Nevado de Toluca

The broad, snow-dusted volcano on Metepec's southwestern skyline is the Nevado de Toluca, also known by its Nahuatl name Xinantécatl. At 4,680 meters at the Pico del Fraile it is the fourth-highest mountain in Mexico, and unlike the country's other giants it lets ordinary visitors reach its crater without technical climbing. A massive eruption tens of thousands of years ago blew off its top, which is why it looks flat-topped from the valley.

Inside the crater, at about 4,200 meters, lie two lakes: the larger Laguna del Sol and the smaller but deeper Laguna de la Luna, separated by a lava dome called El Ombligo. They were a pre-Hispanic ritual site, and archaeologists have recovered copal, ceramics and other offerings from the lakebeds. Some communities in the region still make a pilgrimage here.

The mountain is a protected area for flora and fauna, with pine forest on its lower slopes and alpine grassland above. Altitude is the real challenge: walking at over 4,000 meters is tiring even for fit visitors, temperatures near the crater stay cold all year, and fog and storms are common in the rainy season. Access has also been restricted at times; the park was closed to visitors in August 2025 after an accident and, as of mid-2026, still had no firm reopening date, so check the current status with the authorities before planning a visit.