A pleasantly meandering ride, this gravel circuit follows the dirt roads that flank both the Genil and Dilar rivers until turning south toward La Malahá at Las Gabias. You can start from the parking lot of the Inmaculada hospital and just follow the bike trail south until turning left at the intersection with the Dilar river. Ride alongside the Dilar for 4 km and turn right to skirt Las Gabias and connect with the dirt road that runs parallel to the road to La Malahá. From here it’s a gentle climb until the last 20 meters, where the grade shoots skyward and requires some extra power and technique to clean the climb. From here, you may want to drop down into La Malahá on the road and stop for a coffee if you’d like. The route picks up on the other side of town and heads just east of Montevives, where you’ll get an expansive view of the Sierra Nevadas. You’ll pass through highway construction once more before hooking up with the river Dilar to return to the start. This route is a good one for winter because there’s sun exposure the entire route, there’s not a lot of elevation gain, and the snowcapped Sierras aren’t bad to look at. This loop runs counterclockwise.
The GPX file for this and all the Trails of the Alhambra rides are available to download for free with bike rentals.