The Despeñaperros Natural Park is a gorge and protected natural space located in the municipality of Santa Elena, north of the Province of Jaén, in Andalusia and excavated by the Despeñaperros River.

It is a gorge with steep walls, with slopes of more than 500 m in height and widely used by man throughout history, being a natural pass of the Sierra Morena and the main connection point between Andalusia and the Plateau through Castilla la Mancha.

Important communication routes have historically passed through Despeñaperros, both by road, with the southern highway, and by rail. Rail access was the most important to all of Andalusia (except for the Mérida-Seville line) until 1992, with the construction of the high-speed line Puertollano-Córdoba (90 km to the west).

The name "Despeñaperros" comes from the name Bezpaña Perros, which meant 'the last border of Spain', as it is on the limits of the Plateau. Being the limit of Spain (Castilla) with Andalusia, this being the four kingdoms of Andalusia.