Urkiola Natural Park is a protected area located in the southeastern corner of Biscay and Álava in the northern Basque Country, Spain. It is a protected area of . It was declared a Natural Park on 29 December 1989. The Park's highest mountain summit is Anboto at . This mountain has a strong mythological significance. Is the main dwelling of Mari, a figure of Basque mythology. Urkiola Natural Park and Gorbea Natural Park form an important environmental unit. Landscape features and easy access have been fundamental to leisure and sports use. Description and access Urkiola Natural Park covers an area of and has a perimeter of . The Natural Park is located in eight municipalities, seven in Biscay and one in Álava. Landscape The landscape of Urkiola Park consists of limestone masses. These rocks have steep slopes, with gullies and cliffs. Karst plains support a diverse and rugged landscape consisting of different proportions of shrubs, grasses, rocks, beech and pine forests. Mining activity is important in the park and its vicinity. While mineral extraction has been a traditional activity within the land that makes up the Urkiola Natural Park, the mines were closed long ago. LImestone quarries, opencast mines that have a great impact on the landscape, have remained active since the formation of Urkiola Natural Park. Geology The abundance of limestone and rainfall in the area has led to a very rich karstic relief, with many caves with prehistoric remains of human occupation, sinkholes and fissures. Climate The climate is warm oceanic, with high rainfall with a clear decrease in the summer. Most of the park is about above sea level. The annual rainfall is around . The temperature is mild, with a marine influence, and a range between mean minimum and maximum average , with an annual average of . Vegetation and Fauna Vegetation The vegetation of Urkiola Natural Park presents typical features of the Cantabrian-Atlantic provinces of the Euro-Siberian region, with features of the Mediterranean region. The vegetation is: Altitudes above , where there is presence of boreal-alpine floral elements. Large area of limestone rock mass which favour the development of sub-Mediterranean floral elements. Flora The park's vegetation has been influenced by human exploitation through centuries of occupation. Obviously the height and geology also determine the type of vegetation. Have cataloged a total of 694 taxa (species, subspecies and hybrids), among which 156 are classified as being