El Cimatario National Park, National park south of Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico
El Cimatario is a national park with volcanic terrain supporting dry forests, cactus scrub, and grassland across its slopes. The elevation climbs to around 2,400 meters, creating varied landscape zones throughout the grounds.
After Spanish conquest, the crown initially protected the area from overuse. Later, timber extraction during modernization periods caused significant environmental changes.
Indigenous peoples considered this mountain a sacred place where they performed rituals tied to the land and its cycles. Visitors walking here today can sense the spiritual importance this location held for the people who lived on it.
The park is reachable via the Querétaro-Huimilpan highway, where park rangers offer free guided tours. These walks teach visitors about the local wildlife and plants found throughout the grounds.
Marine fossils embedded in the volcanic soil reveal that this area was once underwater millions of years ago. This geological history makes the ground itself a window into the region's distant past.
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