▁has ▁been ▁cut ▁in ▁half ▁and ▁then ▁split ▁into ▁segments , ▁which ▁has ▁left ▁deep ▁rav ines ▁or ▁bar ran cos ▁between ▁them . ▁ ▁E col ogy ▁▁ ▁The ▁upp erm ost ▁s lop es ▁of ▁these ▁bar ran cos , ▁in ▁turn , ▁are ▁covered ▁by ▁the ▁la ur is il va ▁- ▁or ▁la ure l ▁rain ▁forest , ▁where ▁up ▁to ▁ 5 0 ▁inches ▁of ▁precip itation ▁fall ▁each ▁year . ▁ ▁The ▁upper ▁reaches ▁of ▁this ▁dens ely ▁wood ed ▁region ▁are ▁almost ▁perman ently ▁shr oud ed ▁in ▁clouds ▁and ▁mist , ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁are ▁covered ▁in ▁l ush ▁and ▁diverse ▁veget ation : ▁they ▁form ▁the ▁protected ▁environment ▁of ▁Spain ' s ▁Gar aj on ay ▁National ▁Park , ▁which ▁was ▁declared ▁a ▁UN ES CO ▁World ▁Heritage ▁Site ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁The ▁s lop es ▁are ▁cr iss - cross ed ▁by ▁paths ▁that ▁present ▁varying ▁levels ▁of ▁difficulty ▁to ▁visitors , ▁and ▁st unning ▁views ▁to ▁season ed ▁h ik ers . ▁ ▁The ▁central ▁mountains ▁catch ▁the ▁mo ist ure ▁from ▁the ▁trade ▁wind ▁clouds ▁and ▁yield ▁a ▁dense ▁j ung le ▁climate ▁in ▁the ▁cool er ▁air , ▁which ▁contrast s ▁with ▁the ▁war mer , ▁sun - b aked ▁cl iffs ▁near ▁sea ▁level . ▁ ▁Between ▁these ▁extrem es ▁one ▁finds ▁a ▁fasc in ating ▁gam ut ▁of ▁micro cl im ates ; ▁for ▁centuries , ▁the ▁inhabitants ▁of ▁La ▁G om era