Two hours from the traffic of Mexico City, you can be walking on snow at more than 4,500 m. A chain of volcanoes crosses the middle of Mexico, and three of them, Iztaccíhuatl, La Malinche and Nevado de Toluca, are day hikes from the capital or Puebla. Pico de Orizaba, the highest peak in the country, is the serious objective.
The other great walking country is the north. In the Copper Canyon, Rarámuri footpaths drop more than 1,500 m from pine forest to tropical river bottoms, and the classic route links the old silver towns of Batopilas and Urique in three days. In the south, the Zapotec villages of the Pueblos Mancomunados in Oaxaca’s Sierra Norte run their own trail network with cabins and local guides.
Mexico has few marked long-distance trails and no hut system to speak of, so most multi-day walking is arranged through a local guide or a community. The dry season, from November to April, is the time to go.
At a Glance#
- Volcano day hikes: La Malinche (about 4,460 m) from Tlaxcala, the crater lakes of Nevado de Toluca near Toluca, and the ridge of Iztaccíhuatl from Paso de Cortés.
- High summits: Iztaccíhuatl (about 5,230 m) in a long day, and glaciated Pico de Orizaba (about 5,636 m) from Tlachichuca, guided, November to March.
- Canyon trekking: three days from Batopilas to Urique in the Copper Canyon, with day hikes from Creel and down to Basaseachic Falls.
- Village to village: the Pueblos Mancomunados in Oaxaca’s Sierra Norte, with community cabins and Zapotec guides.
- The north: Cerro de la Silla and Cañón La Huasteca above Monterrey, and Sierra de San Pedro Mártir in Baja.
- Short hikes: the climb to the Tepozteco temple above Tepoztlán, and the lava-buried church at Parícutin.
- When to go: November to April. The rains from June to October bring afternoon storms and lightning on the peaks.
The volcanoes#
La Malinche, in Tlaxcala, is the standard first volcano: a non-technical walk from the cabins of the Centro Vacacional Malintzi at about 3,100 m, up through pine forest and over grassland to a rocky summit at about 4,460 m. Allow six to eight hours return. It is the hike Mexican climbers use to acclimatise for Orizaba.
Nevado de Toluca, an hour from Toluca, is easier still because a road climbs most of the way. From the Parque de los Venados car park you walk up to the crater rim and down to the Sol and Luna lakes, or follow the rim to the higher points, including Pico del Fraile at about 4,680 m.
Iztaccíhuatl, the “sleeping woman”, is reached from Paso de Cortés, the 3,600 m saddle between it and Popocatépetl, above the town of Amecameca. Register and pay the small park fee at the visitor centre, then drive or hitch to La Joya, where the trails start. A walk along the lower ridge makes a fine day; the summit is a long, cold push of 10 hours or more, done with a guide by most foreigners. Climbing Popocatépetl itself is banned because it is an active volcano.
Pico de Orizaba, at about 5,636 m the highest mountain in Mexico and third-highest in North America, is a glacier climb for people with crampon and ice-axe experience. Climbers base themselves in Tlachichuca, in Puebla, where local outfitters drive you by 4x4 to the Piedra Grande hut at about 4,270 m. The season runs from November to March. Our national parks guide covers the volcano parks for non-hikers.
Altitude
Every volcano hike starts above 3,000 m. Spend two or three nights in Mexico City or Puebla first, climb La Malinche before anything higher, and turn back if you have a bad headache or nausea. Storms and lightning build on the peaks most afternoons in the rainy season, so start before dawn.
Copper Canyon#
The Copper Canyon is a network of canyons in the Sierra Tarahumara of Chihuahua, reached on the Chepe railway. Creel is the base for easy walking: Lake Arareco, the rock pillars of the Valley of the Monks and the Cusárare waterfall are all day hikes or short rides from town, through Rarámuri farmland and pine forest. Divisadero, further down the line, has rim trails with views into three canyons.
The classic multi-day trek runs between the old mining towns of Batopilas and Urique, about 50 km over three days, crossing a high ridge between two canyon floors. Paths are unmarked and pass through Rarámuri ranches, so go with a guide hired in Batopilas or arranged by an operator in Creel. The season is October to March; the canyon bottoms are dangerously hot from May. Treat all water.
Basaseachic Falls, about three hours north of Creel, has a steep trail from the rim to the foot of its 246 m drop, an hour or two each way.
Check the advisories first
The US rates Chihuahua state at Level 3 (reconsider travel), and the UK advises against all but essential travel outside Chihuahua city, the Copper Canyon railway and Creel, which puts Batopilas and Urique outside its exceptions. Check both before you go, and travel with a local guide. See our Mexico safety guide.
Oaxaca and the south#
The Pueblos Mancomunados are a group of Zapotec villages in the Sierra Norte, about two hours north of Oaxaca City, that manage their forests together and run a community ecotourism network. Trails link villages such as Cuajimoloyas, Benito Juárez and Latuvi through pine and oak forest at about 2,200 to 3,200 m, with viewpoints over the valley. Each village has cabins and a comedor, and you hire a local guide for each stage, so you can walk from one village to the next for two to four days. Book through the network’s office in Oaxaca City or turn up in Cuajimoloyas and arrange it there.
Closer to the city, Hierve el Agua has a short loop around its mineral cliffs and pools. In Chiapas, walks from San Cristóbal de las Casas reach highland villages such as Chamula, and Lacandon guides lead jungle walks to the ruins of Bonampak.
Northern mountains#
Monterrey has the best city hiking in Mexico. Cerro de la Silla, the saddle-shaped mountain behind the city, is a steep half-day climb to a summit at about 1,800 m. The Cumbres de Monterrey National Park has forest trails in the Chipinque reserve and the limestone walls of Cañón La Huasteca. North of the city, El Potrero Chico in Hidalgo, Nuevo León, is a world-class sport-climbing area with walking routes up the surrounding ridges. Start early: the city’s summer heat is brutal.
In Baja California, Sierra de San Pedro Mártir National Park rises to Picacho del Diablo, at about 3,100 m the highest point on the peninsula. Its granite summit is a multi-day, off-trail class 3 scramble for experienced parties.
Day hikes from Mexico City#
- Tepozteco: a steep stone path of about an hour climbs from Tepoztlán to a small Aztec temple on the cliffs. It has closed for long spells in recent years, so check that it is open.
- Ajusco: the forested volcano of Ajusco, on the city’s southern edge, reaches about 3,900 m.
- Desierto de los Leones: easy forest trails around a 17th-century convent in Desierto de los Leones.
- Peña de Bernal: the giant rock of Peña de Bernal in Querétaro, with a path to a high ledge and climbing routes beyond.
- Parícutin: from Angahuan in Michoacán, walk or ride to the lava-buried church and the cone of Parícutin, a volcano that grew out of a cornfield in 1943. Michoacán is under a US “do not travel” advisory, so check before you go.
Practical tips#
- When to go: November to April is dry and clear. December and January bring frost on the volcanoes; the canyons are best from October to March.
- Guides: not required on most trails, but sensible on Iztaccíhuatl, Orizaba, the Copper Canyon and community routes in Oaxaca, where a local guide is the way the system works.
- Fees: national parks charge small daily fees, paid in cash at the gate. Carry pesos for cabins, guides and transport.
- Safety: hike in groups, tell someone your plans, and avoid isolated trails in states under high-level advisories. Check that your insurance covers hiking above 4,000 m.
- Getting there: most trailheads have little public transport; see our getting around guide for buses and car hire.
Combine the volcanoes in one week: La Malinche for acclimatisation, then Iztaccíhuatl’s ridge, with Mexico City or Puebla as a base between hikes.
For treks in neighbouring countries see our North America hiking guide and the world’s best treks.
Best places to hike in Mexico#
More Things to Do#
Mexico hiking FAQs#
Where is the best hiking in Mexico?
The volcanoes around Mexico City and Puebla for high walks, the Copper Canyon for multi-day canyon trekking, and Oaxaca’s Sierra Norte for village-to-village walking. Monterrey has the best hiking close to a big city.
Can you hike Iztaccíhuatl without a guide?
Experienced hikers walk the lower ridge from La Joya alone, but the summit day is long, cold and above 5,000 m, and most foreigners hire a guide. Register at the Paso de Cortés visitor centre either way.
How long is the Batopilas to Urique trek?
About 50 km over three days, crossing a high ridge between two canyons. Go with a local guide, between October and March, and check the current advisory for Chihuahua first.
Is hiking in Mexico safe?
On busy routes such as La Malinche, Nevado de Toluca and Iztaccíhuatl it generally is, especially in a group and on weekdays. The bigger risks are altitude, storms and getting lost; in states under high-level advisories, stick to guided trips.
When is the best time to hike in Mexico?
November to April, the dry season. Volcano summits are clearest from November to February, and the Copper Canyon is best from October to March before the canyon floors get too hot.