Lagunas de Zempoala National Park

A National Park (1936) Of Pine And Oak Forest Around Seven Lakes At About 2,800 M, A Weekend Day Out For Mexico City And Cuernavaca Families, With Fishing, Trout Restaurants, Horse Rides, Hiking Trails And Cabins. The Air Is Thin And Cold, With Fog And Rain In Summer. A Short Drive From The Capital · Huitzilac, Morelos

Lagunas de Zempoala is a national park of pine and oak forest in the Sierra del Ajusco-Chichinautzin, about 2,800 m up, where a chain of seven lakes sits between Cuernavaca and Mexico City. Most visitors only see two of them, Zempoala and Compila, which have a shoreline path, picnic lawns, trout restaurants, horse rides and boats for hire. The forest paths between the lakes are quieter. Access is by the Huitzilac road from the Cuernavaca side or the Ocoyoacac approach from the Toluca side, both with bends and weekend traffic. It suits families, picnickers and short-notice city escapes, with children welcome. It is worth the detour on a clear weekday morning for cool air, tall trees and a trout lunch; it is not worth it on a weekend afternoon, when the lake edges and parking fill, or in mid-summer fog and rain. Cuernavaca is roughly 40 km and Mexico City roughly 80 km. Nights are cold, so bring warm layers.

Lagunas de Zempoala, a chain of lakes in the Sierra del Ajusco-Chichinautzin between Cuernavaca and Mexico City, near Huitzilac; coordinates approximate, Huitzilac, Morelos, Mexico

The park is generally open in daylight, roughly 8 am to 5 or 6 pm, and the gates close at dusk, so treat anything later as unavailable. Weekends and holidays are busy, with traffic backing up on the access roads from about 11 am. Trout restaurants, boat hire and horse rides run to the same daylight hours and some close on quiet weekdays or in the wet months. Walking the shore and the forest paths is FREE once you are inside the park, apart from the entry fee at the gate; parking and rides are paid. Overnight camping and cabins are CLOSED unless booked in advance. Hours change, so confirm before you go.

Lagunas de Zempoala National Park on Spottos · Explore more places on Spottos