Font del Bosc Negre

Font del Bosc Negre is a forest spring in the Obaga hills above Andorra la Vella, reached on foot within the parish’s network of woodland paths and viewpoints. It is a natural waypoint near the Bosc Negre lookout, not the lookout itself. The spring sits in a shaded mountain setting where paths connect the La Comella area, Camí de la Font de Sansa and the Palomera forest. Visitors come for the walk and the wooded landscape rather than for built facilities or a staffed attraction. It can be included on a wider circuit through several springs and viewpoints, but should not be treated as a roadside stop.

The clearest official context is the Circuit de les Fonts, an 8.57-kilometre loop from the La Comella picnic area with about 343 metres of ascent and descent and a typical duration of three and a half hours. The route passes Collet de la Trapella, Font de Ferro and Font del Cuc, then reconnects with Camí del Bosc Negre and heads toward Palomera. Visit Andorra describes the Bosc Negre section as a gently traversed pine forest before a junction where hikers continue uphill to Font del Cuc; the route then returns via a forest track and the Comella viewpoint. These route figures apply to the complete circuit, not a direct trip to this spring, and the exact spring pin is not listed as a numbered stop in that guide.

A separate official route, Miradors de l’Obaga, helps place the spring in relation to the Bosc Negre lookout. The 8.425-kilometre circuit is estimated at three hours and forty minutes, with 598 metres of ascent and descent. It starts near the Serradells sports centre, follows quiet forest paths and reaches Mirador del Bosc Negre at a published altitude of 1,443 metres. The official guide describes this as a viewpoint with panoramic views over Andorra la Vella; it is a separate named feature from Font del Bosc Negre. The spring is slightly higher in one recent GPS record, around 1,452 metres, so use a detailed map or local route markers if your goal is specifically the water source rather than the viewpoint.

Recent user-recorded routes provide the most direct spring-specific evidence. A 2025 circular walk from La Comella lists the Font del Bosc Negre waypoint around 1,452 metres and records it near the lookout. Its author describes a moderate outing of roughly seven kilometres, with several other springs including Font de Ferro, Font del Cuc, Font de l’Astrell and Font de Palomera. A second community route also names the spring. These GPS tracks are helpful for understanding the sequence of nearby features, but they are not official maintenance reports, and their duration, distance and difficulty vary with the selected loop. The exact spring is close enough to the viewpoint that some descriptions may blur them together; verify the spring symbol or sign on your map.

The forest route combines several different experiences in a compact area: pine woodland, shaded paths, water points, interpretive signs and outlooks across the capital. Official tourism information places the viewpoint network in the Obaga forest and notes that the broader paths pass through Palomera woodland, dry-stone walls and areas of archaeological interest. The municipality’s Circuit de les Fonts passes through damp vegetation and mentions species such as aspen, whitebeam and fir along the circuit. Those details describe the wider woodland environment rather than a botanical inventory at the spring itself. Stay on the marked path, avoid disturbing small wet areas and leave the spring banks as you found them.

There are no fixed opening hours for a natural spring on a forest route. The Circuit de les Fonts is seasonally recommended from late June to late September, while the separate Miradors de l’Obaga route is presented as a longer forest outing. These different route recommendations should not be read as conflicting gate hours; the paths are outdoors and access depends on weather, snow, ice, daylight and maintenance. In wet conditions, forest soil and pine needles can make slopes slippery. A recent hiker specifically notes loose ground and pine debris on a descent, recommending walking poles. Check local conditions and choose the route for your experience level before leaving La Comella or Serradells.

Do not rely on Font del Bosc Negre as a drinking-water source. The reviewed official materials establish nearby springs and routes but do not publish a current potability notice for this exact outlet. One recent GPS track notes that some springs had water seasonally and that the water was untreated; this is not a water-quality certification. Carry drinking water for the full walk and treat the spring as a natural feature unless a current sign explicitly says otherwise. The water may be absent or reduced in dry periods, and seasonal flow is not guaranteed.

The area can be approached from La Comella or linked to the larger Miradors de l’Obaga network, but the best starting point depends on whether you want springs, viewpoints or a longer forest circuit. Official route material gives clear trailheads and full-loop distances for the Circuit de les Fonts and Miradors de l’Obaga; use those numbers when planning the full route, not as the spring’s own access distance. A direct visit may be shorter, but route junctions and nearby duplicate names make an offline map useful. Keep Font del Bosc Negre separate from Mirador del Bosc Negre, Font del Cuc and Font de Sansa as you navigate.

Font del Bosc Negre is most rewarding as a quiet stop within a wider walk through Andorra la Vella’s upper forest. There is no ticket, staffed counter or published daily timetable. Bring grippy footwear, enough water and a layer for shaded sections, and leave time to enjoy the outlooks as well as the spring. The official routes show that the area can be visited on a moderate or longer circuit, but the appropriate choice depends on ground conditions and your walking experience. Confirm your route, follow waymarks and do not assume that the nearby lookout and spring are the same place.