Cárcavas de Marchal

Cárcavas de Marchal is a protected natural monument in the province of Granada, one of the most distinctive eroded landscapes in the Guadix region. It lies roughly 55 km east of Granada city, right by the village of Marchal, south of Purullena, close to the A-92 road.

How did these gullies form?

The story of this landscape stretches back around 25 million years, when tectonic plate movements caused the ground to sink, creating a tectonic depression. Over millions of years, this basin filled with soft sediments, mainly clays and silts. It's exactly these erosion-prone materials that, shaped by runoff water during heavy rains, carved out today's network of deep trenches, gullies and channels known as cárcavas.

Why is the landscape so colorful?

The sediment layers making up the gullies differ in mineral composition, which produces the rich palette of colors visible on the formation's walls — browns, ochres and greens, alongside darker tones reminiscent of coal black, the white of kaolin or gypsum, and even the vivid red of certain clays. This natural color gradient makes Cárcavas de Marchal look almost like a painted landscape, shifting tone depending on the time of day and the angle of light.

Where does the "badlands" name come from?

Because of their limited agricultural value — the heavily eroded, clay-and-silt soil is unsuitable for farming — the area around Marchal and neighboring Purullena earned the label of Granada's badlands. This landscape forms part of a broader erosional region typical of the Guadix and Baza basins, known for similar, often larger formations near Gorafe and Guadix itself.

What is the history of settlement here?

The gully walls have served the inhabitants of Marchal for centuries as living quarters. As early as the 10th century, local residents began carving traditional cave houses (casas cueva) into the soft rock, taking advantage of the ground's natural thermal insulation — warm in winter, cool in summer. This practice, common throughout the wider Guadix region, has survived to this day and remains an important part of the local cultural heritage.

What protection status does the site have?

Covering 5.22 hectares, Cárcavas de Marchal was declared a Natural Monument of Andalusia in October 2003 by the Junta de Andalucía. The area is also part of the Granada Geopark, a network of sites recognized for their exceptional geological significance and valued for the educational and scientific interest of their erosional formations.

What can visitors see on site?

Visitors can admire the system of deep channels and ridges carved by water, walk trails running along the edges of the gullies, and observe erosion features characteristic of this type of landscape, including so-called piping — channels formed by underground water flow through soft rock. The site's stark, almost lunar appearance has also made it a popular filming location.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you get to Cárcavas de Marchal? The formation is located by the village of Marchal, south of Purullena, near the A-92 road, about 55 km from Granada.

Is there an entrance fee? As a natural monument, the area is freely accessible and does not require an entrance fee.

How old are these geological formations? Their formation began around 25 million years ago, following the sinking of the terrain caused by tectonic movements.