See the sections
The four car parks on the Senda del Oso are free and add up to around 135 spaces: Entrago (~60), Tuñón (~40), Proaza (~20) and Buyera (~15 informal). In July and August they fill up before 10 am.
By David Pintado · 6 min read
Car parks by section
Each access point to the Ruta del Oso has its parking area, and choosing the right one decides your day: the greenway is linear, 22 km from Entrago to Tuñón plus the Quirós branch, so where you leave the car sets the route.
The short rule: Entrago for the classic bike plan, Proaza and Tuñón for the loops on foot, and Buyera only to get close to the bear enclosure.
The Entrago car park, at km 0, is the largest in the valley: around 60 free spaces right at the start of the greenway.
It is the natural base for the classic bike plan — 18 km of gentle descent to the Buyera area, 2-3 hours with stops — and right there, at Polígono de Pradacón, Nave 1, is the pick-up point for bike rental.
If you are renting a bike, park in Entrago without a second thought: the pick-up point is at Polígono de Pradacón, steps from the car park, and the rate includes the return transfer from Buyera, so the car waits for you exactly where the plan ends.
Proaza, at km 14, has around 20 spaces and the village centre 200 metres from the greenway.
It is the tactical car park for the short plan: the 5 km loop (1.5 hours) and the visit to the Bear House, from where the Fundación Oso de Asturias manages the enclosure's visiting times. In exchange, it is the first to run out of room: 20 cars gather on any Saturday morning.
The Buyera area, at km 18, only offers some 15 informal spots next to the picnic tables and the fountain. It sits 0.8 km from Molina's enclosure — a 20-minute walk — so it is the first to overflow.
Tuñón, at km 22, adds around 40 spaces and is the logical entrance if you come from Oviedo (40 km, 45 minutes): from there start the 10 km loop on foot (3 hours) and the 300-metre detour to the pre-Romanesque church of 891 AD.
For the Quirós branch, park free in Santa Marina, its head: from there the branch runs 8-10 km down to Caranga, where it joins the main greenway. This is the summary, with Entrago as km 0:
Entrago (Teverga)
Km 0 · ~60 free spaces.
- Classic bike plan
- Rental pick-up next door
Proaza
Km 14 · ~20 free spaces.
- 5 km loop
- Bear House in the village
Buyera
Km 18 · ~15 informal spots.
- Molina's viewpoint, 0.8 km away
- Picnic tables and fountain beside it
Tuñón (Santo Adriano)
Km 22 · ~40 free spaces.
- 10 km loop
- Entrance from Oviedo
Santa Marina (Quirós)
Head of the branch · free, no published capacity.
- Quirós branch, 8-10 km to Caranga
Free areas
Every parking area on the greenway is free: in Entrago, Tuñón, Proaza, Buyera and Santa Marina you pay nothing to leave the car. We are talking about some 120 official spaces plus Buyera's 15 informal spots, a short supply for the summer crowds: that is why arrival time matters far more than price here.
The free parking matches the rest of the day: the outdoor viewpoint of the bear enclosure is also free, as is the entire greenway. The only fixed cost, if any, is the bike — from €28 for a full day, with all the rates here — and whatever you spend at Buyera's seasonal bar.
Two nuances to use these areas well. Buyera works better for dropping off and picking up than as a base for the whole day: they are informal spots right by the picnic tables and should not be occupied for hours in high season.
And if everything is full, San Martín de Teverga has a village car park one kilometre from the start of the greenway.
High-season advice
In July, August, Easter week and on long weekends, the greenway's car parks fill up before 10 am. Our advice is firm: arrive before 9:30 or swap the car for the bus, because by mid-morning you are no longer choosing a car park, you are hunting for one.
Getting up early pays double here. The 9-11 am window is one of the two best for seeing Molina the bear at the enclosure, with a 70% chance in the cooler hours, and the greenway's more than 30 tunnels run 4-5 degrees cooler than outside: in the middle of August you are grateful for every one of them.
If you arrive late, apply plan B in sequence: first Entrago, which with 60 spaces holds out the longest; then Proaza; and last Tuñón. Do not count on Buyera in high season: its 15 informal spots are the first to disappear.
The alternative almost nobody uses and it works: the Oviedo–San Martín de Teverga bus line stops in Tuñón, Proaza, Caranga and Entrago, with a journey of around 55 minutes from Oviedo. Timetables change by season, so confirm them with the Asturias Transport Consortium.
You skip the parking battle and, along the way, solve the return leg of a linear route; the detail of roads and access points is in getting there.
If you sleep in the valley, the problem vanishes: the beds are concentrated in Proaza, Teverga and Quirós, less than 10 minutes from the access points, and many places pick you up along the route and store your bikes; we cover it in where to stay.
And if you can choose your dates, May-June and September give you a quiet greenway and parking without the early alarm: we expand on it in the best-time guide.
Ruta del Oso