The first lake
Nearest the car park.
Alberto-g-rovi — CC BY 3.0 · Lauraventola — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Alberto-g-rovi — CC BY 3.0 · Ferran Llorens — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ferran Llorens — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ferran Llorens — CC BY-SA 2.0
The Tristaina Lakes are three small mountain lakes in a glacial cirque at about 2,300 m in northern Andorra. Dark blue water lies among rocks and pasture, ringed by sharp peaks that keep patches of snow into summer. The lakes are in the Tristaina cirque in Ordino parish, near the Ordino-Arcalís resort. There are three: the first lake, the middle lake and the upper lake. Walking paths link them, each one higher than the last. You walk up from the car park on a path between rocks and grass to the first lake, then on to the middle and upper lakes. From the top you see all three below you and the valley dropping away. In early summer ice still floats on the water. The lakes are 10 km in a straight line north of Ordino. The place is free. The path is steep and rocky and weather changes fast at this height, so bring a jacket and water. July to September is best, and the road can close with snow in winter.
Nearest the car park.
A view of all three.
Snow into summer.
Tristaina cirque, Ordino parish, northern Andorra
Steep and rocky, of medium difficulty.
July to September.