Laguna Negra de Urbión
Hidden at 1,700 metres in the Sierra de Urbión mountains about 50 km north of Soria, the Laguna Negra is a dark glacial lake ringed by sheer quartzite cliffs and ancient black pines. Antonio Machado described it as 'a black mirror' and it has lost none of its brooding, fairy-tale atmosphere since.
The Walk to the Lake
From the car park at the end of the CL-117 road (open to vehicles May–October, with a shuttle bus in peak summer), a well-marked trail climbs gently through Pinar de Urbión for about 1.5 km before the lake appears suddenly below a curved cliff wall. The whole walk takes under 30 minutes each way and is suitable for most fitness levels.
The water is extraordinarily clear and the reflections of the surrounding cliffs are mirror-sharp on calm mornings. In late June patches of snow still cling to the north-facing rock faces, creating a striking contrast with the green pines.
Going Further: Laguna Larga
A steeper trail from Laguna Negra climbs another 200 metres to the smaller Laguna Larga, where the views open up across the entire Sierra de Urbión plateau. This extension adds about 45 minutes each way and requires good footwear, but the solitude and panorama are reward enough.
The area is also the source of the River Duero — a small stone marker near the upper lake commemorates the spot where one of Iberia's great rivers begins as a trickle. It is a quietly moving geographical footnote.
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