Embalse de Arenós

The Arenós reservoir, also listed as Arenoso or Campos and first as the Montanejos dam, stretches between the municipalities of Montanejos and Puebla de Arenoso, on the course of the Mijares river through the Alto Mijares. It is a large basin of turquoise water between pine slopes, with viewpoints on the road that borders it and picnic corners. In summer it is a much-visited bathing and picnic reservoir. You arrive by car from València in about 90 minutes, with a typical visit of 2 hours.

What to do

The usual plan mixes stops at the lay-bys with views over the water, a picnic at the areas by the road and, in summer, a swim in the coves. The reservoir level varies because it is a regulated Mijares basin: the usable shore changes with the season. There are scattered picnic spots, but no continuous fitted walk around the water.

Visit notices

The bathing regime is not officially confirmed, although summer bathing is common: check local rules before swimming and keep away from the dam areas. The shores have no services and no lifeguard, and the bottom drops quickly in places, so get in carefully and watch children. Park only in the lay-bys, without blocking the road.