Hot springs 44 km northwest of Angangueo
A steaming volcanic field in the pine forest above Ciudad Hidalgo, with hot sulfur pools, mud baths, lakes and cabins.
Los Azufres is a high, forested volcanic area in the mountains north of Ciudad Hidalgo, where the ground steams, mud pots bubble and dozens of hot springs come to the surface. The springs carry sulfur and other minerals, and their temperatures range from merely warm to near boiling, which is why the area has drawn bathers for generations and why it also feeds one of Mexico's main geothermal power fields.
The landscape is part of the appeal. At well over 2,000 meters, the springs sit among pine and fir forests, small lakes and meadows, and in the morning the steam from the pools mixes with the mist. Around the springs several independent resorts and campgrounds have built pools, jacuzzis, saunas, mud baths and cabins, each with its own style and price.
Most visitors come to soak, but there is more to do: hiking and mountain biking on forest trails, boating on the lakes, camping and even zip lines at some of the parks. It is a cold place, so the hot water feels best on a chilly day, and it pairs well with a winter trip to see the monarchs.
What to see and do
Soak in the thermal pools and try a mud bath at one of the resorts.
Walk among the steaming vents and bubbling mud pots of the volcanic field.
Hike or bike the pine forest trails, or row on one of the small lakes.
Stay overnight in a cabin and take a hot bath on a cold mountain morning.
Getting there
From Angangueo, drive west through Aporo and Irimbo to Ciudad Hidalgo, then take the state road north into the mountains to Los Azufres; allow about an hour and a half. Buses run to Ciudad Hidalgo, but getting up to the springs is much easier by car. Each resort sets its own entrance fee and hours.
44 km northwest of Angangueo
Directions from Angangueo on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Places to stay in Los Azufres
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Tours & activities
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Weather cool
Los Azufres shares the climate of Angangueo, 44 km away. The best months to visit are Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov.
Make Angangueo your base
Los Azufres is an easy trip from Angangueo, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
More around Angangueo
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Santuario El Rosario
· Nature reserve · 4 km away
The largest and busiest monarch butterfly sanctuary, a steep forest climb above Angangueo, open roughly November to March. -
Santuario Sierra Chincua
· Nature reserve · 6 km away
A quieter monarch sanctuary north of Angangueo, with a gentler trail, horses, and a visitor center with food stalls and a zip line. -
Ocampo
· Town · 7 km away
The small municipal seat below Angangueo, the gateway town for the road up to the El Rosario sanctuary. -
Santuario de la Mariposa Monarca La Mesa
· Nature reserve · 12 km away
A monarch sanctuary in the forests of San José del Rincón, just over the Edomex line east of Angangueo, with guides and horses in winter. -
San Felipe los Alzati
· Archaeological site · 17 km away
A hilltop ceremonial center with one of the largest pyramids in Michoacán, built where it could watch the road from central Mexico. -
San José Purúa
· Hot springs · 26 km away
A deep, warm canyon near Jungapeo with thermal springs, waterfalls and the ruins of a famous 1940s spa hotel. -
Santuario Cerro Pelón
· Nature reserve · 26 km away
The wildest monarch sanctuary, reached on horseback from the village of Macheros; where the colonies were first documented in 1975.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.