Cerro Piedra Bola, Jalisco State, Mexico
Feb 17, 2018 6:32:04 GMT -5
kk, gmitch067, and 1 more like this
Post by 1dave on Feb 17, 2018 6:32:04 GMT -5
"That looks interesting" thought I.
I pasted the above address into Google Earth and received the following response:
"we couldn't understand that Location."
That began a 5 hour GE search along winding mountain roads.
www.mexconnect.com/articles/3458-las-piedras-bola-the-great-stone-balls-of-ahualulco
Though we may never know for sure how the Piedras Bola came into being, they are one of Mexico's - and the world's - most curious natural wonders and well worth a visit.
How to get there
From the Guadalajara periférico or ring road, take highway 15 (Nogales and Tepic) 25 kilometers to highway 70, which heads southwest towards Ameca. This is only accessible from the libre, so don't get on the cuota (toll road). Go about 17 kilometers until you come to the big sugar refinery on the road at the Tala turnoff. Continuing towards Ameca about 1.5 km, turn right onto the road heading for Teuchitlán and Ahualulco. From this turnoff, it's 27 kilometers to Ahualulco. Just past the town, turn left onto the scenic highway to Ameca.
Drive 13 kilometers to the hikers' parking spot at 13 Q 600865 2283421 (GPS UTM coordinates with WGS84 datum) and climb the stairs. If you have a bicycle or a horse, drive another kilometer south to the second parking area and start up the wide "trail" which ends at the amphitheater.
Walk another 400 meters north to find the stone balls scattered round about 13 Q 598199 2284120. The biggest stone ball, according to the UDG, is right in this area at 13 Q 598163 2284135 (if they were using WGS84 as a datum, which is not mentioned).
How to get there
From the Guadalajara periférico or ring road, take highway 15 (Nogales and Tepic) 25 kilometers to highway 70, which heads southwest towards Ameca. This is only accessible from the libre, so don't get on the cuota (toll road). Go about 17 kilometers until you come to the big sugar refinery on the road at the Tala turnoff. Continuing towards Ameca about 1.5 km, turn right onto the road heading for Teuchitlán and Ahualulco. From this turnoff, it's 27 kilometers to Ahualulco. Just past the town, turn left onto the scenic highway to Ameca.
Drive 13 kilometers to the hikers' parking spot at 13 Q 600865 2283421 (GPS UTM coordinates with WGS84 datum) and climb the stairs. If you have a bicycle or a horse, drive another kilometer south to the second parking area and start up the wide "trail" which ends at the amphitheater.
Walk another 400 meters north to find the stone balls scattered round about 13 Q 598199 2284120. The biggest stone ball, according to the UDG, is right in this area at 13 Q 598163 2284135 (if they were using WGS84 as a datum, which is not mentioned).
Luckily GE had recently driven the road and I was able to see the Km posts. At long last I found Km14 and back tracked to 13.
Blink and you will miss it. perhaps enough for two cars to park.
From here you have a 6 km walk. Take lots of water!