Town 19 km southeast of Valle de Bravo
An old mining town in a deep valley south of Valle de Bravo, with an orchid garden, river canyons and the Peñón del Diablo crag.
Temascaltepec sits low in a mountain valley south of Valle de Bravo, where the cool pine country starts to tumble down toward the hot lands of the south. The name combines the Nahuatl words for steam bath and hill, and the town carries the surname González after Plutarco González, a hero of the Reform War. The state named it a Pueblo con Encanto.
This was mining country from the 16th century, and the cobbled streets and old houses of the center still reflect the wealth that gold and silver once brought, with old mines such as El Rey and Las Doncellas recalled in local history. Today the draws are mostly outdoors. The Orquideario Río Verde grows and sells native orchids, Las Juntas is the spot where two rivers meet in a loud, rocky canyon, and the Peñón del Diablo, a crag above the valley, is used for climbing, rappelling and paragliding, with big views over the sierra.
Temascaltepec is also the base for Real de Arriba, the old mining village up the canyon. The dry season, from about November to April, is the best time to explore.
What to see and do
Walk the cobbled center of this old mining town.
Visit the Orquideario Río Verde to see and buy native orchids.
Head to Las Juntas, where two rivers meet in a rocky canyon.
Climb, rappel or paraglide at the Peñón del Diablo.
Continue up the canyon to the mining village of Real de Arriba.
Getting there
Temascaltepec is about 20 km south of Valle de Bravo as the crow flies, but the mountain road makes the drive roughly an hour; check the route before you leave. From Toluca it is reached by Federal Highway 134. Buses run from Toluca.
19 km southeast of Valle de Bravo
Directions from Valle de Bravo on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Weather mild
Temascaltepec shares the climate of Valle de Bravo, 19 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Mar, Apr, Dec.
Make Valle de Bravo your base
Temascaltepec is an easy trip from Valle de Bravo, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
More around Valle de Bravo
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Avándaro
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A wooded village next to Valle de Bravo with weekend homes, a golf club, waterfalls, and the site of Mexico's famous 1971 rock festival. -
Cascada Velo de Novia
· Waterfall · 3 km away
A 35-meter waterfall in the pine forest of Avándaro, with picnic areas, trails and horseback rides close to Valle de Bravo. -
Amanalco de Becerra
· Town · 13 km away
A quiet mountain town of springs and trout farms east of Valle de Bravo, with a 16th-century church and forest all around. -
Salto de Chihuahua
· Waterfall · 16 km away
A waterfall over 50 meters high in a park near Ixtapan del Oro, with a natural pool, palapas and camping areas. -
Santuario Piedra Herrada
· Nature reserve · 18 km away
The monarch butterfly sanctuary closest to Valle de Bravo, on the road to Toluca, open roughly November to March. -
Real de Arriba
· Town · 21 km away
A near-forgotten gold-mining village in a green canyon above Temascaltepec, with an 18th-century Baroque church and year-round springs. -
Parque Nacional Bosencheve
· Nature reserve · 25 km away
A national park of pine and fir forest on the Toluca–Morelia highway, with a lagoon, camping and quiet trails north of Valle de Bravo. -
Santuario El Capulín
· Nature reserve · 26 km away
A quieter monarch butterfly sanctuary in Donato Guerra, reached by a forest trail of about 4 km on foot or horseback. -
Nevado de Toluca
· Mountain · 40 km away
Mexico's fourth-highest peak, with two crater lakes; the park has been closed since August 2025, so check before going.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.