Lake 33 km northwest of Paracho
A spring-fed national park lake of clear, turquoise water among ancient ahuehuete cypresses, near Tangancícuaro.
Lago de Camécuaro is a small lake fed by springs that bubble up from its bed, about 2 kilometers from Tangancícuaro and some 15 kilometers east of Zamora. Its water is remarkably clear and turquoise, and its shores are lined with huge ahuehuetes, Montezuma cypresses, whose roots reach into the water; some of these trees are many centuries old. The lake was declared a national park under President Lázaro Cárdenas.
The springs feed the Duero River, which in turn flows to the Lerma. Two old ahuehuetes in the middle of the lake look like a little island, known as the Isla del Amor. Local legend links the lake's Purépecha name to sorrow, telling of a princess whose tears formed the water.
Today it is a favorite spot for families from the region, with rowboat rides among the trees, swimming areas, places to picnic, camping and stalls selling food and crafts. Weekends get busy, so go early in the day or on a weekday to enjoy the stillness of the water.
What to see and do
Take a rowboat ride among the ahuehuete cypresses.
See the Isla del Amor, two old trees rising from the middle of the lake.
Swim in the clear spring water in the designated areas.
Picnic or camp on the shady shores.
Getting there
From Paracho, drive north on Highway 37 to Carapan, then west on Highway 15 through the Cañada de los Once Pueblos to Tangancícuaro and the lake; allow about an hour. There is usually a small entry fee; confirm on site.
33 km northwest of Paracho
Directions from Paracho on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Lago de Camécuaro
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Tours & activities
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Weather cool
Lago de Camécuaro shares the climate of Paracho, 33 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Mar, Apr, Nov.
Make Paracho your base
Lago de Camécuaro is an easy trip from Paracho, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
More around Paracho
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Nurío
· Town · 8 km away
Purépecha village whose painted 17th-century church, the "Purépecha Sistine Chapel," burned in 2021 and has been rebuilt by local carpenters. -
Capácuaro
· Town · 11 km away
A Purépecha woodworking town on the Paracho–Uruapan highway, lined with furniture workshops and roadside showrooms. -
Cherán
· Town · 11 km away
A Purépecha town that rose up against illegal loggers in 2011 and now governs itself through a community council. -
Cocucho
· Town · 16 km away
A highland village known for its huge clay jars, shaped by hand and fired in open bonfires by local women. -
Angahuan
· Town · 22 km away
Purépecha-speaking village and base for Paricutín, with an early colonial church and guides with horses for hire. -
Templo de San Juan Parangaricutiro
· Landmark · 24 km away
A church tower and altar rising from a sea of black lava, all that is left of a town buried by Paricutín in 1944. -
Ocumicho
· Town · 25 km away
The village of clay devils: Purépecha women shape wild, colorful diablitos and scenes by hand, no two alike. -
Zona Arqueológica de Tingambato
· Archaeological site · 26 km away
An older, Teotihuacan-influenced ceremonial center with a ball court and a rich tomb, east of Paracho on the road to Pátzcuaro. -
Volcán Paricutín
· Mountain · 27 km away
The volcano that rose from a cornfield in 1943: ride or hike across the lava from Angahuan to its still-steaming crater. -
Zacán
· Town · 27 km away
A Purépecha village on Paricutín's slopes that hosts the great Purépecha artistic contest of music and dance every October. -
La Tzaráracua
· Waterfall · 33 km away
Michoacán's best-known waterfall, where the Cupatitzio River drops some 40–60 meters into a canyon south of Uruapan.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.