Lake El Arenal, Hidalgo Municipality of El Arenal Hidalgo Mountain Corridor Comarca Minera Geopark Mezquital Valley
Mountain reservoir in the El Arenal hills, with boat rides, suspension bridges and the trail up to Los Frailes.
From Pachuca: 40 min by car (27 km by road) How to get there ↓
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Plan your visit to Presa San Jerónimo
Where to stay near Presa San Jerónimo
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Tours to Presa San Jerónimo
Day trips and guided outings from Mineral del Chico often include Presa San Jerónimo; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
How to get to Presa San Jerónimo
- From Pachuca: about 40 min by road (~27 km)
- Nearest airport: Mexico City (Felipe Ángeles) (NLU), 1 h 12 min by car to Mineral del Chico
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About Presa San Jerónimo
Presa San Jerónimo sits in the hills of El Arenal, in the community of the same name, above the municipal seat, which the Criterio Hidalgo guide places about 29 kilometres northwest of Pachuca. It is a mountain reservoir ringed by woodland, and a modest set of outings has grown up around the water: guided walks, boat rides, suspension bridges and a place to eat on the shore.
Most people come for it together with Los Frailes, the rock towers in the same community that the guide puts at about 2,896 metres above sea level. Walking up from San Jerónimo along a wooded trail to the foot of the formations takes between an hour and a half and two hours; the slopes are steep and the guide rates it as moderate effort. Climbing, rappelling and camping are done on the rocks.
From the dam area you can also reach the Piedra del Conejo, a rock whose outline suggests a rabbit. That makes the reservoir the calm part of the day: you walk, take a boat and eat before or after the climb to the rocks. The whole area lies well above two thousand metres, so bring something warm.
How to get to Presa San Jerónimo
Drive from Pachuca: 40 min, 27 km
El Arenal is reached by the Pachuca-Actopan highway; the municipal seat lies about 29 km northwest of Pachuca, roughly 25 minutes by car according to Criterio Hidalgo. Buses to El Arenal leave from Pachuca's Central de Autobuses. From there you climb to the community of San Jerónimo, in the hills, where the dam is: about 17 km in a straight line from Pachuca and about 11 km from Mineral del Chico (approx.). For the last stretch a car is the easiest way, or ask in El Arenal about local transport to San Jerónimo.
Directions to Presa San Jerónimo on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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From the nearest cities to Presa San Jerónimo
- Pachuca · 27 km by road, 40 min
- Tulancingo · 73 km by road, 1 h 20 min
- Mexico City · 114 km by road, 1 h 50 min
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Before you go to Presa San Jerónimo: hours, prices and tips
- Time needed
- The walk up to Los Frailes from San Jerónimo takes 1.5 to 2 hours on a steep wooded trail. Criterio Hidalgo · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting Presa San Jerónimo: what to see and do
Boat ride on the reservoir.
Suspension bridges beside the water.
Guided walk around the shore.
A meal on the edge of the dam.
Piedra del Conejo, a rabbit-shaped rock reachable from the dam area.
The wooded trail up to Los Frailes (1.5 to 2 hours).
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Presa San Jerónimo
Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Presa San Jerónimo.
Tours & activities
Day trips and guided outings from Mineral del Chico often include Presa San Jerónimo; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Rental cars
Pick up a car at NLU (Mexico City (Felipe Ángeles)): about 1 h 12 min by road to Mineral del Chico, then 11 km more to Presa San Jerónimo, on your own schedule.
Flights
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mexico City (Felipe Ángeles) (NLU), about 1 h 12 min by road from Mineral del Chico, the base for Presa San Jerónimo.
Travel insurance
If you plan on swimming or kayaking at Presa San Jerónimo, check that your policy covers it: some plans leave adventure activities out.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Mineral del Chico: download a map of the way to Presa San Jerónimo before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
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When to go to Presa San Jerónimo cool
Presa San Jerónimo shares the climate of Mineral del Chico, 11 km away. The best months to visit are February, March, April, and May.
Presa San Jerónimo 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 Mineral del Chico
Weather in Presa San Jerónimo now and the next 7 days
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Chance of rain is the day's highest.
The closest Pueblo Mágico: Mineral del Chico
Mineral del Chico is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Presa San Jerónimo, with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Real del Monte · Hidalgo · 21 km away
- Huasca de Ocampo · Hidalgo · 27 km away
- Zempoala · Hidalgo · 40 km away
- Metztitlán · Hidalgo · 40 km away
- Otumba · Estado de México · 60 km away
Closest to Presa San Jerónimo
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San Jerónimo · Village · 0 km away
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San Andrés Tianguistengo · Village · 4 km away
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San José Tepenene · Village · 5 km away
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El Arenal · Town · 6 km away
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El Rincón · Village · 8 km away
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Actopan · Town · 11 km away
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El Durazno · Village · 11 km away
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La Estancia · Village · 11 km away
Near Presa San Jerónimo
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Lists with Presa San Jerónimo
Lakes and Lagoons in Hidalgo · 11 Lakes and Lagoons near Mineral del Chico · 5 Lakes and Lagoons near Pachuca · 5 Lakes and Lagoons near Real del Monte · 5 Lakes and Lagoons near Huasca de Ocampo · 6 Lakes and Lagoons near Zempoala · 8 Lakes and Lagoons near Metztitlán · 6 Lakes and Lagoons near Tulancingo · 9Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.