Laguna de Atezca

The Laguna de Atezca sits in a small hollow in the mountains about 6 kilometers northwest of Molango, in the Sierra Alta of Hidalgo. Its name comes from the Nahuatl word for a lake or pond, built from the words for water and mirror, and on a still morning the water does reflect the wooded hills around it. The village of Atezca sits on its western shore.

The lake is fed by five seasonal streams and drains west toward the Río Claro, part of the vast Pánuco river basin. It is also home to a small endemic cichlid fish, Nosferatu molango, which is threatened by introduced species such as largemouth bass. The pine and oak woods around the shore have largely replaced the original cloud forest.

For visitors, Atezca is a peaceful place to spend a day. A trail circles the whole lake, rowboats are for rent on weekends, and you can fish, kayak, camp or simply sit by the water. There is a small island you can reach by boat, and locals will tell you about the mermaid who, they say, sings at night. There are a few restaurants, but campers should bring their own gear.