for?

For the calm one, the older one, the dog who enjoys walking and sniffing without needing to cover twenty kilometres or bolt after every squirrel.

And for their humans too.

Because in autumn there are moments when you end up looking up more than at the dog.

🧚 2. Les Estunes — Porqueres, Banyoles

This one is probably the great hidden gem of the list.

Les Estunes is a small, damp, shady forest very close to Lake Banyoles.

But the truly curious part here isn’t just the trees.

The ground is made up of large blocks of travertine that, over time, have cracked, creating crevices, small caves, corridors, and natural passageways.

There are places where you go for a hike.

And there are places where it looks like someone set the stage before you arrived.

This is one of the latter.

It’s also linked to one of the loveliest legends of the Pla de l’Estany: the Goges de Les Estunes, water women or fairies who, according to tradition, lived among the crevices and came out at night.

We can’t guarantee you’ll see any.

Although with certain Mas Torrencito guests we’ve seen far stranger things. 😂

📍 From Mas Torrencito: about 35–40 minutes
🚶 Walk: short; perfect to combine with Banyoles
⛰️ Difficulty: easy, though careful around the crevices
🌳 Shade: excellent
💧 Water: we’re right by the lake area, but bring drinking water for the dog
🐕 Dog: keep especially controlled around crevices and narrow spots
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Crowds: low-medium
☀️ Best time: pretty much all year
⭐ Mas Torrencito dog rating: 8.5/10

🐶 Which dog is it for?

For the curious one.

That dog who takes ten minutes to cover twenty metres because it absolutely needs to know who passed by yesterday, the day before, and possibly back in 2019.

Also, thanks to its shade, this is one of our favourites for a short summer outing.

🌲 3. Les Gavarres — Els Àngels / Sant Martí Vell

If La Fageda is the fairy-tale forest, Les Gavarres is Girona in its purest form.

Holm oaks, cork oaks, pines, forest tracks, and that mix of dry earth, wood, and Mediterranean vegetation smell that changes completely depending on the season.

We particularly like the Els Àngels and Sant Martí Vell area because you can basically build the walk however you like.

Half an hour?

Sure.

Two hours?

Also fine.

Do you have one of those dogs who apparently comes with a built-in nuclear battery?

He’ll definitely find a way to stretch it out even further. 😂

There’s, for example, a route through Els Àngels of just over 10 km with about 400 metres of elevation gain.

📍 From Mas Torrencito: roughly 40–50 minutes depending on access
🚶 Walk: fully customisable; some routes exceed 10 km
⛰️ Difficulty: easy to moderate depending on the route
🌳 Shade: good within the forest
💧 Water: always bring enough
🐕 Dog: keep under control; watch for cyclists, wildlife, and track crossings
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Crowds: medium
☀️ Best time: autumn, winter and spring; in summer, early
⭐ Mas Torrencito dog rating: 8/10

🐕 Which dog is it for?

For almost anyone, because you can adjust the distance a lot.

That said, in summer this is an area where we always recommend checking the Pla Alfa before heading out.

And if you already know this part of the massif, in our post on 10 dog routes around Girona we also cover the Camí dels Dolmens de Romanyà de la Selva.

⛰️ 4. Rocacorba — Canet d’Adri

Here we change leagues.

Rocacorba isn’t the kind of place where you go saying:

«Come on, let’s take a little walk with the dog.»

No.

Here you come to walk.

The circular Puigsou and Santuari de Rocacorba route proposed by Turisme Gironès is 13.43 km with 685 metres of elevation gain.

It starts among fields and Mediterranean forest, and then comes steeper terrain and rocky stretches.

The reward is at the top.

From the Rocacorba area, the views reach the Vall de Llémena, the Pla de l’Estany, Les Gavarres, and on clear days, much further still.

📍 From Mas Torrencito: about 35–45 minutes depending on starting point
🚶 Walk: 13.43 km
⛰️ Elevation gain: 685 m
🔥 Difficulty: moderate leaning towards serious for anyone who doesn’t walk regularly
🌳 Shade: partial
💧 Water: essential to bring enough for both human and dog
🐕 Dog: needs to be in good physical shape
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Crowds: medium
☀️ Best time: spring and autumn
⭐ Mas Torrencito dog rating: 8/10 for sporty dogs; 3/10 for the Bulldog who just discovered the sofa

🐕 Which dog is it for?

For the young and energetic ones.

The one who finishes a 10-kilometre route, drinks a bit of water, and looks at you like:

«Okay. So where to now?»

For that one.

For an older dog, one with joint problems, or one not used to walking, we have much better options on this list.

🪨 5. Parc de Pedra Tosca — Les Preses

Pedra Tosca is one of those places where it’s worth explaining what you’re actually walking on.

Because it doesn’t look like a normal forest.

Here the landscape is shaped by old volcanic lava flows, narrow paths, vegetation, and hundreds of dry-stone walls.

For centuries, people cleared volcanic rocks to create small farmable plots, piling them up into walls, boundaries, and structures.

The result is almost a labyrinth.

And walking through it feels special.

The Camins de Pedra Tosca route is 10.3 km, with about 80 metres of accumulated elevation gain, and takes roughly 2 hours 35 minutes.

In other words: plenty of kilometres, hardly any climbing.

📍 From Mas Torrencito: about an hour
🚶 Walk: 10.3 km on the full route
⛰️ Elevation gain: about 80 m
🌳 Shade: partial
💧 Water: better to bring some
🐕 Dog: easy route for a dog used to walking
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Crowds: medium
☀️ Best time: almost year-round; avoid the middle of summer days
⭐ Mas Torrencito dog rating: 8/10

🐶 Which dog is it for?

For the explorer.

The one who steps onto a new trail and immediately drops its nose to the ground because it has a very important job to do that we clearly wouldn’t understand.

It’s also in the same general area as La Fageda, so for anyone staying several days, it can make a great second plan in La Garrotxa.

🏰 6. Vall de Sant Daniel → Castell de Sant Miquel — Girona

This one has a fantastic quirk:

you can start almost right from Girona city itself.

La Vall de Sant Daniel is one of those small wonderful anomalies we have here.

You’re a stone’s throw from the Barri Vell, and suddenly you’re walking among vegetation, paths, and fountains as if you’d travelled many kilometres away.

If you want to add a bit more spice to the walk, you can continue up to the Castell de Sant Miquel.

The route proposed by Turisme Gironès is about 9.35 km with 318 metres of elevation gain.

📍 From Mas Torrencito: about 30–35 minutes to Girona
🚶 Walk: up to 9.35 km if you climb to Sant Miquel
⛰️ Elevation gain: 318 m
🌳 Shade: good along much of the Vall de Sant Daniel
💧 Water: there are fountains in the valley, but don’t rely on them for the dog
🐕 Dog: great for a dog with medium activity levels
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Crowds: higher near Girona, lower as you climb
☀️ Best time: pretty much all year
⭐ Mas Torrencito dog rating: 8.5/10

🐕‍🦺 Which dog is it for?

For the city dweller with a mountain soul.

The one who calmly strolls through Girona in the morning, and half an hour later is burying its head in the bushes as if it had never seen a pavement.

It’s also our favourite option if you’re visiting Girona and want to combine city + dog + nature in the same day.

🌿 7. Puig de Cadiretes — Llagostera

And we finish with the antidote to Rocacorba.

Because not every day you feel like doing 13 kilometres and 685 metres of elevation gain.

Neither do you.

Nor your dog.

Although some dogs might disagree on that last part.

The Puig de Cadiretes route proposed by Turisme Gironès is only 3.77 km and 63 metres of elevation gain.

It’s short, circular, and crosses Mediterranean forest up to one of the high points of the Cadiretes-Ardenya massif.

A perfect outing to enjoy the forest without making it the day’s only activity.

📍 From Mas Torrencito: about 40 minutes
🚶 Walk: 3.77 km
⛰️ Elevation gain: just 63 m
🌳 Shade: good in wooded areas
💧 Water: bring some
🐕 Dog: suitable for many kinds of dogs
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Crowds: low-medium
☀️ Best time: all year, avoiding the hottest hours
⭐ Mas Torrencito dog rating: 8/10

🐕‍🦺 Which dog is it for?

For the one who wants countryside and forest without needing an expedition.

For older but still active dogs, small dogs, families who want a calm walk, or simply for that day when everyone’s had a bit too much breakfast.

🐶 Tell us your dog and we’ll tell you which forest we’d take you to

If after seven forests you have more doubts than before, here’s our thoroughly unscientific but pretty practical classification:

🐕‍🦺 Calm or older dog:
La Fageda d’en Jordà.

👃 Curious dog who needs to sniff absolutely EVERYTHING:
Les Estunes.

⚡ Dog with an infinite battery:
Rocacorba.

🌳 All-terrain dog whose owner still doesn’t know how far they want to walk:
Les Gavarres.

🪨 Explorer dog:
Pedra Tosca.

🏙️ City dog with a country soul:
Vall de Sant Daniel and Castell de Sant Miquel.

😴 Dog — or human — who wants to take it easy today:
Puig de Cadiretes.

❓ Questions you’re probably asking yourself

Can I let my dog off the lead in these forests?

We wouldn’t give a general «yes.»

The rules change depending on the type of natural area, municipality, time of year, and the presence of livestock or protected wildlife.

In protected natural areas you need to be especially careful, and when in doubt, lead on.

Also, just because a dog is sociable doesn’t mean we can let it approach any person, dog, herd, or wild animal.

The mountain belongs to everyone.

My dog sees a squirrel and temporarily loses its nationality. Which one would you pick?

😂 We’d probably start with short, easy-to-control routes like Cadiretes or certain parts of Sant Daniel.

Rocacorba wouldn’t be our first choice for discovering that your dog’s «come here» was more of a suggestion than an order.

Which would you choose for peak summer?

For shade, Les Estunes and La Fageda are especially pleasant.

But shade doesn’t mean immunity to heat.

In July and August we still prefer to head out early in the morning, carry plenty of water, and avoid intense exercise during the middle of the day.

Are there ticks?

Yes.

We’re talking about countryside and forest.

After a walk, check especially the ears, neck, armpits, groin, and between the toes.

It takes two minutes and can save you a fair bit of trouble later.

Which would you choose for an older dog?

The short route at La Fageda would be one of our first picks.

Also Cadiretes, if the dog still has reasonable mobility.

Rocacorba, on the other hand, we’d leave to younger legs.

What if it’s rained?

There’s a wonderful rule that works almost everywhere in Girona:

if it’s rained, assume your dog will find mud even if you can’t.

It’s a special talent.

We’d always keep a towel in the car.

Two if you have a Golden.

Three if yours is the type who sees a puddle and thinks someone put it there specifically for them.

❤️ And now for the important question

We’ve chosen seven.

But Girona is full of paths, forests, and corners where you can lose a morning with your dog.

So we want to expand this list with yours.

Which forest is THE one you always go back to with your dog?

The one that maybe doesn’t show up in the guides.

The one where you know exactly where to park, where the best shade is, and at which bend your dog starts running because it already knows exactly where it is.

Tell us in the comments.

And if you point us to one we don’t know, we’ll just have to go check it out.

Purely for journalistic reasons, of course. 😂🐾

🐾 Keep discovering Girona with your dog

• The 10 coolest dog-friendly routes around Girona — from Blanes to Cadaqués, off the usual paths.
• 5 water routes to do with your dog — for when walking is nice but ending up soaked is nicer.
• Traveling with dogs — our guide for those who refuse to leave half the family at home.
• What to do in l’Alt Empordà — because Mas Torrencito is right here.

At Mas Torrencito we’ve spent years welcoming guests who travel with their dogs, and one of the questions we hear most is where they can go for a walk with them. This list is, in essence, the long version of the conversation we have on many mornings after breakfast.

Because accepting dogs is great.

But making sure their holiday is actually a holiday too… that’s the part we like even more. 🐾

SaluDOGS, and may your dog come along.

Mas Torrencito — Parets d’Empordà, Girona. The first rural guesthouse for pets that accepts people.

Image credits: Camping Lava, Descobrir, Turisme Gironès, Wikiloc, Festa Catalunya and Let’s Holidays. All photographs belong to their respective authors.