Hot springs 26 km southwest of Angangueo
A deep, warm canyon near Jungapeo with thermal springs, waterfalls and the ruins of a famous 1940s spa hotel.
San José Purúa is a deep, green canyon of the Tuxpan River near Jungapeo, southwest of Angangueo, where warm mineral springs, waterfalls and tropical gardens sit far below the pine country of the monarch sanctuaries. The drop in altitude is part of the charm: in under an hour you leave the cold forests for a valley of citrus, palms and bougainvillea.
The springs were known long before the Spanish arrived, but the canyon became famous in the 1940s, when a grand spa hotel opened on the edge of the gorge. Designed by the German-born architect Max Cetto with Jorge Rubio and inaugurated in 1940, it was built in terraces down the cliff and for three decades was one of Mexico's most fashionable retreats. Guests included the filmmaker Luis Buñuel, who came to write scripts there, the bullfighter Manolete and the novelist B. Traven.
The old hotel lost its glory after the 1970s and its future has been uncertain for years, but the canyon is still a hot-springs destination. Nearby resorts such as Agua Blanca, with gardens and thermal pools, receive day visitors, and the warm, gentle climate makes it an easy escape after a cold morning with the butterflies.
What to see and do
Spend a day in the thermal pools and gardens of a resort such as Agua Blanca.
Look down into the Tuxpan River canyon and its waterfalls from the road above the gorge.
See, from the outside, the terraced 1940s spa hotel that made San José Purúa famous.
Buy local fruit in Jungapeo, a farming town surrounded by orchards.
Getting there
From Angangueo, drive down through Ocampo and Tuxpan toward Jungapeo, then follow the signs to San José Purúa; it takes about an hour. Buses link Zitácuaro with Tuxpan and Jungapeo, but a car makes it much easier to reach the canyon and the resorts. Day passes and hours vary by resort, so check before you go.
26 km southwest 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 San José Purúa
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Weather cool
San José Purúa shares the climate of Angangueo, 26 km away. The best months to visit are Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov.
Make Angangueo your base
San José Purúa 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. -
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. -
Los Azufres
· Hot springs · 44 km away
A steaming volcanic field in the pine forest above Ciudad Hidalgo, with hot sulfur pools, mud baths, lakes and cabins.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.