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K7BVT
Junior Nomad
Posts: 56
Registered: 8-24-2012
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El Marmol
Would like to visit El Marmol. Looks like about 10 miles off Hwy 1. Is road OK for high clearance 2WD ( rig makes it to Mikes from Hwy 3 OK). Any
gates to deal with?
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David K
Honored Nomad
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No gates, just over 9 miles, 2WD high clearance friendly. I have not been back since our group went through there in 2011. Haven't heard of any
changes by others who have. El Volcán is 4 miles further but may be difficult to turn around or park in a 2WD in the arroyo. The geyser is a short
walk to the right, in the arroyo. See the trip photos.
[Edited on 2-2-2023 by David K]
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MMc
Super Nomad
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I was there in Oct. They are mining it again and have closed off some areas, I didn't see anybody but it is fenced off. The road is in good shape as
there is another mine using it. Your truck will be fine.
"Never teach a pig to sing it frustrates you and annoys the pig" - W.C.Fields
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
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Location: La Paz, BCS
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nothing interesting to see in El Marmol
Harald Pietschmann
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David K
Honored Nomad
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It is a place of history...
El Mármol is home to the world's only school made of onyx (half-destroyed about 20 years ago). Here is my article on its history:
https://www.bajabound.com/bajaadventures/bajatravel/the_onyx...
Here are the photos of El Mármol and El Volcán from the Nomad trip of 2011 (a blog page): http://vivabajablog.blogspot.com/2011/07/lost-mission-expedi...
Here is my El Mármol web page of 2006: http://vivabaja.com/marmol/
My 2018 map of the region:
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Jack Swords
Super Nomad
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Location: Nipomo, CA/La Paz, BCS
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https://www.bajabound.com/images/content/the_onyx_schoolhous...
Also there are a variety of old graves scattered around, bodies covered with onyx stones. There is an old airstrip with what remains of an old
airplane. Many parts and car bodies from old (1920s) cars. Truly a fascinating place. Drive farther to the cold water spring continuing to make
onyx. Tough place to work in that era. Going west you can encounter the old port for shipping the onyx.
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Don Pisto
Super Nomad
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I recall a number of years ago there was talk of a road going from el marmol coming out at the 5 south of puertecitos.....did this ever happen?
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bajaric
Senior Nomad
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Dry waterfalls have thwarted all modern attempts (that I know of) to make it from El Marmol down to the shoreline in this area. It was said that at
one time a "wagon trail" went up from the coast opposite Isla El Muerto to the top, but it has long since been washed out. One idea I had was to hike
up Arroyo Volcan past the geyser, then hop across the divide to the east and follow one of the arroyos back down, but looks pretty rough up there and
bad knees and diminished lung capacity have ruled out such an attempt on my part.
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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
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"have closed off some areas" What areas?
"it is fenced off" Where is it fenced off?
Did you go to El Volcan? Is it still all torn up with hoses draining the pools?
"from El Marmol down to the shoreline" - only about 12 miles as the crow flies. Would be fun to try. I'd only like to go one-way however - need some
support on the coast side. I'm sure the indigenous did it - I've seen shells between El Volcan and the mine.
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MMc
Super Nomad
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"have closed off some areas" What areas?
The area they have started taking out some of the onix there.
"it is fenced off" Where is it fenced off? As you drive up to the buildings it's the area to the right. There is a barbed wire fence that runs past
the grave area in one direction and past the sand wash in the other.
No, I didn't go to El Volcan. The road goes past the onix mine to another mine, I didn't go to it ether.
I was answering K7BVT question as to going there. Feel free to explore it yourself.
"Never teach a pig to sing it frustrates you and annoys the pig" - W.C.Fields
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David K
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The road past the onyx mine to the northeast is going to La Olvidada. That's the other mine. It is a barite mine. Barite is used for oil drilling. It
passes over Arroyo el Volcán in 4 miles from El Mármol and goes 6 more miles to end at La Olvidada, high above the gulf coast, south of El
Huerfanito.
The geyser (soda springs) and giant onyx dome of El Volcán is (to me) one of those special Baja sites that shouldn't be missed.
Road fork at El Mármol, and onyx schoolhouse in background. Mina La Olvidada is 10 miles from here.
The geyser of El Volcán, in 2006.
In 2011
Bubbling spring on top of geyser.
[Edited on 11-4-2019 by David K]
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Don Pisto
Super Nomad
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about 10 years ago a group of riders made the trip from puertecitos to marmol, you can find the report over at TT unfortunately all the photos got
caught up in that photobucket debacle ......these guys were xlnt riders.
[Edited on 11-4-2019 by Don Pisto]
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David K
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BillB, GilaOro, and a third Nomad explored Arroyo el Volcán from the gulf side, just south of El Huerfanito. They discovered the dry waterfall making
a wheeled vehicle unable to use it to reach El Mármol.
We discovered in 2011, that very soon after hiking from the La Olvidada road, in Arroyo el Volcán, boulders made it impossible for bajalou to get his
quad through.
FYI, in the Baja Almanac and Mexican topo maps, the arroyo is mislabeled as "Zamora" and another wash south is labeled as El Volcán.
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David K
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Quote: Originally posted by Don Pisto  | about 10 years ago a group of riders made the trip from puertecitos to marmol, you can find the report over at TT unfortunately all the photos got
caught up in that photobucket debacle......these guys were xlnt riders.
[Edited on 11-4-2019 by Don Pisto] |
If I recall that trip, they used the Bill Nichols trail to go from Hwy. 5 just a few miles south of Puertecitos, west. It goes very close to El
Mármol as it heads west.
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Bill Nichols Trail Map
 
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K7BVT
Junior Nomad
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Registered: 8-24-2012
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We found El Marmol OK. The area was fenced off with 5 strand barb wire and a gate with chain and lock. Disappointed that we couldn't walk around
the site. Bought a piece of Onyx in Ensenada for $5 that was supposed to be from El Marmol.
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John Harper
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People would probably haul off the stones if it wasn't fenced.
John
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David K
Honored Nomad
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The onyx field is huge, acres. Plenty of specimens laying around. I would be surprised if it was all behind a fence now! There are pieces of onyx in
Arroyo el Volcán, too.
Down by Gonzaga Bay is another soda spring creating onyx and there are pieces of pretty onyx in the arroyo near it. Another onyx mine (small scale)
was shown on maps from 1970 era to the north of Gonzaga.
Other onyx mines in Baja California include Cerro Blanco, southwest of Cataviña and El Marmolito south of Nuevo Rosarito. Ore from it was shipped out
at Miller's Landing (near El Tomatal).
[Edited on 12-17-2019 by David K]
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MMc
Super Nomad
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I just hopped the fence. I take only pictures and picked up a bit of trash. Still a nice place to stretch your legs and see something different.
"Never teach a pig to sing it frustrates you and annoys the pig" - W.C.Fields
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
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MMc, you would really enjoy El Volcán... I think anyone would.
Just 4 miles from El Mármol and a short hike (1/4 mile) to the right once you are in the arroyo (bottom of grade). Pools of water, onyx in various
stages of formation, and then the bubbling springs. Maybe you will get lucky and witness an eruption of the geyser! It has never been captured on film
(as best we know).
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