Arguis combines a reservoir built in 1704 with specific hiking routes and a layered local history. The town lies at the entrance to the Parque Natural de la Sierra y los Cañones de Guara. This offers different ways to plan your trip: time by the water, hikes to viewpoints or historic architecture.
Reservoir and Activities on the Water
The Arguis Reservoir is considered an important and popular fishing spot for brown trout, rainbow trout and largemouth bass. A fishing licence is required. You can also explore the reservoir by canoe; the water is described as calm and clear. Fishing and paddling therefore offer different ways to enjoy the water.
Hikes with Different Destinations
The hike from the Centro de Interpretación de Arguis to Pico del Ãguila is 5.3 kilometres long and takes about 5 hours and 5 minutes. This is an approximate duration, and trail conditions can vary. At the end of the route, viewing tables offer views of the central and western Pyrenees and the Ebro Valley. The distance and estimated time together provide a useful reference for planning, without presenting the approximate five hours as a fixed walking time.
The Sierra de Bonés and Ermita de la Malena trail offers a different landscape: boxwood and holm oak scrub grows on the sunny side, while the shady side has mixed forest of beech and Scots pine. The trail ends at the Ermita de la Magdalena, a chapel dating from the 16th to 18th centuries. Malena and Magdalena refer to the same chapel here. For hikers interested in both changes in vegetation and a historic destination, this route offers a different combination from the trail to Pico del Ãguila.
The Camino Natural de la Hoya de Huesca also leads to Arguis: its fourth stage ends in the town after crossing the Sierra de Gratal and offers panoramic views of the Hoya de Huesca, the Sierra de Gratal, the Sierra de Bonés and the Pyrenees. The Camino Natural to Arguis crosses the Isuela River at two points. Depending on water levels, these crossings may be impassable; check the situation locally before setting out.
There are also two separate points of interest related to nature: the Hayedo de Peiró is protected as the Zona Especial de Conservación (ZEC) Monte Peiró-Arguis. A route passes through a dense beech forest, considered the southernmost beech forest in the province of Huesca.
Architecture and History
The parish church of San Miguel is Romanesque and dates from the 12th century; it was remodelled in the 16th century. A 15th-century altarpiece from the church can be seen at the Museo del Prado. History in Arguis is also evident in smaller architectural details: the chimneys of traditional stone houses feature so-called Espantabrujas or Chamineras.
The snow wells of Las Calmas in the Sierra de Gratal are another part of the region’s history of technology. This remarkable group comprises eight wells that were used to store and sell snow. They were built to supply Huesca and nearby settlements with snow. This subject broadens the focus from church architecture and house details to the former use of snow as a commodity supplied to local communities.
Events and Regional Context
The Perimetrail de Arguis takes place every year, with two trail-running options, and passes through notable places in Arguis and its surroundings. Dates and formats may change, so check the details for your travel dates. The Reunión Invernal de Arguis has been held without interruption since 1974.
For a broader regional perspective, the Arguis–Belsué–Nocito driving route brings together nature, art and enduring traces of human settlement on the northern side of the Sierra de Guara. It also includes nearby settlements beyond Arguis. The Centro de Interpretación del Parque Natural de la Sierra y los Cañones de Guara is located by the reservoir in a former forester’s house. If you are planning a visit, check in advance whether it is currently open to visitors.
Discover more destinations: Grañén, La Puebla de Roda, Calvera, Plasencia del Monte, Fanlo, Arro, Ballobar, Yaso
For the broader travel overview: Huesca.
