With a height of 2351 meters, Pico is Portugal’s a highest peak. Pico is an active stratovolcano located on the island Pico, in the Azores. While many people hike Mount Pico, it’s not exploited for tourism and keeps it’s wild essence. There are no cable cars and no mountain huts or other facilities along the trail. Which is what I loved so much about hiking Pico! It was just us and the mountain. And a bunch of other hikers, but hey. It was not nearly as crowded as many other places with easier access so no complaints from me. 😉
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Table of Contents - How to Hike Mount Pico – The Ultimate Guide to Hiking Portugal’s Highest Peak
Where is Mount Pico
Mount Pico is located on Pico island in the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. The Azores consist of 9 islands, subdivided in three island groups. Pico is the second biggest island in the archipelago and the main island in of the central island group. It’s relatively central location makes it a great island to add to your itinerary if you’re island hopping in the Azores.
How to get to Pico in the Azores
While there are some ferry routes connecting Pico with other islands in the Azores, Pico is best reached by air↗. Sata has frequent inter-island flights connecting Pico with the other Azorean islands, and mainland Portugal as well. If you’re coming from a different place, you’ll most likely need to change planes in São Miguel, the main island in the Azores.
Visiting Faial before or after you’re heading to Pico? There are frequent ferries between these island and tickets are cheap. Find their current schedule and prices here↗.
Getting around Pico
Basically, the only way to get around Pico is by renting a car. While there is some very limited public transport, this won’t be of much help when you want to visit the main attractions of Pico. This includes Mount Pico, which really is the star of the island.
Do note that car rental in Pico, or the Azores in general is not cheap, especially in high season. So as soon as you know when you’re travel to Pico, book a car. We found the best deals through Booking.com, but I recommend checking some agencies and compare prices.
Can’t find any options? Consider joining a tour to hike Mont Pico.
When to hike Mount Pico
I would say the best time of year to hike Mount Pico is in June. Pico is a lone standing mountain in the middle of the Atlantic ocean, meaning it’s often cloudy. Summer experiences the least persistent cloudiness though, and you want to have a clear day to hike Mount Pico. But the Azores also get flooded by tourists in summer, with August being particularly bad according to locals. So June seems to be the sweet spot.
While it is already high season, it’s not the most crowded month and you have higher chances of having a clear day compared to quieter months. With the emphasis on chances, because Pico gets cloudy year-round and weather changes quickly here. So no guarantees!
Hiking Mount Pico - The trail
Trail specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Trailhead | Casa da Montanha (1,230 m elevation) |
| Trail Type | One way |
| Total Distance | 7.6 km return |
| Total Ascent | 1,140 m gain |
| Highest Point | Piquinho summit – 2,351 m |
| Estimated Time | 6–8 hours round trip |
| Difficulty | Strenuous – steep, rocky terrain |
The data above is the average data. My phone tracked indeed 1140 meters elevation gain on our hike, but we hiked about 8.5 km and did the total hike in 6.5, which includes the time we enjoyed at Piquinho and at the crater. Note that you’re only allowed to stay up to 20 minutes on Piquinho, to assure everyone can have a chance to spend some time there.
What to expect on the trail
I found the trail is not as hard as many people said, at least on a good day with perfect visibility. It’s quite a steep hike, with a lot of elevation gain in a relatively short distance, but anyone who is confident hiking and has a reasonable physical condition can do the hike. Just be prepared for muscle soreness the next day(s). 😉
When you begin the trail, you’re hiking mostly on lava flow until marker 22. Then the trail changes to slightly more gravel and smaller rocks. From marker 40 there is a little more lose gravel, but it gets less steep. At marker 46 you’ve reached the crater. Yay! But then the hardest part of the hike starts: Getting to Piquinho.
It’s not far, but it’s more climbing than hiking to get up to Pico’s very top. Especially the way down is a little more tricky. But it’s definitely doable. Once you’re on the top you get amazing 360 degree views on a clear day. But what’s even cooler than that, while hiking up and at some point on the top, you can feel the heat of the volcano below you! Such an incredible feeling. It made the hike and just being on this mountain even more special.
What do I need to hike Mount Pico?
| What You Need | Details |
|---|---|
| Permit | Required for access to the summit area; permits can be booked online beforehand or bought on the spot on a first-come, first-serve basis. |
| Footwear | Sturdy hiking shoes or boots with good grip; footwear will be checked before you're allowed on the trail. |
| Water & Food | Bring plenty of water and snacks; there are no facilities on the trail. |
| Protective clothing | Weatherproof clothing suitable for sudden changes in weather. |
| Guide | Guides are not mandatory but often recommended for safety, especially for overnight stays |
| Overnight stay | If staying overnight in the crater, you'll need extra warm clothes. Tent, sleeping bag, and a flashlight are mandatory. For night climbs, a flashlight is also mandatory. |
Permit & fees
You need a permit to access the Pico trail, or a reservation as the local authorities call it. The fee is € 25 if you want to hike to Piquinho and € 15 if you only want to go as far as the crater (prices accurate at the time of writing). I’d say Piqiunho is worth it on a clear day, but if you’re unsure about the difficulty, or on a tight budget and happy to save € 10, you get amazing views from the crater as well. The permit includes a mandatory GPS tracker so the rangers can see if you’re ok and warn you if you’ve gone off track.
There are two ways to get the permit. 1. By booking online on the official website. Or 2. by getting one of the daily walk-in spots at Casa da Montanha. If you’re joining a group tour, they will organize the permit for you.
If you’re planning your trip to Pico early enough and/or you would like to start later in the day you could book a spot online to be sure you can hike that day.
We weren’t that organized, and wanted to remain flexible because of the weather, so we decided to take our chances and go for a walk-in spot. The Mountain House (Casa da Montanha in Portuguese) is open 24/7 in summer and walk-in spots are given away on a first-come first-serve basis. So arrive early if you don’t have a reservation.
We were recommended to come around 7 am for a good chance for spots. So we aimed for 7 am, but arrived at around 7.45 after a few stops on the way since Pico was completely clear! So we had to take advantage of that!
Sturdy shoes
An absolute must for the Mount Pico hike are sturdy hiking shoes. You’re hiking on uneven lava rocks all along the way, so you need to have thick soles and good grip. Some parts are slipper as well due to loose gravel.
So the mountain rangers will check your shoes, including the soles, before they allow you on the trail. Anyone arriving on sneakers or with worn out shoes which don’t have (enough) profile will be denied access. This might seem a bit harsh, but it’s a necessary safety precaution. You’ll understand when you’re on the trail. 😉
Plenty of water and food
The hike to the top of Pico and back down is a long one and there are no facilities on the way. At Casa da Montanha there is a small cafeteria, but it’s meant more for a drink after your hike with your hiking buddies than to stock up for your hike. So make sure to bring enough water, a packed lunch, and plenty of snacks. You’ll need it!
Protective clothing
Whatever the forecast is, or the weather conditions are like when you start packing for your Mount Pico hike, make sure to be prepared for basically everything. Ok, no, you don’t need to bring crampons when summiting Pico in summer, but a sunny day might suddenly get cloudy and windy and the other way around. So bring a waterproof and windproof jacket, dress in layers, bring sunscreen and a hat. The sun is strong on these altitudes and there is no shade.
Guide (optional)
Guides are not mandatory and not pushed at the Mountain House. However, if you search online virtually every source will tell you they hiked with a guide and that they would recommend it. So is it really necessary?, you might wonder. Well, the answer is that that depends.
We hiked without a guide and were happy we did. But before I’m getting into details, it’s very important to know that we had absolutely perfect weather conditions! The whole day was clear, we had no fog during hike at all. So we always had the trail, or at least a trail marker in sight. And while we are by no means expert hikers, we have hiked a lot in the mountains and on other terrain so we know what we are capable off and how are bodies react. So in our case a guide was definitely not necessary and we were very happy to be able to hike on our own pace.
However, had it been foggy on our way up or down, I feel like we would have had a very different opinion. The terrain is barren, rocky and uneven. And in thick fog, I can image the trail could be quite difficult to follow and without good visibility having a guide would be very reassuring.
Regardless of the weather, if you’re not an experienced hiker, you’re worried about the difficulty of the hike, or have any other doubts, you might want to consider joining a group or hiring a guide.
Day hikes versus overnight stays
It’s possible to do a daytrip to Pico, like we did, or to stay overnight. While staying overnight does sound amazing, we chose the day trip option. We found out about the overnight option quite late, and didn’t have the necessary equipment with us to do that independently. We could have joined a group, but since we had planned for a daytrip, and much prefer to hike independently, we decided to stick with the plan. This also allowed us to stay more flexible, and pick the clearest day for our hike (since we were going for one of the walk-in spots).
If you do want to hike overnight, make sure to bring the necessary equipment and note that spots are limited. Even more so than the general access permits. If you don’t have the equipment, or there is no more availability on the day you want to go, contact some local agencies to join a group tour.
While we loved our day hike, an overnight stay must be amazing when the weather is clear. Watching the sunset and the sunrise from the top of Pico Mountain sound spectacular. And the night sky must be incredible as well. So I’m keeping that option in mind for our next visit to the Azores.
What to pack for the Mount Pico hike
Besides the water, food, protective clothing and sunscreen mentioned above, many people also recommend bringing hiking poles. They are not mandatory though, and I was happy I didn’t bring them. While they can help divide the weight and get some pressure of your legs, I much prefer to have my hands free and find support from the rocks when necessary than hiking with poles.
If you’re hiking up for the sunrise, a flashlight is also mandatory, I recommend a headlamp in that case, so you can keep your hands free. Overnight stays also require a tent, sleeping bag, extra warm clothes and of course extra water and food. There is nothing on top of the mountain.
Bonus tip: I love to hike with a water bladder instead of a normal water bottle. It allows me to drink enough water without having to stop and/or getting my backpack off. Now a lot of people complain about the plastic taste of bladders, which some do. But I haven’t had that problem with my Source bladders↗, so I can highly recommend them!
Finishing thoughts on how to Hike Mount Pico
Hiking Mount Pico is a rewarding challenge that offers breathtaking views and a unique volcanic experience unlike anywhere else in Portugal. This hike was one of the highlights of our Azores trip. For more information about the hike and current regulations, visit the official site↗.
If you want to discover more about Pico Island beyond the mountain, check out my guide with the best things to do in Pico! Visiting São Miguel as well? Here is a great 2-day São Miguel itinerary for budget travelers.
And for those who are looking for more challenging and rewarding hikes, did you know that neihboring Spain’s highest peak is also located on an island? Yup! It’s Mount Teide on the Canarian Island Tenerife. And you can hike that one too. Find out all about it in my guide on How to Visit Mount Teide.
| Guide | What You'll Find |
|---|---|
| Visiting the Azores: A First Timer's Travel Planning Guide | New to the Azores? This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know to plan your first trip to this stunning archipelago. |
| Best Things to Do on Pico Island | From hiking Mount Pico to exploring lava caves and whale watching, discover all the activities this volcanic island has to offer. |
| 2-Day São Miguel Itinerary for Budget Travelers | Short on time or money? This itinerary focuses on free activities and the island's must-see highlights without breaking the bank. |
FAQ about hiking Mount Pico
Mount Pico is a challenging and strenuous hike, but it’s not as dangerous as some might think. While accidents do happen, helicopter rescues are relatively rare and not a weekly occurrence as some might want you to believe. Most incidents involve hikers who underestimate the trail’s difficulty, don’t bring proper equipment, or face sudden weather changes.
The key to a safe hike is proper preparation: wear sturdy hiking shoes, bring enough water and food, dress for changing weather, and consider hiring a guide if you’re inexperienced or hiking in poor visibility. If you follow safety guidelines, respect the mountain, and stay on marked trails, the Pico hike is more likely a rewarding adventure rather than a risky one.
Pico is a tall, lone mountain right in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, so it catches a lot of moist air coming off the sea. When that humid air hits the slopes, it cools down and turns into clouds and fog. That’s the reason why Pico’s summit is often wrapped in clouds. It’s just how nature works up there! Don’t worry though, mornings and early summer usually bring clearer skies, so you still have a good chance to catch amazing views on your hike. And they will feel even more special i you’re used to seeing the peak hiding behind clouds.
Generally, yes; anyone in reasonable physical condition can hike Mount Pico. However, the trail is strenuous and requires proper footwear, preparation, and a permit. I’d say our physical condition is average and we completed the hike without problems. We were sore for the next three days though!
While the only way to get up the mountain, past Casa da Montanha, is on foot, you can enjoy beautiful views of Mount Pico from nearby spots on the island without hiking. Pico’s villages, vineyards, and coastal areas offer great sightseeing opportunities. And so does the neighboring island Faial.
Although Mount Pico is classified as a dormant volcano, meaning it hasn’t erupted in centuries, there is still underground volcanic activity. This residual heat from magma close to the surface warms certain areas near the summit and inside the crater, so hikers can actually feel the warmth despite the volcano being dormant. Don’t worry though, this doesn’t mean the volcano is about to erupt or poses an immediate danger. The mountain is closely monitored for safety.
Mount Pico’s last eruption occurred in 1718. Since then, it has remained dormant with no recorded eruptions, but it still has some underground volcanic activity, which explains the heat you feel from Piquinho.
Yes! The volcanic soil on Pico Island creates perfect conditions for growing grapes, leading to unique wines like Verdelho and Arinto that you won’t find anywhere else. The island’s traditional stone walls protect the vines from wind and salt, making Pico’s vineyard landscape a UNESCO World Heritage Site. So make sure to grab a bottle and reward yourself with a glass of local wine after your Mount Pico hike.