By Azores Tourist · Published
Hiking Flores, Azores: coastal trails, lake descents and waterfalls
Choose Lajedo–Fajã Grande for a longer coastal walk or PR03FLO for a harder descent from the lakes. Both need a one-way transport plan; neither is a short waterfall stroll.
Which Flores hike should you choose?
For a full coastal walk, choose PR02FLO from Lajedo through Mosteiro and Fajãzinha to Fajã Grande. For lakes followed by a steep descent, choose PR03FLO from the central plateau near Lagoa Negra to Poço do Bacalhau. The second route is shorter but officially harder. A downhill finish does not make it an easier walk. If you mainly want to see waterfalls, do not commit to either complete hike just to reach a photograph. Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro, also called Poço da Alagoinha, is a separate waterfall-viewing destination. It is not the same place as Poço do Bacalhau near Fajã Grande. Keep those names distinct when arranging a lift.
Closures: exclude Ponta Delgada–Fajã Grande
The official Azores Trails closure list checked on 25 October 2026 names PR01FLO, Ponta Delgada–Fajã Grande, as temporarily closed. Do not use that northern coastal route to extend either walk or to complete an island circuit. The Ponta Delgada in this trail name is on Flores, not São Miguel. PR02FLO and PR03FLO were not on that closure list when checked. That is a dated status check, not a guarantee for your walking day. Open the live alert list before departure and obey any additional barriers or signs on site; a downloaded GPX does not override a closure.
Azores Trails: current closure listLajedo–Fajã Grande: the longer coastal option
PR02FLO is a linear, medium-rated trail. Its current route page gives 13.2 km and an average 3 hours 30 minutes; the linked leaflet rounds the distance differently. Allow extra time for stops and wet footing rather than using that average as a pickup deadline. Start in Lajedo, walk through the southwest valleys to Mosteiro, then continue towards Fajãzinha and Fajã Grande. Portal viewpoint gives a view over the fajãs and their backing cliff. This is a succession of valleys and settlements, not an uninterrupted level seaside promenade. The authority specifically warns about watercourses and slippery rocks after rain. A practical arrangement is to stay in Fajã Grande and book a lift to Lajedo before starting, then walk back towards your base. If your car is in Lajedo, reserve a return pickup from Fajã Grande instead. Do not assume a taxi will be waiting at the finish or that the advertised walking time includes transport.
Azores Trails: PR02FLO route, map and downloadsMiradouro das Lagoas–Poço do Bacalhau: shorter, harder
PR03FLO starts on the central plateau by Lagoa Negra, near the Negra–Comprida lake viewpoint, and heads west to Fajã Grande, ending near Poço do Bacalhau. Azores Trails rates it hard and gives about 3 hours. The webpage says 7 km, while its linked leaflet gives 7.3 km: plan for roughly 7–7.3 km, not a precisely measured shortcut. The upper section crosses the lake country before the major descent to the coast. Rain and fog on the plateau matter even when the shore looks clear. Choose this route only if you are comfortable with a sustained descent and can follow the marked path in changing visibility. Book the outward ride to the plateau if you want to finish near your Fajã Grande accommodation. Leaving a rental car at the lake viewpoint creates a separate journey back uphill. Reversing the walk also turns its large descent into an ascent; the published direction and average time should not be treated as a return-walk estimate.
Azores Trails: PR03FLO route and current leafletWaterfall stops without inventing a connecting trail
Flores Nature Park identifies Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro as a viewpoint over the pond and its multiple waterfalls in the protected west-coast landscape. Poço do Bacalhau is the separate waterfall associated with the Fajã Grande end of PR03FLO. Seeing one does not mean you have visited the other. Use the signed visitor access at each site. Do not climb towards waterfall heads, cross fences or cut across the cliff to join a hiking track. This guide does not certify a swimming entry, an accessible paved path or a safe scrambling route at either waterfall. In poor visibility or after heavy rain, keep the day to visitor areas that remain officially open rather than improvising an alternative descent.
Flores Nature Park: Poço da Ribeira do FerreiroFit the walk around your island stay
Use one of the two full hikes as the main walking commitment of the day. Trying to add a Corvo crossing afterwards leaves little room for slower ground, a delayed pickup or a change in sea conditions. Fajã Grande works especially well for the western finishes; an east-coast base needs a transfer at both ends. These are planning choices, not claims of a scheduled trail shuttle. Carry food, drinking water, waterproof layers and footwear with grip. Save the official route map before leaving reception, tell someone your route and expected return, and call 112 in an emergency. A roadside waterfall stop and a hard plateau descent require different equipment and time even if both appear under “Flores waterfalls” in a search.