Mexico City may be a bustling metropolis, but near this city, there are still national parks where you can enjoy nature and its surroundings. They are perfect for your next trip!
All are easily accessible from the city (whether by public or private transport), and here are our top 10 of the best national parks near Mexico City to take advantage of the next time you are in the Mexican capital. Check out our hiking in Mexico article. 🏞️
Please give a standing ovation to our top 10 winners of the best national parks around Mexico City 🏆👏👏👏🎉
To list the top 10 National Parks near Mexico City, we must begin with one of the most famous ones: the Iztaccihuatl-Popocatepetl National Park. It was founded in 1935 and is among the oldest Mexican National Parks. With an area of 39.000 ha, the park stretches through three states (State of Mexico, Puebla, Morelos), and is part of the Sierra Nevada.
The outstanding biodiversity and richness of its ecosystems provide environmental services as well as wildlife, plants, and mineral goods, which are currently used by the inhabitants surrounding the volcanoes. In ancient times, this area had a deep cultural significance. The pre-Hispanic locals considered both Iztaccihuatl and Popocatepetl volcanoes sacred and associated with the cult of water and rain.
With an area of 1598.26 ha, this national park, located in the north of the state of Guerrero, hosts caves considered one of the largest in the world and one of the most visited in the country. It’s also the place where the Amacuzac River is born, and it is the habitat of freshwater otters surrounded by low jungle.
The park’s highlights are spectacular rock formations in its limestone caves, which were formed 85 million years ago. They are believed to have been sculpted by the current of the San Jeronimo River, which currently runs below the cave at a depth of 95 m. In the caves, one can visit its 19 natural rooms. Some were used for concerts and hosted by artists such as Andrea Bocelli and Miguel Bosé.
Continuing with our top 10 national parks near Mexico City, we share this fantastic national park with you. Named after its giant volcano, La Malinche became a National Park in 1938 with an area of 45,711 hectares. It is primarily famous for its proximity to the capital and its landscapes.
It also serves as a perfect altitude acclimatization sport for those planning to hike taller Mexican volcanos. A classic trail from a base camp will lead you to the first shelter on the slopes of this extinct volcano. You can also reach the summit by roads that rise from other small towns on the volcano’s slopes.
Officially named after Miguel Hidalgo, a nationally important character, this national park is chiefly known as La Marquesa. This protection area in the State of Mexico boasts 1,760 hectares of coniferous forests.
Additionally, it hosts several fish farms and restaurants serving traditional Mexican food and drinks. The park contains landscapes and viewpoints, such as great ridges and peaks of various shapes and colors. Walking through the park can lead to encounters with opossums, gray foxes, rabbits, squirrels, lizards, and various birds.
Located near the capital of the State of Mexico, this park is home to the fourth-highest peak in Mexico. It is generally famous for two picturesque lagoons that lie in the volcano’s crater.
It’s worth mentioning that Nevado de Toluca is the only volcano in the world whose crater is accessible by road. Additionally, from its top, you have one of the most beautiful views of the Toluca Valley.
In fact, the mountains of Cumbres del Ajusco can be seen from almost anywhere in the city, as they exceed 3,900 meters. The Xitle volcano, where you can practice caving, trekking, and mountain biking, is also within the national park.
The park covers 920 hectares of vegetation predominated by Hartweg’s pine, oyamel, and subalpine forests. This site is home to the last specimens of the volcano rabbit, locally known as teporingo, as well as the opossum, the shrew, the coyote, the weasel, the skunk, and the wild cat, among others.
Located just 2 hours by car from Mexico City in Hidalgo, this national park covers 2,739 hectares. It is populated by dense pine, oak, and oyamel forests and innumerable rock formations of great beauty. This beautiful natural park is one of the oldest in the country, decreed as such in 1898 by the then-president of Mexico, General Porfirio Díaz.
Within the park, there is an alpine lodge of the CONANP (National Commission of Protected Natural Areas) and various tourist centers with adequate facilities for ecotourism activities. You will fall in love with the natural beauty and rocky elevations, making it a challenge for both expert and novice climbers.
Although many think El Tepozteco is in Morelos, half of this national park lies in Mexico City. The Tepozteco has some ruins located on the mountain (Tepozteco). By the way, these ruins are the main point of interest in the park and attract multiple visitors on weekends. The area belongs to Mexico’s Neovolcanic Axis and consists of various hills of extraordinary morphology.
Erosion and other movements have left deep ravines and peaks in the terrain. The area also stands out for its variety of flora: in warmer areas, there is a greater affinity with plants of Neotropical origin, and in parts with cooler climates, there is Nearctic and partially Andean vegetation.
Lagunas de Zempoala (Zempoala Lagoons) is a beautiful area amidst mountains and valleys, where seven beautiful lakes with emerald water are located. For hikers, numerous trails cross gorges with mushrooms, aromatic herbs, giant oaks, pines, and oyamels. Additionally, in the park, one can find a camping area, parking, and Mexican snacks and crafts vendors on weekends.
Nestled in the Neovolcanic Mountain Range, this national park lies west of Mexico City in the State of Mexico and Michoacan. It has a temperate, humid climate with altitudes between 2,480 and 3,240 m above sea level. Its vast forests mainly consist of firs and pines, characterized by their uniform height, age, and relative lack of shrub vegetation.
Among the park’s top attractions are two beautiful lakes (Laguna Seca and Laguna Verde), the habitat of numerous migratory water birds. Hawks, woodpeckers, squirrels, rabbits, and armadillos are common in this area.
On the way to La Marquesa National Park, there is a national park called ‘Desierto de los Leones.’ This place is characterized by keeping many of the natural resources alive. The name ‘desert’ comes from the tranquility of the place, not because there is sand.
Its calm, peace, and tranquility are unique, so much so that in 1611, some monks of the order ‘Discalced Carmelites’ chose this place to be in contact and harmony with nature and to be in silence, contemplating the wonders of God.
This is our list of top national parks around Mexico City. And what are your favorite national parks around Mexico City? Or is there another nature area in Mexico that is at the top of your list? Please write it in the comments!
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