There are many places in Medellin with a panoramic view of the city. Because Medellin is in a valley surrounded by hills and mountains, it doesn’t matter which direction you go, all around there are hills and overlooks with stunning views.

On an early Saturday morning, we hiked up one of the hills called “Cerro de las Tres Cruces” (Hill of Three Crosses). The trail is rated a 2.5-3.0 difficulty on a 1-5 scale. What makes this trail unique is that it is straight up with no switchbacks and no twists and turns, so there is no need for a trail map and it’s impossible to get lost. It is ¾ mile with an incline of over 1,000 feet. The trail bed is mostly clay with some steps dug into the trail to assist in the hike to the top.

Our Climb

We arrived at the foot of the hill mid-morning although we had been told it was best to hike early in the morning. The trail offers no shade so it can get hot on the way to the top. At the foot of the trail, there was a Virgin Mary statue and we passed by two more religious statues on the way to the top.

This trail is one of the most popular trails in Medellin and there were a lot of people on it.  We saw all types on the trail including fitness freaks walking with leg weights and others running up the hill, old-timers doing the hike for the hundredth time, regular Colombians, occasional foreigners, and even a one-legged man. We just kept a steady pace to get to the top

At the half-way point, there is a small rest and play area along with a refreshment stand selling water, juice, energy snacks and fresh fruit. We stopped for fresh orange juice.

As we continued our climb, we met a woman (wearing a heavy sweatsuit in the heat) hiking to the top. This woman told us that she was 80 years old and that she hikes the trail two to three times a week. She was using a walking stick to help her maintain her footing and balance. She even offered to help us by extending her walking stick to us. She asked if we wanted to hold on to it and she would pull us up. Of course, we graciously declined but she (and the man with one-leg using crutches to climb the hill) did inspire us to continue on. At one point, I was catching my breath when I heard her say “si, se puede” – you can do it.

At the top, we were rewarded to a beautiful panoramic view of the city. We rested and enjoyed the view but did not work out at the outdoor mountain-top gym as the other (more fit) people did. The gym had various work-out apparatus as well as cement weights and big tires to flip. We were surprised at the number of people working out.

We sat in the shade and enjoyed a slice of fresh, cold watermelon from the fruit stand at the top before we headed back down.

As we enjoyed the view of the city we met other hikers from the United States, Canada, and Europe. We saw the three crosses for which the trail is named and which we had seen lit and visible from the valley floor of Medellin.

The short (but intense) hike is a must-do for any fitness-minded person in Medellin. Go for the view, stay for the work-out, and finish with fresh fruit and juice.