Black Lagoon

The Laguna Negra de Urbión is a lagoon of glacial origin located in the municipality of Vinuesa, at an altitude of 1,800-2,000 meters, wedged between rocky walls shaped by ice and surrounded by a dense mountain pine forest. Its basin is part of the Natural Park of the Laguna Negra and the Glacial Cirques of Urbión, a protected area where the landscape is marked by glacial processes, streams, pastures and masses of Scots pine. From the point of visit the dark sheet of water, the rocky front that encases it and the contrast between the lagoon and the forest can be seen. On clear days, the whole transmits well the severe and cold character of the glacial cirque; it is also a good starting point for those who continue towards the Laguna Larga, the Laguna Helada or the source of the Duero. The lagoon is among the best known sites in Soria and Castilla y León, and its surroundings are included in the Natura Network and in a special protection area for birds. The visit is especially recommended in spring and autumn, when the flow, the colors of the forest and the low light enhance the contrast of the landscape; in summer it is advisable to go early because of the influx and the heat on the way up.[9