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    Cliffs of the Tepozteco ridge with the pyramid on a forested outcrop and the sierra beyond, Parque Nacional El Tepozteco, Morelos

    Photo by Fred Rogers Vlgs, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Forested crags of the Sierra de Tepoztlán in El Tepozteco National Park, Parque Nacional El Tepozteco, Morelos

    Photo by Rafael Moriyama Inukai, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Parque Nacional El Tepozteco

    Nature reserve Tepoztlán, Morelos Municipality of Tepoztlán Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl Northern Morelos

    About 23,000 ha of volcanic sierra between Tepoztlán and southern Mexico City: pine and oak forest, dry tropical woods and the Tepozteco pyramid.

    From Cuernavaca: 25 min by car (26 km by road) How to get there ↓

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    Tours to Parque Nacional El Tepozteco

    Day trips and guided outings from Tepoztlán often include Parque Nacional El Tepozteco; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Tours from Cuernavaca 3hr Cooking Class in Cuernavaca 8 Recipes and Bottomless Drinks From US$59
    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide

    How to get to Parque Nacional El Tepozteco

    • From Cuernavaca: about 25 min by road (~26 km)
    • Nearest airport: Mexico City (MEX), 1 h 25 min by car to Tepoztlán
    Rent a car at MEX Flights to MEX

    Route, map and directions ↓

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    Tours from Cuernavaca, near Parque Nacional El Tepozteco

    3hr Cooking Class in Cuernavaca 8 Recipes and Bottomless Drinks 4 h From US$59
    3h Cuernavaca Food Tasting with 32 Authentic Mexican Flavors 3 h From US$69
    Xochicalco Archaeological Guided Tour 5 h From US$84

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

    About Parque Nacional El Tepozteco

    The cliffs that wall in the Tepoztlán valley are the best-known face of a much larger protected area. President Lázaro Cárdenas created El Tepozteco National Park by decree on 22 January 1937, and it now covers around 23,000 hectares, almost all of it in Tepoztlán municipality with a strip in Yautepec; its northern tip reaches into southern Mexico City. It takes up the middle of the Sierra Chichinautzin volcanic field and is flanked to the east and west by the Chichinautzin Biological Corridor.

    Geologically it is young country: cinder cones, lava flows and porous volcanic deposits that soak up rain and recharge the valley's aquifers. Chichinautzin volcano, whose last major eruption was about 1,800 years ago, is the high point at around 3,490 m, while in the south the land drops to about 1,200 m. That spread explains the range of forest: dry tropical woodland up to 1,600 m, oak and pine with juniper above that, pine and fir above 2,800 m, and pockets of cloud forest in ravines and on steep slopes.

    Surveys have recorded 126 bird species, 35 mammals and 27 reptiles in the park, the Mexican beaded lizard among them. Visitors almost always meet the coatis (tejones) that patrol the trails and go after food in backpacks.

    The park has a human history too. On top of the Tepozteco ridge, INAH looks after the archaeological site where Ometochtli-Tepoxtécatl, god of pulque and the harvest, was worshipped, and the climb from Tepoztlán is the park's busiest walk. Beyond it, local guides lead dozens of routes through hills, caves, rivers and forest, such as the trail to the Amatlán waterfall, and the Meztitla campground is a base for rock climbing and rappelling.

    Forest fire is the park's most visible threat: in April 2025 a blaze near Santo Domingo Ocotitlán burned about 312 hectares. Urban sprawl, illegal land-use change and trail erosion from heavy tourism add to the pressure.

    How to get to Parque Nacional El Tepozteco

    Drive from Cuernavaca: 25 min, 26 km

    Tepoztlán is the gateway to the park. From Mexico City take the Autopista del Sol (Mexico City-Cuernavaca, 95D) to the Oaxtepec exit and stay on that toll road to Tepoztlán; from Cuernavaca, the federal Cuernavaca-Tepoztlán road covers about 17 km as the crow flies. By bus, Pullman de Morelos leaves the Terminal del Sur (Taxqueña) about every 30 minutes and takes around an hour and a half. Tepoztlán's bus depot is on the edge of town on the Cuernavaca-Tepoztlán road (km 17); the centre is a short taxi ride or a 20 to 30 minute walk. The climb to the Tepozteco starts where Avenida 5 de Mayo ends (Axitla), a few blocks from the main square. For the park's other routes, such as the Amatlán waterfall, go with a certified local guide.

    Directions to Parque Nacional El Tepozteco on Google Maps

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

    Best with a guide Tours to Parque Nacional El Tepozteco on Viator With transport and a guide, leaving from nearby towns and cities. See prices →

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    From the nearest cities to Parque Nacional El Tepozteco

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

    Before you go to Parque Nacional El Tepozteco: hours, prices and tips

    Hours
    The Tepozteco archaeological site at the top opens Wednesday to Sunday, 9:00 to 16:00; last entry 15:00. INAH · checked Oct 2026
    Entry
    Tepozteco archaeological site: 105 pesos for Mexican visitors and 210 for foreigners. Free on Sundays for Mexicans, and free for under-13s, students, teachers and seniors. INAH · checked Oct 2026
    Time needed
    The climb to the Tepozteco takes up to about 2 hours depending on fitness; much of the path is steps. Wikivoyage · checked Oct 2026
    Guide or tour
    For routes beyond the pyramid trail (Tepoztlán offers more than 60) a certified guide is advisable; the Amatlán waterfall is visited with a guide. Tours: Viator GetYourGuide Wikivoyage · checked Oct 2026
    Rules
    No smoking, food or pets at the archaeological site. Do not feed the coatis along the trail. INAH · checked Oct 2026

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

    Visiting Parque Nacional El Tepozteco: what to see and do

    Climb from the end of Avenida 5 de Mayo in Tepoztlán to the Tepozteco ridge and its pyramid, with the whole valley below.
    Hire a local guide to leave the pyramid route for the park's hills, caves and ravines.
    Walk with a guide to the waterfall and pool at Amatlán.
    Go rock climbing or rappelling at the Meztitla campground.
    Look for birds in the pine and oak forest of the higher ground.
    In the rainy season, watch for streams running beside the stone paths.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Parque Nacional El Tepozteco

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Parque Nacional El Tepozteco.

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    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Tepoztlán often include Parque Nacional El Tepozteco; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at MEX (Mexico City): about 1 h 25 min by road to Tepoztlán, then 2 km more to Parque Nacional El Tepozteco, on your own schedule.

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    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mexico City (MEX), about 1 h 25 min by road from Tepoztlán, the base for Parque Nacional El Tepozteco.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    If you plan on hiking at Parque Nacional El Tepozteco, check that your policy covers it: some plans leave adventure activities out.

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    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from Tepoztlán: download a map of the way to Parque Nacional El Tepozteco before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

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    Photos

    When to go to Parque Nacional El Tepozteco mild

    Parque Nacional El Tepozteco shares the climate of Tepoztlán, 2 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and December.

    See the month-by-month climate of Tepoztlán

    The closest Pueblo Mágico: Tepoztlán

    Tepoztlán's cliffs rising behind a white colonial church, Morelos mild
    Morelos Tepoztlán

    Tepoztlán is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Parque Nacional El Tepozteco, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

    Also close to

    Closest to Parque Nacional El Tepozteco

    Near Parque Nacional El Tepozteco

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

    Lists with Parque Nacional El Tepozteco

    Nature Parks in Morelos · 8 Nature Parks near Tepoztlán · 19 Nature Parks near Cuernavaca · 18 Nature Parks near Cuautla · 13 Nature Parks near Xochitepec · 15 Nature Parks near Tlaltizapán · 10 Nature Parks near Malinalco · 17 Nature Parks near Mexico City · 16

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.