Hierve el Agua
Cliffside Mineral Springs Whose Calcium Rich Water Has Built Two Frozen Waterfalls Of White Rock Down A Mountain Face, Often Described As One Of Only Two Petrified Waterfalls In The World, With Natural Clifftop Pools For Swimming And A Walk Below The Cascades. Run By Two Zapotec Communities, With Entry Fees And Food Stalls. A Day Trip From Oaxaca, Often Combined With Mitla, And Very Busy At Weekends · San Isidro Roaguia, Oaxaca
Hierve el Agua means the water boils, though the springs here are cool. Calcium-rich mineral water has run over a cliff for thousands of years and left two frozen waterfalls of white rock, the Cascada Chica and the taller Cascada Grande, which drop about 50 m down the canyon wall and are often described as one of only two petrified waterfalls in the world. Above the cliff, natural pools fed by the springs look out over the valley, and swimming is allowed in them. A circular path leads below the cascades for a close view of the white formations. The site is run by two Zapotec communities, San Isidro Roaguia and San Lorenzo Albarradas, each with its own entry and parking fee, and food stalls line the car park. It lies about 70 km from Oaxaca city, 1.5 to 2 hours by road, and is usually combined with Mitla. It is superb on a weekday and crowded at weekends. The rock is slippery when wet, the wind is strong on the edge, and the water colour changes with the dry season.
Hierve el Agua, a mineral spring site above a canyon about 70 km south-east of Oaxaca city beyond Mitla, reached by a road through San Lorenzo Albarradas; coordinates approximate, San Isidro Roaguia, Oaxaca, Mexico
The site is normally open daily from morning until late afternoon, roughly 8 am to 6 pm, though the communities set the hours and they can change. Walking the viewpoints and looking at the cascades from the edge is not FREE, because two entry fees (one per community) and a parking charge apply at the gates, commonly MXN 40-100 each. The pools can be CLOSED to bathing during heavy rain, for repairs or on community holidays, and some stalls close early on weekdays in the low season. Weekends and school holidays are the busiest. Confirm hours and fees with your hotel in Oaxaca or a local tour operator before setting out, and arrive before midday for the quietest pool time.