El Baúl, Pre-Columbian archaeological site in Escuintla Department, Guatemala.

El Baúl is a Pre-Columbian archaeological site in Escuintla Department, part of the Cotzumalhuapa Archaeological Zone with Bilbao and El Castillo. Its acropolis stands 4 km north of Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa at 550 m above sea level, 50 km from the Pacific. A ballcourt lies 500 m north of the acropolis, linked by two causeways; the largest runs 2.5 km to Bilbao, 11 to 14 m wide, and crossed the Santiago River gorge on a bridge whose foundation walls remain visible along a 330 m span.

The area was shaped during the Classic period by the Cotzumalhuapa culture, which undertook major building projects here. The site later experienced shifts in how people used the space, visible today in layered structures.

The name El Baúl refers to a mound or raised ground, and monumental sculptures have been found along the causeways linking the acropolises of Bilbao and El Baúl. The site lies within the Cotzumalhuapa Archaeological Zone, together with Bilbao and El Castillo, and was occupied during the Formative stage of the Americas.

The site lies roughly 4 kilometers north of Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa and can be reached by simple paths crossing farmland. Comfortable shoes and water are important since you will need to walk across open ground to explore the scattered structures.

The largest causeway linking El Baúl to Bilbao runs 2.5 km and is 11 to 14 m wide; before entering El Baúl it crossed a bridge over the Santiago River gorge. The bridge's foundation walls, probably supporting a wooden structure, remain visible along a 330 m stretch of the river.