Nature reserve 11 km northwest of Villa del Carbón
Red and orange eroded mounds reflected in a pond at the edge of Chapa de Mota, a landscape that looks almost Martian.
México Chiquito is a small patch of land at the edge of Chapa de Mota where water and wind have carved soft, colorful sediment into a crowd of rounded mounds and little ridges. The earth here comes in reds, oranges, ochres and browns, and against the dark pines that grow behind it the scene looks less like the Estado de México than like a picture sent back from Mars.
The effect is best where a pond sits at the foot of the formations: on a still day the red hills reflect in the water, which is what most visitors come to photograph. The sediment looks so crumbly that you would expect it to collapse at a touch, yet the forms have held up for a very long time, and the light changes them through the day, from pale in the midday glare to deep rust near sunset.
It is not a big park and a visit does not take long, so it fits easily into a day with Chapa de Mota's Franciscan church, Villa del Carbón or the dams in the area. The dry months, roughly November to April, are the most comfortable time for walking around.
What to see and do
Photograph the red mounds reflected in the pond on a calm day.
Come late in the afternoon, when the colors deepen.
Walk carefully around the formations without climbing on them, since the sediment is fragile.
Combine it with Chapa de Mota's 16th-century parish.
Getting there
México Chiquito is on the southern edge of Chapa de Mota, about 30 minutes by car from Villa del Carbón. Ask in town for the way in, as signage is limited. Wear sneakers with grip and bring water; there are few services on site.
11 km northwest of Villa del Carbón
Directions from Villa del Carbón on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in México Chiquito
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Weather cool
México Chiquito shares the climate of Villa del Carbón, 11 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec.
Make Villa del Carbón your base
México Chiquito is an easy trip from Villa del Carbón, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Jilotepec · 16 km away
More around Villa del Carbón
-
Presa del Llano
· Lake · 9 km away
A forest reservoir and ecotourism park south of Villa del Carbón with cabins, rowboats, trout, zip lines and campsites. -
Chapa de Mota
· Town · 12 km away
An Otomí town with a 16th-century Franciscan church and backstrap-loom weaving, next to the red eroded hills of México Chiquito. -
Arcos del Sitio
· Landmark · 14 km away
A colonial aqueduct about 60 meters tall spanning a wooded ravine, inside an ecotourism park east toward Tepotzotlán. -
Peña de la Bufa
· Mountain · 14 km away
A forested peak above the Presa del Llano with a spring, a waterfall and a summit viewpoint, climbed without technical gear. -
Presa Taxhimay
· Lake · 14 km away
A reservoir that swallowed the village of San Luis de las Peras in the 1930s; two church towers still rise from the water. -
Presa Danxhó
· Lake · 19 km away
A quiet reservoir between Chapa de Mota and Jilotepec, good for a picnic, kayaking or a boat ride on a countryside loop. -
Centro Ceremonial Otomí
· Landmark · 23 km away
A monumental Otomí ceremonial center in the Temoaya forest, built in 1980, with a vast plaza and giant sculpted figures. -
Bioparque Estrella
· Landmark · 25 km away
A drive-through wildlife park in Chapa de Mota with animals from several continents, boat rides and a zip line.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.