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    Presa Requena, Hidalgo

    Photo by CientíficaRO, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Presa Requena

    Lake Tepeji del Río de Ocampo, Hidalgo Municipality of Tepeji del Río de Ocampo

    A 1922 reservoir on the Tepeji river below Tepeji del Río: carp and tilapia fishing, migrating birds and fishing tournaments.

    From Mexico City: 1 h 15 min by car (75 km by road) How to get there ↓

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    Tours to Presa Requena

    Day trips and guided outings from Jilotepec often include Presa Requena; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Tours from Zacatlan Zacatlán Guided Tour walking through the Center ★ 5.0 (2) · From US$8
    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide

    How to get to Presa Requena

    • From Mexico City: about 1 h 15 min by road (~75 km)
    • Nearest airport: Mexico City (Felipe Ángeles) (NLU), 1 h 20 min by car to Jilotepec
    Rent a car at NLU Flights to NLU

    Route, map and directions ↓

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    Tours from Zacatlan, near Presa Requena

    Zacatlán Guided Tour walking through the Center ★ 5.0 (2) 2 h 30 min From US$8

    Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.

    About Presa Requena

    The Requena dam went up between 1919 and 1922 on the Tepeji river, about 6 km downstream from Tepeji del Río and roughly 60 km northwest of Mexico City. The reservoir sits between the municipalities of Tepeji del Río de Ocampo and Tula de Allende, at about 2,110 metres, on the semi-arid plains at the southern end of the Mezquital Valley. Its gravity wall is 37.4 metres high and 230 long, and it holds up to 52.5 million cubic metres. Water from the Taxhimay reservoir comes in from the south; below the dam the stream joins the El Salto river and from there on is called the Tula.

    This is a working reservoir more than a resort. A cooperative of about 40 fishermen, 'Pescadores Unidos de la Presa Requena 20 Arcos', nets carp, tilapia and charal, and the lake hosts sport-fishing and powerboat events. White and grey herons, pelicans and ducks gather along the banks, especially during migration. Clean-up drives have worked along its 10 km of shoreline to clear water hyacinth and rubbish.

    Its level swings a lot from year to year. Conagua released water during the 2020 floods, and in July 2023, after months of heat and little rain, it was nearly empty and huge numbers of fish died; the June and July 2024 rains brought it back to about 89% of capacity. It's worth asking about the water before you go.

    How to get to Presa Requena

    Drive from Mexico City: 1 h 15 min, 75 km

    Your base is Tepeji del Río, on the México-Querétaro toll road about 60 km from Mexico City. The reservoir lies about 6 km downstream of town, toward Tula; it's a few minutes from central Tepeji by car or taxi, and asking for the fishermen's access or '20 Arcos' helps. From Mexico City allow about 70 minutes by car, depending on traffic getting out of the city. By bus, Ovnibus links Tepeji with Mexico City's Terminal Norte in around an hour; from Tepeji, take a taxi for the last stretch. Jilotepec, the nearest Pueblo Mágico (State of Mexico), is about 22 km away in a straight line, roughly 25 to 30 minutes along the same highway.

    Directions to Presa Requena on Google Maps

    Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.

    Where to stay Hotels in Presa Requena Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Presa Requena. See prices →

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    From the nearest cities to Presa Requena

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Before you go to Presa Requena: hours, prices and tips

    Best time of day
    Depends on the rains: the reservoir nearly dried out in mid-2023 and refilled to about 89% after the June-July 2024 rains, so it is fullest after the rainy season. Wikipedia (es) · checked Oct 2026

    Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.

    Visiting Presa Requena: what to see and do

    The 1922 dam wall, 37 metres high and 230 long
    Herons, pelicans and ducks along the banks, especially during migration
    The boats of the 20 Arcos fishing cooperative
    Sport-fishing and powerboat events when the water is high enough
    Tepeji del Río, about 6 km upstream

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Presa Requena

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Presa Requena.

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    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Jilotepec often include Presa Requena; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at NLU (Mexico City (Felipe Ángeles)): about 1 h 20 min by road to Jilotepec, then 22 km more to Presa Requena, on your own schedule.

    EconomyBookings Discover Cars

    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mexico City (Felipe Ángeles) (NLU), about 1 h 20 min by road from Jilotepec, the base for Presa Requena.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    If you plan on swimming or kayaking at Presa Requena, check that your policy covers it: some plans leave adventure activities out.

    SafetyWing

    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from Jilotepec: download a map of the way to Presa Requena before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

    Airalo

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    When to go to Presa Requena cool

    Presa Requena shares the climate of Jilotepec, 22 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and December.

    Presa Requena is best for swimming and time on the water in the warmest months (March, April, and May); in the rainiest ones (July, August, and September) expect storms in the afternoon.

    See the month-by-month climate of Jilotepec

    The closest Pueblo Mágico: Jilotepec

    Low colonial-style building with a tiled roof and a garden fountain in Jilotepec, Estado de México cool
    Estado de México Jilotepec

    Jilotepec is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Presa Requena, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

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    Closest to Presa Requena

    Near Presa Requena

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Lists with Presa Requena

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    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.