The GLR 22 Motorcycle Adventure Route

	Jaca - Sort		327km
	103km off-road		April / October

Quick GLR 22 overview

The GLR 22 motorcycle adventure route leads you for over 327 kilometers through the Aragon and Catalonia regions of Northern-Spain. 103 of those kilometers will traverse over off-road sections. If the going gets tough, The Back-up Tracks will support you with 5 different sections. With a total of 4 connecting GLRs to this GLR 22, you’re able to continue to Adventurise the region. Let’s get going!

GLR 22 Route info

As part of your Trans-Pyrenean motorcycle adventure, the GLR 22 offers probably the most diverse landscapes of the entire GLR Network. This unique adventure route traverses from west to east alongside the Pyrenean mountain range. It’s because of this, you encounter these many landscapes. From the semi-arid interior of Spain to the lush and green mountains of the north. You start your GLR 22 adventure in the pre-Pyrenean city of Jaca. Once you reach the outer limits of the city, an off-road section sets the mood. After this shorter off-road section, you enter the Aigüestortes I Estany of Saint Maurici National Park. Although this is a beautiful National Park to explore, off-road is off-limits. Therefore an on-road section of 113 km will lead you around. After your visit to the Aigüestortes I Estany of Saint Maurici National Park, an off-road section follows. The peaks start to rise, and you’re able to see the highest mountains of the Pyrenees in the distance. Gradually you make your way towards your destination in Sort. I advise you to keep an eye out for the weather! Especially around Sort, snowdrifts can block the road early in the season. Once you arrive at Sort, you have multiple opportunities to continue your motorcycle adventure! You find all information about the available connections down below.

see connections

GLR 22 Region

You’ll Adventurise with the GLR 22 two provinces of northern Spain. This route crosses Huesca for almost it’s entire width. Near the end, you’ll hop borders into the mountainous north of Lleida. Read all about the region down below!

Huesca

Huesca is a province located in the Aragon region of northern Spain. Almost a quarter of its population lives in its capital. Since the gross of the population lives in the city, the rural areas are kept pristine. Huesca feels wild and like a frontier. Perfect for us as adventure motorcyclists. Huesca’s main attraction is its natural beauty. The province has the tallest mountain of the Pyrenees, the Aneto (3404m). It houses the National Park of Ordesa and Monte Perdido and hides many gorges in its landscape. The climate in the region gets dedicated by the Pyrenees, with an alpine climate to the north. Like most northern regions of Spain, the winters can be very cold and summer hot. Of Course, also depending on the altitude. Further to the south, the continental Mediterranean climate gets overhand, which can be very dry. This is also visible by the vegetation with dry brushes and thorny overgrown. The south of Huesca is very dry and can be scoring hot during summer.

Lleida

In the north-east of Spain, you find the province of Lleida. As it’s located in the west of the autonomous region of Catalonia, it’s often referred to as the “west”. The capital, which carries the same name, houses 30% of the population. With the Pyrenees to the north, it’s especially an upcoming destination for adventure tourists. In the north, you also find Catalonia’s only National Park: Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park. As this may be a beautiful area to explore on foot, for us as motorcycle riders it’s a little more difficult to find the trails we long to. A little more to the south, in the Pre-Pyrenees, lots of mountain trails lead us through the hills. Due to its alpine climate, it can be quite chilly in spring, so expect the occasional snowdrift when planning your ride. If we progress even more to the south, we find the central plains of Lleida. Freedom becomes a new expression in this area. Here you’re able to ride amongst the fields, meadows and century-old olive groves. With its inland climate, the summer can be hot. The many gorges and little lakes provide you with occasional refreshments.

Adventurising isn’t only about getting as fast from A to B! A Region has so much more to offer! That’s why I give you some suggestions about things to do while Adventurising the GLR 22.

Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park

Time to leave your motorcycle behind, because this is a UNESCO National Park. One of its main features is the Odesa Valley. This gate to the Pyrenees is something to behold. I would describe it as the gates to Narnia, especially in spring when the higher Pyrenees still have their white peaks.
more info

Gargantas de Escuaín

Although there are much wider, and deeper canyons in the region, this is one of the lesser-known. The perfect place to cool down on the hotter days, I would say so. Numerous waterfalls and pools provide a lovely place to sit down for a midday break.
more info

Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park

The only National Park of the autonomous region of Catalonia! The Name of this park translates freely into “The winding streams and St. Maurice lake”, which refers to the many lakes with a glacial origin. With almost 200 lakes and peaks rising above 3000m, this is a National Park to visit during your day off!
more info

Aneto

The highest mountain in the Pyrenees is located in the Huesca province, just at the border with France. With an impressive 3404 meters, it stands tall within the mountain range. If that wasn’t impressive enough, it also holds the largest glacier of the Pyrenees!
more info

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Continue your GLR 22 Adventure by connecting different GLRs. To make your life even simpler, I’ve put together all the options down below!

Connections in Jaca

You’re halfway through your Trans-Pyrenean adventure and now you have to make a decision. Do you want to go up north to finish your Pyrenean journey, or do you go down south to extend your trip? Take the GLR 21 up north to Orbaizeta, the finish of the Trans-Pyrenean route. This route will guide you through narrow canyons for over 145 kilometers. Due to regional legislation, only 10 kilometers will traverse over off-road sections. Although the road can’t be seen as a real off-road track, the surface condition is sometimes even worse than off-road!

To GLR 21

On the other hand, you have the option to go south with the GLR 24. This 182-kilometer long GLR guides you through the Huesca province of Spain. Again, due to the stricter off-road laws in the region, this route only sports a little less than 39 kilometers of off-road sections.

Coming Soon!

Connections in Sort

You’ve ended up in Sort and depending on the season, you have two options to continue your motorcycle adventure. Take the GLR 17 straight into Andorra via the infamous smugglers pass. This 216-kilometer long GLR will lead you through Andorra south-east back into Spain. Depending on the season and the likelihood of snowdrifts, this route sports 87 kilometers of off-road sections at altitude.

To GLR 17

On the other hand, the GLR 18 will lead you up north into France. Like the GLR 17, the length of GLR 18 is highly dependent on the season. Snowdrifts disappear in late May to June and hereby clear the roads. With a total length of 218 kilometers, of which 95 off-road, this is an adventure worthy GLR.

To GLR 18

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