Los Estralios Mines — the demon of the abandoned mines near San Carlos, Sonora

The Los Estralios Mines near San Carlos Nuevo Guaymas in the Sonoran Desert are abandoned mining sites where local legend places a demon or malevolent spirit. The mines, which were worked during the colonial and post-colonial periods, are said to be inhabited by an entity that protects the remaining mineral wealth from human exploitation. Visitors to the mines report hearing growling sounds from the mine entrances, seeing red glowing eyes in the darkness of the tunnels, and experiencing a powerful sense of dread that prevents them from entering. In the folk traditions of Sonora, mines are considered entrances to the underworld, and the spirits that inhabit them are often described as diablos (devils) who were placed there to guard buried treasure. This belief has roots in both pre-Columbian mythology — where the underworld was accessed through caves and mines — and colonial-era Catholic teaching about demons in the earth. The Sonoran Desert landscape, with its towering saguaro cacti, barren mountains, and extreme heat, creates a harsh environment where the abandoned mines feel like wounds in the earth — dark openings that promise both riches and damnation.