Nature reserve 4 km southwest of Orizaba
A national park since 1938 around Orizaba, with pine-covered peaks, waterfalls on the Río Blanco, and trails above the valley.
The Cañón del Río Blanco National Park wraps around Orizaba and its neighboring towns. It was created in March 1938 and covers close to 49,000 hectares of mountains in Veracruz and a corner of Puebla, from the Cumbres de Acultzingo in the west to the Metlac ravine in the east, at elevations from about 1,000 to over 3,000 meters.
The park takes its name from the Río Blanco, which runs down the valley past Ciudad Mendoza, Nogales, Río Blanco, Orizaba and Ixtaczoquitlán and forms many waterfalls along the way, including the Cascada El Elefante and the falls at Tuxpango, where the river feeds a hydroelectric plant. The slopes above the valley are covered in pine and oak forest, with cloud forest in the wetter ravines, and Mexico's biodiversity agency has recorded thousands of plant and animal species here.
Unlike many national parks, this one has towns and factories inside it, so it is less a single place than a collection of spots: canyons, springs, lookouts and trails that are easy to reach from Orizaba.
What to see and do
Walk down the 500 steps to the Cascada El Elefante and swim at Los Sifones.
Spend an afternoon at the spring-fed Laguna de Nogales.
Drive up to the Cumbres de Acultzingo for wide views over the mountains.
Hike the forested hills around the valley with a local guide.
Getting there
The park has no single entrance: its sights are spread along the valley within about 30 minutes of Orizaba by car or local bus, east toward Ixtaczoquitlán and west toward Nogales, Ciudad Mendoza and Acultzingo. Most spots are free or charge a small local fee.
4 km southwest of Orizaba
Directions from Orizaba on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Places to stay in Cañón del Río Blanco
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Weather mild
Cañón del Río Blanco shares the climate of Orizaba, 4 km away. The best months to visit are Feb, Mar, Apr, Dec.
Make Orizaba your base
Cañón del Río Blanco is an easy trip from Orizaba, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Córdoba · 22 km away
More around Orizaba
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Cascada El Elefante
· Waterfall · 5 km away
A waterfall deep in the Río Blanco canyon, reached by a stairway of 500 steps, with a turquoise swimming pool next door. -
Laguna de Nogales
· Lake · 7 km away
A spring-fed lake in the town of Nogales, clear and cold, where locals swim, row, and stroll under the trees. -
Ciudad Mendoza
· Town · 9 km away
The old textile town of Santa Rosa, with a community history museum in a former factory warehouse and the gateway to the Sierra de Zongolica. -
Barranca de Metlac
· Viewpoint · 12 km away
A deep, misty ravine with 19th-century railway tunnels, an old track you can walk, and some of Mexico's tallest bridges. -
Fortín de las Flores
· Town · 13 km away
A flower-growing town on the road to Córdoba, with gardenia and orchid nurseries and a large bonsai museum. -
Sótano de Popocatl
· Cave · 19 km away
A river that plunges about 80 meters into a sinkhole in the Sierra de Zongolica foothills; rappel down with guides or look from the rim. -
Acultzingo
· Town · 25 km away
A mountain town below the Cumbres de Acultzingo, the steep, winding pass on the old Puebla road with sweeping valley views. -
Pico de Orizaba
· Mountain · 26 km away
Mexico's highest peak, the snow-capped volcano that towers over Orizaba; its national park has forests and high trails.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.