Monterrey is a significant city full of beautiful ways to spend your days and a rich nightlife. San Pedro-one of the cities that comprises the Monterrey metro area-is perhaps the richest city in all of Latin America and as such San Pedro and the surrounding area of Monterrey offers a lot in terms of shopping and other city-centric activities.
However – if you’d like to get off the beaten path and out into the stunning mountains that surround the city, Parque Natural La Estanzuela is a great option.
Just about a half hour from the center of Monterrey, but still officially in the Metro area, the park offers a variety of hikes and the opportunity to experience wildlife, in addition to breathtaking water features and even some tiny swimming holes – so I wore my suit.
You do have to pay to get into the park, and do so by downloading an app – which I’d suggest doing before you leave. Cell service is spotty at the park and you don’t want to waste your time hanging around in the parking lot trying to download the app-like I did. Here’s a link to their site: https://www.nl.gob.mx/descarga-tu-pasaporte-nl-extraordinario
Once you’ve got the app, you’ll be able to choose “Reactivacion Touristica” and then select “Parque Natural La Estanzuela”.
Tickets aren’t expensive, and once you’re in the park, you can kind of wander wherever you’d like to go. The main trail is almost a road, paved in flat rocks and studded with beautiful stone bridges across the river. You’ll notice a variety of off-shoots of the trail and while there isn’t much signage, several of these can get you to vistas and waterfalls that will make your heart dance.
I visited the park while it was under construction – and in 2021 when Covid precautions were still in place – so there was only one trail open, but it was still well worth the money and the hike. A short distance past the historic Manantial La Estanzuela building you’ll come across a little picnic area. Bear left here, across the bridge and continue along the road.
Along the trail you’ll find benches where you can take a break to enjoy the view, play a little on the exercise equipment, or just take a drink and a photo. Continue on a little further and just before a beautiful stone bridge, you’ll see a couple of pools of water in the river below. This is where I stopped to swim.
A quick search of “Parque La Estanzuela” will give you a taste of all the incredible elements of this beautiful place. I can imagine it would be easy to spend a full day – or even a few days – exploring this stunning wilderness area. And since I happened to visit when a lot of the trails were closed, I can also confirm you’ll get a delightful taste of the area even if you only have a couple hours.
Wander in wonder, my beautiful friends, and follow your heart’s desires. I’ll be back soon from the next adventure.