This geological wonder rises from the waters of the La Serena reservoir. Its conical shape is almost perfect, and the views from its summit are spectacular.
From a distance, this mountain resembles a heap of wheat, a striking cone about 170 meters high. It is located within the municipality of Esparragosa de los Lares, in the La Siberia region of Badajoz province, and is accessible via the EX 322 road, which connects Cabeza del Buey and Puebla de Alcocer.
After the construction of the La Serena reservoir (the largest in Spain and the third largest in Europe), this hill became an island in the middle of the Zújar River, bordered by a one-way road. Vehicles heading to Cabeza del Buey travel along the western side, and those going to Puebla de Alcocer, along the eastern side. This peculiarity makes Cerro Masatrigo resemble a roundabout, "the largest and most beautiful in Spain" with its 775-meter diameter, some say. For the Knights Templar, who built a fortress on another nearby hill in the Sierra de Lares, Masatrigo was the "magic mountain."
From the summit, 530 meters above sea level, there are several viewpoints and spectacular views of the reservoir and the La Siberia and La Serena regions. The highest point can be reached via the Masatrigo Botanical Trail (SL BA 198), which begins at the parking area and is just over six kilometers long (round trip). There are two routes: one around the perimeter along the hillside, with a very gentle incline, and another that leads to the summit via a shorter route, but with a significant incline and a higher level of difficulty.
Cerro Masatrigo, located within the Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA) ‘La Serena and Peripheral Mountain Ranges’, is an excellent spot for birdwatching. Among other species, you can see white storks, black storks, mallards, little grebes, great crested grebes, grey herons, griffon vultures, common cranes, black wheatears, and blue rock thrushes.