El Veladero National Park, National park in Acapulco, Mexico
El Veladero National Park is a protected area near Acapulco with oak forests and tropical plants that cover the hillsides overlooking the bay. The park has marked trails for walking and a section with ancient rock carvings, plus areas where you can spot wildlife like iguanas and birds.
The area served as a military position for independence forces led by General José María Morelos y Pavón around 1813 to 1814, during Mexico's fight for freedom from colonial rule. This chapter in the nation's story is woven into the landscape that visitors walk through today.
The rock engravings at Palma Sola show scenes from the daily lives of people who lived here thousands of years ago. Walking past these ancient carvings carved into granite, you get a sense of what mattered to the communities that once called this place home.
The park is best explored on foot using the marked trails that wind through different areas with varying levels of difficulty. Bring sturdy walking shoes and plenty of water, especially on sunny days when the forest cover is thin in some sections.
From the higher sections on a clear day, you can see three different bodies of water at once – Acapulco Bay, Pie de la Cuesta, and Laguna de Coyuca stretching out below. This panoramic view makes the trek to these spots particularly rewarding.
Location: Guerrero
Inception: July 17, 1980
GPS coordinates: 16.90194,-99.90500
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:41
Guerrero brings together Pacific coastline, colonial towns, and archaeological sites from pre-Hispanic civilizations. The landscape ranges from sandy beaches and offshore islands to cave systems and waterfalls in the mountainous interior of the Sierra Madre del Sur. Taxco displays baroque churches and silver mining heritage, while Acapulco combines modern resort areas with historical fortifications. The region preserves traces of different eras: Tehuacalco and Teopantecuanitlan document indigenous settlements, Santa Prisca Church showcases eighteenth-century colonial architecture, and Fort San Diego recalls the defensive structures of the colonial period. Natural spaces such as Cacahuamilpa Caves, the botanical garden in Acapulco, and remote beaches near Troncones or Barra de Potosí offer contrast to the cultural sites. The cliffs at La Quebrada and the bays around Zihuatanejo rank among the better-known coastal points, while smaller places like Ixcateopan present local history and rural life.
La Quebrada, Mexico
6.3 km
Acapulco Diamante
12.1 km
Fort San Diego
5.8 km
Juxtlahuaca
99.3 km
Capilla Ecuménica La Paz
4.9 km
Playa Majahua
13.9 km
Xochipala
102.4 km
Tehuacalco
53.4 km
Playa Langosta
6.7 km
Fuente de la Diana cazadora (Acapulco)
5.9 km
Playa Tlacopanocha
6.3 km
Barra Vieja Beach
22.8 km
Chilpancingo Cathedral
84.2 km
Puerto Transatlántico Internacional Teniente José Azueta
5.9 km
Our Lady of Solitude Cathedral, Acapulco
5.9 km
Plaza Álvarez
4.9 km
Oceanic 2000
8.4 km
Crowne Plaza Acapulco
5.6 km
Fortín Álvarez
5.7 km
Torres Gemelas
6.7 km
Sunset Chapel
10.5 km
Acapulco Botanical Garden
10.3 km
Scenic viewpoint
6.5 km
Museo Interactivo "La Avispa"
82.5 km
La Roqueta Island Lighthouse
9.1 km
Sinfonía del Mar
6.7 km
Playa Pie de La Cuesta
7 km
Mirador de la Bahía
5.3 kmReviews
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