Do Not Hike Cretan Canyons in December

Crete’s gorges look scenic in pictures. In December, they are not for tourists. They are closed, dangerous, and fatal if you ignore that.

Samaria Gorge is Closed

Samaria Gorge — the one everyone thinks they can conquer — is officially closed in winter. The National Park does not allow visitors once the regular hiking season ends. Heavy water flow, rockfall risk, and unstable terrain make it too dangerous. Local authorities shut it down to prevent precisely the kind of stupidity we see every year.

Even when the gorge is closed, people still go into Samaria Park and the surrounding areas, thinking “it’s just a walk.” That’s not hiking — it’s a death wish.

A Tragic Example

In March 2025, a 21-year-old German tourist named Johann Williams went missing after attempting to hike near the Samaria Gorge outside the official season. His rented car was found at the trailhead, but he never checked in with anyone. After weeks of searching, volunteer climbers found his body in rugged terrain high up near Mount Gingilos. Reports indicate he likely succumbed to cold and exhaustion — hypothermia — after overestimating his own abilities and the severity of conditions.

This is what happens when tourists treat Crete’s mountains like easy holiday paths.

Other Canyons Are Not “Open Because There’s No Sign”

Crete has many beautiful gorges — Imbros, Kourtaliotiko, Richtis, Ha, and others. None of them come with official winter closure signs, but that doesn’t mean they’re safe. From November 1 through the end of March, all canyons should be considered closed in practice:

• Heavy rains can cause flash floods
• Limestone becomes ice-slicked
• Trails are unmaintained
• No rescue teams are prepped for hundreds of lost tourists

Local guides, park rangers, and rescue units treat this period as a no-go zone every year because conditions change too fast and too often for amateurs to survive.

No “open” sign = no safety. Period.

The Street Logic (What Locals Mean)

When a Cretan says a canyon is “closed,” they don’t mean there’s a gate with a lock. They mean:
Do not go there. Ever. Not in December. Not for photos. Not for “just half the way.”

There is no enforcement out on the rocks — just weather, terrain, and gravity.

Crete’s canyons are stunning. In winter, they are death traps for anyone who treats them like a casual walk.

If you go alone, you will have nobody to pull you out — and rescue teams won’t arrive in time because the same conditions that put you in trouble also slow down teams.

Do not hike canyons in December.
Do not hike alone.
Do not pretend ignorance is protection.

You’ve been warned.

Organized Winter Hiking Is a Different Thing

Winter hiking in Crete does exist — but it is not casual and not individual. It is done in organized groups, usually led by experienced mountaineering associations such as the Heraklion Mountaineering Association (Ορειβατικός Σύλλογος Ηρακλείου) and similar clubs across the island.

These groups:

• Move in numbers, not alone
• Have leaders who know winter terrain and weather behavior
• Choose routes appropriate for the season
• Cancel outings when conditions are unsafe

This is not comparable to a visitor deciding to “go for a walk” in the mountains in December. Organized mountaineering is planned, supervised, and disciplined. Solo winter hiking by tourists is none of those things.