Levada da Rocha Vermelha
Fanal to canal guard house
Long north-side levada; officially closed; confirm on the IFCN list before planning.
Photo: Ximonic (Simo Räsänen)CC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons
Trail closed by order: do not enter
IFCN has closed access because of rockfall, unstable ground, or gales. Respect all barriers.
Current conditions & safety:
- The forestry service has closed this walk. Do not go in.
“ENCERRADO segundo lista oficial IFCN.”
Before you leave: timing & departure
Official trail closure or summit gale gusts exceed safety thresholds. Conditions will not clear sufficiently today.
Leave exposed ridges or unlit levadas at least 2 hours before dusk.
Walkers without proper boots. Mud and rock can be slippery.
Public bus
Not a live timetable. Colors match the map: bus, walk, taxi gap. Clocks appear only from a full PDF or from the Horários do Funchal feed. Where there is no bus: licensed taxi or private transfer. The taxi lines use the 2026 IMT meter on named road kilometres. This site does not book the ride.
- 1
Hike
Hike between trailheads, about 5 hours. That figure is the trail estimate, not a bus time.
Classified PRs need a Simplifica booking, including RAM residents who pay nothing. A paid booking does not open a closed trail.
Camping only in IFCN zones, licence on Simplifica, €5 per tent per night. Wild camping and fires are not allowed.
Mountain weather at elevation
Temperatures on Madeira drop by roughly 6.5°C per 1,000 metres of elevation. High ridges are significantly colder and windier than the coast.
Elevation Profile & Mountain Cloud Ceiling
Cross-section of the route relative to the trade-wind cloud layer (Mar de Nuvens), tunnel sections, and exposed cliff edges.
PR28 rises from 800m to 1130m over 10.7 km. Estimated cloud base is about 800m with tops near 1250m. The route lies inside the cloud deck; expect poor visibility and wet rock.
Route Equipment & Permit Checklist
Official gear guidelines, tunnel safety requirements, and conservation fees for this specific route.
PR28 Warning / Closure: Recommended Open Alternatives
Do not walk past closed gates. These alternative Madeira walking routes avoid the summit cloud deck or storm front and are officially open in the IFCN register today.
Levada da Fajã do Rodrigues
Fajã da Ama to Ribeira do Inferno
Escaping the water-saturated high plateau to leeward southern or dry eastern trails.
Highest point is 600m (530m lower than Fanal to canal guard house). Situated well beneath the condensation cloud layer.
Levada do Rei
São Jorge to Ribeiro Bonito
Escaping the water-saturated high plateau to leeward southern or dry eastern trails.
Highest point is 540m (590m lower than Fanal to canal guard house). Situated well beneath the condensation cloud layer.
Vereda das Funduras
Portela – Maroços
Escaping the water-saturated high plateau to leeward southern or dry eastern trails.
Highest point is 600m (530m lower than Fanal to canal guard house). Coastal sea-level sunshine and volcanic peninsula views.
Fanal to canal guard house: sunrise, first light & departure
Astronomically calculated for 1130 m elevation (0.98° horizon dip). The sun crests about six minutes earlier than sea level in Funchal.
Depart Funchal by 06:31 to secure trailhead parking before the lot fills (around 06:15) and reach the viewpoint ahead of first civil light (07:42).
Morning light progression
Frequently asked questions · PR28 Levada da Rocha Vermelha
Is PR28 (Levada da Rocha Vermelha) open or closed today in Madeira?
The official IFCN status for PR28 Levada da Rocha Vermelha is currently CLOSED. Mountain trail access is updated by IFCN for rockfall, wet rock, or gale warnings. Physical trailhead barriers and ranger notices always override online statuses.
What are the current weather and cloud conditions at Levada da Rocha Vermelha?
Mountain weather across Madeira differs drastically from Funchal. At PR28 (spanning 800m to 1130m), trade winds often create a thick cloud layer between 1,000m and 1,400m while the highest peaks may sit in clear sunshine. Check the live mountain camera above before setting out.
Do I need to pay an entrance fee or permit for PR28?
No specific access fee is currently mandated for this trail, subject to standard regional environmental conservation rules.
What should I do if PR28 is closed?
Never bypass closed gates or warning tape. If the central peaks or northern levadas are closed by weather, the East Coast (PR8 Ponta de São Lourenço) or lower southern levadas typically provide dry, sunny fallback conditions.
How does parking and return transport work at Levada da Rocha Vermelha?
This is a linear one-way traverse (10.7 km). Start and end points are in different valleys. Pre-book your taxi or private return shuttle, as remote mountain trailheads (e.g. Achada do Teixeira) have no regular bus service.