Navalsaz is a hamlet belonging to Enciso, whose distinctive features can be explored from various perspectives: dinosaur footprints, the Church of Santiago, a section of the GR 93 and nature around the Barranco Vacirbe. Its cultural heritage spans everything from prehistoric traces to traditional architecture. The stage links Navalsaz with several other hamlets between Enciso and Cornago. The village thus offers both a specific palaeontological highlight and a route that extends beyond the village itself.
Dinosaur footprints in Navalsaz
The site includes 138 large dinosaur footprints, forming several trackways. Each print is approximately 63 centimetres long and was left by one of several bipedal, plant-eating dinosaurs. This makes both the size of an individual print and the arrangement of multiple tracks a focus of interest. The site also features one of the largest Iguanodon trackways in La Rioja, along with interpretive information panels.
These details offer different ways to explore the find: the length gives a tangible sense of scale, while the trackways reveal the sequence of footprints. The reference to Iguanodon adds context within La Rioja. Those interested in palaeontology can therefore learn about individual tracks as well as the find’s regional significance.
The Church of Santiago and traditional architecture
The parish church of Santiago stands in the upper part of Navalsaz, a hamlet belonging to Enciso. The building dates from the 16th century, is made mainly of rubble masonry and has ashlar stone reinforcing its corners. Its date, principal building material and reinforced corners offer specific clues to its construction: rubble masonry defines the building, while ashlar stone provides targeted reinforcement at the corners.
Navalsaz is considered one of the clearest examples of the traditional architecture of these mountain ranges. In recent years, many houses and barns have been renovated while preserving the area’s stone aesthetic. For architecture enthusiasts, this offers a view of a single 16th-century building alongside the village’s broader architectural character. The Church of Santiago and the renovated houses represent different aspects of this theme: the construction of a historic building and the preservation of the area’s stone design.
Stage 9 of the GR 93
Stage 9 of the GR 93 is 22.3 kilometres long and connects Enciso and Cornago. It passes through the hamlets of El Villar, Poyales, Navalsaz, Ambasaguas and Valdeperillo. Navalsaz is therefore part of this longer connection, not one of its two stated endpoints. This context helps explain the route as a stage linking several places rather than as a single loop in Navalsaz.
The GR 93 trail leaves Navalsaz beside the ruins of the Church of Santiago and follows a descending path towards the road. This gives a specific indication of the route as it leaves the village; the stage’s length, by contrast, describes the entire connection between Enciso and Cornago. Trail conditions can change, so check them before setting out.
Nature around the Barranco Vacirbe
The Área recreativa de Navalsaz recreation area lies beside the Barranco Vacirbe. Its vegetation includes riverside poplars, broom, remnants of holm oak forests and beech forests. The range of plants mentioned gives the landscape more than a single focal point: riverside vegetation stands alongside shrubs and different types of forest.
The wildlife also includes a variety of groups. Animals found in the recreation area include the badger, hedgehog, short-toed snake eagle, southern grey shrike, partridge, ocellated lizard and natterjack toad. The list thus ranges from mammals and birds to a reptile and an amphibian. For nature enthusiasts, this look at plants and animals complements the cultural themes and hiking stage, without combining them into a single excursion itinerary.
Discover more destinations: San Román De Cameros, Ojacastro, Grañón, Panzares, Agoncillo, Fuenmayor, Cervera Del Río Alhama, Pradillo.
For the broader travel overview: La Rioja.
