The Montes de Toledo are located in the central regions of the Iberian Peninsula, cutting transversally from east to west across the lower portion of the
Meseta Central. The length of the Montes de Toledo is and their maximum width up to near
Sonseca and
Puertollano. The eastern Montes de Toledo ranges form one of the natural limits of the historical
La Mancha region in
Castile-La Mancha and the western end, including the ranges forming the broader Montes de Toledo, reaches into
Portalegre District,
Portugal.
Geology Geologically the series of ranges making up the system were formed by
Alpine orogeny, but unlike the
Central System further north the Montes de Toledo comprise an older
terrain of elongated belts of folded and
thrust faulted
sedimentary rocks that is quite heavily eroded. The geological structure of the Montes de Toledo is similar to the
geology of the Appalachians and akin as well to the geology of the
Sierra Morena range further south.
Ranges The Montes de Toledo are divided in the following
physiographic longitudinal sectors or zones: • The Montes de Toledo in a strict sense are located in the eastern section of the system, in northwestern
Ciudad Real Province and southwestern
Toledo Province, giving its name to the
Montes de Toledo Comarca. Despite its name this comarca only includes a small part of the range. The main summits of this region are
Rocigalgo (),
Corral de Cantos (), Peñafiel () and Amor (1379). • The main range of this zone is
Sierra de la Calderina, with the
Sierra de la Virgen (highest point high Pico Alamillo),
Sierra Luenga,
Sierra Arando,
Sierra del Reventón,
Sierra Morrones and
Sierra de la Cueva subranges. • Other ranges of this zone are
Sierra de los Yébenes,
Sierra de San Pablo,
Macizos de Montalbán and
Macizos de Rocilargo. • The broader Montes de Toledo system includes the following ranges stretching towards the west: •
Sierra de Altamira, highest point
Riscos Altos (). Other noteworthy peaks are
Risco de las Moras () and
Risco de los Gavilanes (). It is located in
La Jara Comarca at the border area between Extremadura and Castilla-La Mancha. Nearby are minor ranges such as the
Sierra de Sevilleja,
Sierra de la Hiruela and
Sierra del Horno, also known collectively as
"Sierras de la Jara". •
Sierra del Hospital del Obispo, parallel to the Sierra de Altamira further east.
Cervales, , is the highest point of the range. The
Guadarranque River runs by
Navatrasierra in the valley between the two ranges. •
Sierra de Villuercas, also known as
Sierra de Guadalupe, it rises within Extremadura in
Las Villuercas comarca,
province of Cáceres. This range is where the highest altitudes of the whole system are found. Besides high
La Villuerca, the highest peaks are
Carbonero (), Ballesteros (), Sobacorbas () and Risco Redondo (). •
Sierra de Montánchez, located in the central/southern region of Cáceres Province. Its highest point is high
Monte Viejo. Other notable summits are
Cancho Blanco () and Alijares (). •
Sierra de San Pedro, between Cáceres and
Badajoz provinces. Its highest peaks are
Torrico de San Pedro (), Atalaya (), Chorlo (), Morrón del Cotarro () and Manzano (). The
Sierra de Carbajo, also known as
Sierra de Santiago is a small range located north of the western end of Sierra de San Pedro, above
Carbajo and
Santiago de Alcántara. •
Serra de São Mamede, located in the
Alto Alentejo Province,
Portugal, bordering Extremadura. Higher than the preceding two ranges, this range forms the western end of the greater Montes de Toledo. Its highest point is high
Pico de São Mamede. Other important peaks are Fria, Pico de Marvão and Castelo de Vide. The town of
Marvão is located on top of a ridge of the range.
Main ranges and features File:dehesa_cabaneros.jpg|A
dehesa, traditional pastoral management in the Montes de Toledo File:Vista hacia el sur desde puerto de Los Santos (Ciudad Real).jpg|Montes de Toledo landscape in puerto de Los Santos (Ciudad Real) with the
Sierra de la Virgen on the right File:Montes de Toledo.jpg|
Scree slopes in the Montes de Toledo File:Carrascalejo sierra 01.jpg|View of
Sierra de Altamira near
Carrascalejo File:Marvão.JPG|View of Marvão peak in
Serra de São Mamede File:Montanchez.(Cáceres) DSCN0134.JPG|
Sierra de Montánchez above
Montánchez town File:Vista de San Pablo desde la carretera de las Navillas.JPG|
San Pablo de los Montes below the
Sierra de San Pablo File:Puerto de los Santos.JPG|
Puerto de los Santos mountain pass across
Sierra de la Calderina in
Villarrubia de los Ojos municipal term File:Robledillo (toledo).jpg|Mountains above Robledillo village near
Robledo del Mazo File:Castanar ibor1.jpg|View of
Sierra de la Palomera above
Castañar de Ibor File:Presa Santa Lucía (Navezuelas).jpg|
Sierra de Villuercas and
Santa Lucia Dam File:Alburquerque (Badajoz).jpg|View of
Alburquerque with the
Sierra de San Pedro in the horizon File:Montes de Toledo 1.jpg|View over part of the range, east of the
Cabañeros National Park. Also visible is the Torre de Abraham reservoir. ==Protected areas==