Nature reserve 26 km south of Angangueo
The wildest monarch sanctuary, reached on horseback from the village of Macheros; where the colonies were first documented in 1975.
Cerro Pelón is the wildest of the monarch butterfly sanctuaries open to visitors, a high, forested mountain on the border between Michoacán and the State of Mexico, south of Angangueo and Zitácuaro. It has a special place in the butterflies' story: the overwintering colonies were first documented by scientists in 1975 in these forests, and Cerro Pelón was among the areas named in the 1986 decree that first protected them. It is now part of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The usual way in is from Macheros, a small farming village whose name means "stables," at the foot of the mountain on the State of Mexico side. Families there rent horses and work as guides, and the climb through oyamel fir and pine is steep enough that most visitors ride the first part and walk the last stretch to the colony.
Because the access is rougher and farther from the highways, Cerro Pelón sees far fewer visitors than El Rosario or Sierra Chincua. The reward is a quieter, more intimate visit, often with only a few people standing under the clusters of butterflies.
What to see and do
Ride a horse up from Macheros with a local guide, then walk the last stretch to the colony.
Stand quietly under the clusters on a sunny midday, when the butterflies take flight.
Ask your guide about the 1975 discovery and how the colonies move from year to year.
Eat a simple lunch in Macheros before heading back down.
Getting there
From Angangueo, drive down through Ocampo to Zitácuaro, then take the road south toward the State of Mexico line and follow the signs to Macheros; allow about an hour and a half in all. There is no direct public transport from Angangueo, so go by car or hire a taxi in Zitácuaro. The sanctuary opens only in the monarch season, roughly November to March; horses and guides are arranged in Macheros.
26 km south of Angangueo
Directions from Angangueo on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Weather cool
Santuario Cerro Pelón shares the climate of Angangueo, 26 km away. The best months to visit are Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov.
Make Angangueo your base
Santuario Cerro Pelón 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. -
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.