Cerro Bola

About

The Cerro Bola is a coastal metavolcanic mountain formation in northwestern Baja California. The Cerro Bola, along with the nearby mountain Cerro Gordo form the highest elevation areas of Tijuana Municipality. Because of its prominence, the transmitters for television station XHDTV and radio station XHPRS-FM are located on the summit of Cerro Bola, which reaches an elevation of 1,260 m (4, 130 ft). It is located approximately 35 km (22 mi) south of the Tecate border crossing, and sits at the southwest end of the Valle de Las Palmas. The mountain range is host to a number of rare and endemic plant species, such as Arctostaphylos bolensis and Ceanothus bolensis. Situated at the southwestern end of the Valle de Las Palmas, but to the southeast of the Abelardo L. Rodríguez Dam, the Cerro Bola formation and its surroundings contains some of the highest points of Tijuana Municipality, reaching up to 1,260 m (4, 130 ft) in elevation. The Cerro Bola and the Cerro Gordo form the two prominent metavolcanic peaks in the area, while to the south of the peaks, the landscape transforms into volcanic tablelands. A 7 km (4.3 mi) out-and-back trail (SP-CBO-10 "Cerro Bola") provides access to the summit of the mountain, offering panoramic views at the top. The strenuous hike is a Class 2 on the Yosemite Decimal System and takes about 3 hours to complete, with an elevation gain of about 988 m (3, 241 ft). The trail was inaugurated in November of 2019 by the Secretary of Sustainable Economy and Tourism of the State of Baja California, Mario Escobedo Carignan, as part of an effort to increase the number of destinations in the region for nature tourism and hiking. The project was financed by the Tecate Economic Development Commission. The trailhead is located in the Valle de Las Palmas, off of Mexican Federal Highway 3.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.