In this article, we examine the problem of tourist trails located in city peripheries, using a case study of trails in the Cerro Pan de Azúcar, a geographic area in the central-eastern suburbs of Medellín, Colombia. To this end, extant literature was examined regarding issues such as urban development, city peripheries, popular neighbourhoods, tourist trails and the territory. Additionally, with an exploratory methodology and fieldwork based on visual prospecting, participatory work with local communities and surveying topographic profiles, the study area was contextualised and technical data sheets were developed, which provide data on the trails studied. The findings are translated into technical information that contribute to promoting and preserving the environment to the extent that recognising the trails and promoting local inhabitants make these paths a viable alternative for social, environmental and economic development. Conclude that it is necessary to draw attention to the issue of peripheral trail preservation on any municipal administration's agenda, as otherwise, they inevitably tend to disappear. © 2019 AJHTL.