Lagunas de Zempoala National Park

Lagunas de Zempoala National Park, Nahuatl for “twenty lagoons”, is a protected natural area since 1936. Located near Cuernavaca on the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, spanning over the municipalities of Huitzilac in Morelos and Ocuilan de Arteaga in the State of Mexico. This surface of 4,700 hectares is a great natural park constituted by many lagoons hidden among lush forests.

Created so nature lovers can relax in harmony with its green forests and calm waters, it offers long hikes among trees, lagoons, flowers and animals. The route is as varied as the imagination on spontaneous trails.

Its many lagoons receive water by rivers descending from the Ajusco and neighboring mountains. Among the exuberant forests are oaks, cedars, pine trees and firs. Its splendid fauna includes species of smaller mammals like skunks, rabbits and some birds like falcons, sparrows and hummingbirds; also shrews, bats, squirrels, rats, foxes and weasels. As well as reptiles and amphibians, like the axolotl.

Upon arrival, visitors are welcomed by a lagoon and a long line of food stands, prompting family picnics. Tourism services offer horses for rent, camping sites, grills and the opportunity to practice various land and water sports. Although the thick sediment and plants submerged in the lagoons prohibit swimming, it is quite fun to go rowing on their peaceful waters.

It is a place of peace, submerged only among the bird songs and water murmur. The night’s serenity is dressed in white by a thick fog that slowly disperses with the sun’s first rays. Lagunas de Zempoala offer unforgettable afternoons and magical mornings. The climate and landscape invite you to marvel at the lagoons and green picturesque valleys. Dawn is a dreamy experience when clouds slowly rise while birds start singing and sunrays slowly dissolve the cold.

Camping is the only option for spending the night; you must wear proper clothing because the climate is cold and humid throughout the year. It is also necessary to have all the necessary groceries with you, food stands close at dusk and there are no nearby stores for shopping.

It is an excellent place for hiking, biking, fishing and camping. You can also rent a horse and tour the vast areas on the trails between the lagoons. Cyclists ride from the Ajusco and the faithful pass through when doing their yearly pilgrimage to Chalma every Easter.

The safety of visitors is guarded by forest rangers and policemen.

Artículo Producido por el Equipo Editorial Explorando México.
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Foto: ORNI