Cinturón verde Pozo de Marilena

Cinturón Verde Pozo de Marilena is a green recreational area in Huércal de Almería, spreading out at the foot of the Sierra de Gádor mountains next to the La Peinada neighbourhood.

What is this place?

The site covers 25 hectares, partly fenced, combining rolling hills to the north and east with flat farmland to the south. Its name comes from the old Pozo Marilena well, which once supplied the municipality's homes with their first drinking water. Today the well sits at the heart of a picnic area surrounded by greenery restored under the Ciudad 21 sustainable urban development programme.

What will you see and do?

Three separate clusters of picnic tables and barbecue grills are scattered across the park, free to use around the clock. Active visitors can use a dirt bike circuit — which connects to the nearby Circuito de BMX de los Pinos — plus an open-air gym with bars and parallel bars for basic strength training. On the southern hill stands a pergola-covered viewpoint, the Mirador del Cinturón Verde, overlooking the valley and the Sierra de Gádor ridge. A paved access road links the park to the town's cycling network, while a pedestrian footbridge connects to the barbecue zones on the far side of the grounds.

How to get there?

The easiest approach is from the La Peinada neighbourhood in Huércal de Almería, from where a signposted road leads straight into the park. It also borders the Sendero de los Pinos de Huércal walking trail, so a visit can easily be combined with a longer hike through the surrounding hills.

When to visit?

Since the park is open 24 hours a day, timing your visit around shade is the main consideration — early morning or late afternoon works best in summer, as much of the ground is exposed to direct sun. In recent years the town council has carried out restoration works, including the project "Ciclo-senda del Mirador de Los Pinos y restauración del entorno," which added a running and cycling loop, improved the link to the open-air gym, and restored the shaded area around the viewpoint.

Rules to know

Open fires are only allowed inside the designated barbecue zones — lighting one elsewhere is strictly forbidden. Motorcycles and other motorised vehicles are restricted to the marked circuit and may not roam the rest of the park. The picnic area's estimated capacity is around 300 people at a time.

Frequently asked questions

Is entry to Cinturón Verde Pozo de Marilena free? Yes, entry is free and the site is open around the clock.

Can you light a fire or barbecue here? Yes, but only within one of the three designated barbecue zones — open fires elsewhere are not allowed.

Can you cycle there? Yes, a paved road connects the park to the municipal cycling network, and there's also a dirt circuit for mountain biking on site.

What else is worth seeing besides the well itself? The pergola-covered viewpoint on the southern hill (Mirador del Cinturón Verde), the outdoor gym, and the nearby Sendero de los Pinos de Huércal trail.