Landmark Santa María del Tule, Oaxaca Central Valleys of Oaxaca
A Montezuma cypress in Santa María del Tule with one of the widest trunks in the world, on the road between Oaxaca and Mitla.
From Oaxaca: 10 min by car (11 km by road) How to get there ↓
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Plan your visit to Árbol del Tule
Tours to Árbol del Tule
Look for tours of the area around Mitla that stop at Árbol del Tule.
Hierve el Agua,Arbol Del Tule,Mitla,Mezcal and Teotitlan del valle
★ 4.9 (23) · From US$33
How to get to Árbol del Tule
- From Oaxaca: about 10 min by road (~11 km)
- 32 km northwest of Mitla
- Nearest airport: Oaxaca (OAX), 47 min by car to Mitla
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Popular tours to Árbol del Tule
Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.
About Árbol del Tule
The Árbol del Tule is a Montezuma cypress, or ahuehuete, that grows in the churchyard of Santa María del Tule, a town on the road between Oaxaca City and Mitla. Its trunk is one of the widest of any tree in the world: about 42 meters around and some 14 meters across, so wide that it was once thought to be several trees grown together, until DNA tests showed it is a single tree. It stands about 35 meters tall.
Nobody knows its exact age. Estimates range from around 1,400 to more than 2,000 years, and Zapotec tradition says it was planted by a priest of Ehecatl, the wind god. The ahuehuete is Mexico's national tree, and this one is a source of great local pride, watered and protected by the town.
The gnarled bark forms bumps and hollows that people read as animals, and local children work as guides, pointing out the elephant, the lion and other shapes with a small mirror. Next to the tree are the white church of Santa María de la Asunción and a garden with smaller ahuehuetes, including descendants of the big one.
How to get to Árbol del Tule
Drive from Oaxaca: 10 min, 11 km
Santa María del Tule is about 40 minutes west of Mitla on Highway 190, just before you reach Oaxaca City. Any bus or colectivo between Oaxaca and Mitla passes through. A small fee is charged to enter the churchyard where the tree stands, and many visitors stop here on the way to Mitla.
32 km northwest of Mitla
Directions from Mitla on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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From the nearest cities to Árbol del Tule
- Oaxaca · 11 km by road, 10 min
- Tuxtepec · about 165 km by road, ~2 h 25 min
- Huajuapan de León · 180 km by road, 2 h 30 min
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Before you go to Árbol del Tule: hours, prices and tips
- Hours
- The fenced area around the tree is generally open 8 am to 8 pm, all year, in the churchyard of Santa María del Tule. Posta · checked Oct 2026
- Entry
- 25 pesos for adults to go inside the fence; you can see the tree from outside for free. Posta · checked Oct 2026
- Best season
- The tree's birthday is celebrated in October (traditionally the second Monday), the one day a year the fence opens and people can touch and hug it. Posta · checked Oct 2026
- Guide or tour
- Local guides, often children from the village, point out the animal and figure shapes people see in the trunk. Tours: Viator GetYourGuide México Desconocido · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting Árbol del Tule: what to see and do
Walk around the tree to take in the size of the trunk.
Let one of the local children guides show you the animal shapes in the bark.
Visit the church of Santa María de la Asunción beside it.
Try the snacks and nieves sold around the main square.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Árbol del Tule
Hotel Rustiko Hotel · ★★★ · 4.4 km from the center Find on Expedia Hotel Posada Escudero Hotel · ★★★ · 6.7 km from the center Find on Expedia Cosijo Hotel · ★★★ · 7.6 km from the center Find on Expedia Fiesta Inn Oaxaca Hotel · ★★★ · 7.9 km from the center Find on Expedia Del Lago express Hotel · 5.5 km from the center Find on Expedia Casa Abuelos Guest house · 300 m from the center Find on ExpediaTours & activities
Look for tours of the area around Mitla that stop at Árbol del Tule.
Rental cars
Pick up a car at OAX (Oaxaca): about 47 min by road to Mitla, then 32 km more to Árbol del Tule, on your own schedule.
Flights
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Oaxaca (OAX), about 47 min by road from Mitla, the base for Árbol del Tule.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Mitla: download a map of the way to Árbol del Tule before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you. Hotel names from OpenStreetMap.
Photos
When to go to Árbol del Tule mild
Árbol del Tule shares the climate of Mitla, 32 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and December.
See the month-by-month climate of Mitla
Weather in Árbol del Tule now and the next 7 days
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Chance of rain is the day's highest.
Make Mitla your base
Árbol del Tule is an easy trip from Mitla, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Capulálpam de Méndez · Oaxaca · 34 km away
Closest to Árbol del Tule
-
Tlalixtac de Cabrera · Town · 3 km away · Oaxaca
-
San Francisco Tutla · Town · 4 km away · Oaxaca
-
Rojas de Cuauhtémoc · Town · 5 km away · Oaxaca
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San Andrés Huayápam · Town · 7 km away · Oaxaca
-
San Antonio de la Cal · Town · 7 km away · Oaxaca
-
Santa Lucía del Camino · Town · 7 km away · Oaxaca
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Tlacochahuaya · Landmark · 7 km away
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Barrio de Jalatlaco · Landmark · 9 km away · Oaxaca
Near Árbol del Tule
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
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Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.