[2] The eponymous mountain range of the Sierra del Cabo de Gata forms a volcanic rock formation with sharp peaks and crags.

The highest peak on this mountain range is El Fraile (Sierra del Cabo de Gata).

Due to the adsorptive properties and low permeability of its clays, the area was studied as a possible place for deep storage of sealed radioactive waste.

The coast of the natural park has seagrass beds of the genus Posidonia and offshore coral reefs which host resident and transient marine species.

A 120 km2 (46 sq mi) part of the total designated protected area is a marine reserve, extending underwater to a depth of 60 m (200 ft).

The characteristic vegetation in the terrestrial zone is a drought-adapted flora: large agave, prickly pear, dwarf fan palms, and many xerophytes (some of which are endemic).

Historically, the area has been sparsely populated due to the difficult agricultural circumstances and its remote location, which has kept it largely unspoiled—an uncommon occurrence on the Mediterranean coast of Spain.

Dotted around the natural park are abandoned areas like the farms, houses, factories, and sometimes, whole villages dating back to various periods in time[citation needed].

that the harsh conditions for agriculture together with questionable permissions to build and the prevailing economic climate at the time might be major factors.

[10] Several sources claim that this project is an illegal development, although it seems that more recently demolition plans, opposed by 14 municipalities, are moving closer.

[11] [12] In 2021, the highest regional court of Andalusia ruled that the hotel did not have to be destroyed because the real estate developer had a valid building license.

The park offers diving and boat tours, as well as environmentally responsible outdoor activities including bird watching, photography, and field trips for geology.

The traditional arts and crafts include ceramics, pottery, carpet making and woven goods (baskets, hats, shoes, etc.)

due to the Teatro de Musica and several other smaller venues hosting live music all year round.

Las Negras is a seaside village towards the eastern end of the natural park and just to the west of Agua Amarga.

The final shootout in the spaghetti Western film For a Few Dollars More took place in the centre of Los Albaricoques[citation needed].

Not far from the pueblo of Los Albaricoques is the infamous Cortijo del Fraile, the backdrop for Federico Garcia Lorca's seminal play, Bodas de Sangre (Blood Wedding), which features a crime of passion that took place close by[citation needed].

[18] In common with many of the beaches in the middle and toward the western end of the natural park, the sea offers good visibility for snorkeling or diving.

[19] The abandoned mine workings were used for a post-apocalyptic film set [20] San José is a small fishing port in the centre of the natural park and is accessible from Almería Airport and the Autovia A-7.

It is most popular during the spring and summer months, because of the activities that the beaches of San José can offer such as snorkel or swimming.

The Natural Park of Cabo de Gata presents special weather conditions, which permit the plants to take advantage of the rain[further explanation needed].

[citation needed] One of the most familiar plant species in the natural park is Agave americana, or pita, a native of tropical America and Mexico.

The scrubland is composed of olive trees (Olea europaea), mastic (Pistacia lentiscus), Kermes oaks (Quercus coccifera), esparto grass (Stipa tenacissima), thyme (Thymus), and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis).

The maritime reserve is home to various species of crustaceans, molluscs, and fishes including the common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), the Pinna nobilis clam (which produces sea silk), the Mediterranean moray (Muraena helena), which was regarded as a delicacy by the Romans, the garfish (Belone belone), and the flying gurnard (Dactylopterus volitans), which uses its enlarged pectoral fins to "walk" along the ocean floor.