Pináculo & Folhadal Trail (PR17) is a levada walk in the mountains of central Madeira, Portugal. The first half follows a wide irrigation channel with fish in it, past cascades and heavy vegetation, and is close to level the whole way. The second half is harder: two long tunnels driven through the mountain, then a steep stairway up to a panoramic viewpoint over the interior of the island. Walkers with less time turn round at the far tunnel and come back along the same water.
Pináculo & Folhadal Trail (PR17)
Local name: PR17 – Caminho do Pináculo e Folhadal
The longer of the two tunnels runs more than a kilometre through the mountain in complete darkness — 20 to 25 minutes of walking by torchlight.
- Accessibility
- Not wheelchair accessible. The entrance is not step-free, and the route includes a long stairway and two mountain tunnels.
- Difficulty
- About 6 hours for the full route. The levada section is flat and easy; the last part climbs a stairway of roughly 600 steep steps. Two long tunnels on the way.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours.
What makes it special
The levada runs wide through the middle of the island, and the water next to the path has fish in it — you see them without looking hard. Along this stretch the walking is level, with cascades coming down through thick green on either side. Then the tunnels: two of them, driven straight through the mountain. Past them the trail turns upward, a stairway of steep steps climbing to a panoramic viewpoint that opens over ridges and valleys when the air is clear. Two very different walks inside one route.
Good to know
- The steps are the hard part: the stairway to the viewpoint is the most tiring stretch; everything before it is easy walking.
- A closed section: in August 2026 one walker could not finish the loop and took a taxi back to the start.
- Dogs: allowed on the trail.
Getting there
The trail starts at the roadside, and everything after that is on foot: in along the levada and back the same way. The mouth of the big tunnel makes the natural turning point for anyone not walking the whole route — beyond it come the climb and the far half of the trail.
Best time to visit
Better: a clear day, if the panoramic viewpoint is the reason you came.
Avoid: grey, low cloud for the climb — from the top you get fog and nothing else, and the effort on the steps buys you no view.
Mist along the levada itself is a different matter. The lower half of the walk holds up in cloud, so on a dull day stay by the water and leave the steps alone.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
Similar Places
Pináculo & Folhadal Trail (PR17) on the map
The tunnels are unlit. Without a head torch you are in the dark for a long way through solid rock, with no lit exit in sight. Headroom is low in the longer tunnel, which makes it awkward and tricky for taller walkers.
Get directions
Your whole travel map in one place
Get inspired by new places around the world and find the ones worth the journey
Frequently asked questions
Is there a shorter version of PR17?
Yes. Start at the road, walk in as far as the entrance of the big tunnel and turn back there — around 1h30 in each direction.What is the walking like along the levada?
Level and easy, beside a wide channel full of fish, with cascades and heavy vegetation alongside and open views where the slope falls away.How busy does the trail get?
Quiet. One walker who had also done PR9 and PR18 found no crowds here at all and rated PR17 the pick of the three.