Cumbres del Ajusco National Park

Cumbres del Ajusco is a protected area covering 920 hectares of pine forests and volcanic rock formations in the southern edge of Mexico City. The highest point in the park, Pico del Águila, reaches 3,930 meters and offers views across the valley and surrounding volcanoes on clear days.

The Mexican government declared this mountain region a national park on September 23, 1936, to protect water sources and forests serving the capital. In the decades that followed, access roads and shelters were built to serve hikers and climbers arriving from the growing city below.

The name Ajusco comes from the Náhuatl word "Axochco", meaning "place where water springs up", referring to the many streams that begin here. Visitors walking the trails today will notice small shrines and memorial stones that locals have placed over generations in clearings along the routes.

Trails wind through dense pine forests and across open slopes, so sturdy footwear and warm clothing are advisable because of the altitude. Fog can roll in quickly and reduce visibility, so it helps to stay on marked routes and return before dark.

During winter months, snowfall occasionally covers the forest here, making it one of the few places in the capital where visitors can see snow-covered pines. Some residents from nearby neighborhoods arrive with sleds and build snowmen in the clearings near the parking areas when conditions allow.