8 parks and reserves
Oaxaca has 8 parks and reserves with their own page on Puebloteca, near the Pueblos Mágicos of Mazunte, Capulálpam de Méndez, and Mitla. The closest to a pueblo is La Ventanilla, 2 km from Mazunte; the farthest out is Bahías de Huatulco, 39 km from Mazunte.
Parks and reserves are best on weekdays and early in the day. Bring water, and check the opening hours, since some close one day a week.
Best months, when most of these towns are dry with comfortable afternoons: Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec.
The Nature Parks 8
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La Ventanilla · Nature reserve · 2 km from Mazunte
A community-run mangrove lagoon where local guides row you past crocodiles, iguanas and herons. -
Hierve el Agua · Nature reserve · 11 km from Mitla
Mineral springs that have built white rock "waterfalls" down a cliff, with pools to swim in and huge views of the sierra. -
Pueblos Mancomunados · Nature reserve · 20 km from Capulálpam de Méndez
Eight Zapotec villages that run their pine and cloud forests together, linked by guided trails, with cabins, viewpoints and trout. -
Bahías de Huatulco · Nature reserve · 39 km from Mazunte
A national park of quiet bays, coral and dry tropical forest, toured by boat from the marina at Santa Cruz. -
Parque Nacional Benito Juárez · Nature reserve · Oaxaca de Juárez
A national park of pine-oak forest on the hills just north of Oaxaca city, with marked trails, birdwatching, zip lines and views over the valley. -
Parque Nacional Huatulco · Nature reserve · Santa María Huatulco
A national park since 1998 protecting dry forest, reefs and five of Huatulco's bays, including Cacaluta, Chachacual and San Agustín. -
Parque Nacional Lagunas de Chacahua · Nature reserve · Tututepec
A 1937 national park of lagoons, mangroves and beach west of Puerto Escondido, with the fishing village of Chacahua on its sandbar. -
Río Copalita · Nature reserve · Santa María Huatulco
The main river of the Huatulco coast, running from the Sierra Sur to La Bocana, with rafting from family floats to class IV rapids.
On the map
Distances are in a straight line; roads add about a third.
Where to stay
The Pueblos Mágicos these places are closest to, each with hotels, food and getting-there notes.
More places like these
More in Oaxaca
Waterfalls in Oaxaca · 3
Ruins in Oaxaca · 12
Lakes and Lagoons in Oaxaca · 5
Beaches in Oaxaca · 19
Viewpoints in Oaxaca · 3
Nature Parks elsewhere
Nature Parks near Mazunte · 4
Nature Parks in Aguascalientes · 3
Nature Parks in Baja California Sur · 5
Nature Parks in Chiapas · 7
Nature Parks in Chihuahua · 3
Nature Parks in Ciudad de México · 7
Nature Parks in Coahuila · 6
Nature Parks in Durango · 4
Nature Parks in Estado de México · 13
Nature Parks in Guanajuato · 5
Nature Parks in Hidalgo · 12
Nature Parks in Jalisco · 17
All lists by kind and region
Names and locations from OpenStreetMap; notes and write-ups are our own.