El Zopilote Geoglyph

The Valle de Mexicali is home to Cerro Prieto, one of the 16 volcanoes in Baja California. Cerro Prieto (or “dark hill”) is referred to in the local Cucapá language as the home of the Vulture (zopilote).  For the Cucapá, the peak is revered due to the legends surrounding its creation.  

The lagoon on the extinct volcano’s crater dried up because of the area’s abundant geothermal energy. Hoping to promote this emblematic point of interest—which during a certain time of year is a nesting site for huge flocks of vultures—a project was planned to revive the area. Today, you can see a huge image of a vulture crafted in volcanic rock inside the crater—measuring 656-feet long with a 623-feet wingspan. As steam rises from the bedrock, an amazing scene is created. The best way to appreciate it is from above, to truly grasp the scale and majesty of this region’s emblematic bird.