Lake Zirahuen
A Pine Ringed Volcanic Lake At About 2,100 M Beside A Quiet Purepecha Pueblo Magico Of Wooden Houses And Tiled Roofs, With Trout Restaurants, Boat Rides And Cabins. A Weekend Lake Break From Morelia And Uruapan, Misty In The Rainy Season And Cold In The Evening, Calmer Than The Better Known Patzcuaro · Zirahuen, Michoacán
Lake Zirahuen is a pine-ringed volcanic lake at about 2,100 m in the Michoacan highlands, roughly 25 km from Patzcuaro and 60 km from Morelia. On its shore sits the Pueblo Magico of Zirahuen, a quiet Purepecha town of wooden houses, red tile roofs and cobbled lanes, with trout restaurants, rowing boats for hire, cabins in the pines and stalls selling local crafts. Mornings are often foggy and the water looks like pewter, then the cloud lifts and the hills turn green. It suits couples, small families and anyone who wants a slow weekend near Morelia or Uruapan with a fire, a blanket and fresh fish. It is worth the detour for a night, or for a long lunch on a weekday; it is not worth a special trip if you want swimming, nightlife or big sights, because the water is cold and the town is small. Weekends can bring crowds and traffic on the lakeside road. Nights are cold all year, so pack warm clothes. As anywhere in Michoacan, check current regional travel advice before you go and stay on main roads in daylight.
Lake Zirahuen and the Pueblo Magico of Zirahuen, about 60 km south-west of Morelia and 25 km from Patzcuaro; coordinates approximate, Zirahuen, Michoacán, Mexico
The lake shore and the town lanes are open at all hours and walking by the water is FREE. Restaurants and boat landings usually run from mid-morning to late afternoon or early evening, with longer hours on weekends and holidays, and many small places are CLOSED on weekday evenings in the cold low season. Boat hire is weather dependent and may stop in fog, strong wind or after dark. Cabins take check-ins through the day but expect to call ahead outside weekends. Exact times are set by each owner, so confirm before a long drive.