Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, Biosphere reserve in Querétaro, Mexico.

Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve protects 383,567 hectares in northeastern Querétaro, spanning the municipalities of Arroyo Seco, Jalpan de Serra, Landa de Matamoros, Pinal de Amoles and Peñamiller. Its sedimentary relief includes sierras above 3,000 meters and deep canyons cut by the Santa María, Extóraz and Moctezuma rivers. Vegetation ranges from xerophytic scrub to cloud forest.

A presidential decree granted the area protected status in 1997, leading to its inclusion in the UNESCO Man and Biosphere program. Indigenous groups inhabited the mountains for centuries before Spanish missionaries established religious outposts during the 1700s.

Five Franciscan missions from the 18th century stand throughout the region, combining European and indigenous design elements that remain active places of worship today. Local communities run eco-tourism initiatives and maintain traditional ways of living adapted over generations to this mountain environment.

Federal Highway 120 toward Querétaro and Federal Highway 69 toward San Luis Potosí form the main access routes into the region. Trails within the reserve range from easy walks to challenging mountain paths suitable for different fitness levels.

The reserve sits where the Nearctic and Neotropical realms meet, so its 15 vegetation types range from xerophytic scrub in the canyon bottoms to cloud forest on the high slopes. The Tancuilín ravine alone records 469 butterfly species, the richest count in Querétaro and about 30% of Mexico's total.