La Malinche National Park
La Malinche National Park is a large national park protecting 45,711 hectares of pine forest surrounding the slopes of the Malinche volcano (Mexico's 6th highest mountain) in the states of Tlaxcala and Puebla in Central Mexico.
Understand
The park provides little in the way of visitor amenities. Do not expect restrooms or any places to buy food or drink once you get past the trailhead.
History
La Malinche was established as a national park in 1938.
Landscape
La Malinche volcano, also known as Matlalcueitl has a height of 4,462 meters (14,639 feet). It has gentle slopes and is accessible by park road, making it a popular training ground for mountaineering as they prepare for the more challenging climbs on other volcanos in the central Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Lower elevations are shady and cooler, but higher elevations are more barren and bring greater exposure to sun and wind.
Flora and fauna
Most of the park's area is covered by coniferous (pine) forests that provide habitat to more than 100 mammal species, more than 150 bird species, and a number of amphibians and reptiles (16 of which are endemic to the Volcano Belt).
According to the Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad (CONABIO), there are 920 cataloged species living in the park, 40 of which are considered "at risk" and 52 which are considered "non-native" (invasive species).
Get in
From Puebla, go the CAPU bus station and buy a ticket for Apizaco. Several bus companies service this route including ATAH, Autobuses Supra and more. Fares are cheap: generally M$20 (more if you take a first-class bus at a popular time). The first bus leaves Puebla about 7am. From Apizaco, you can get a taxi to take you to the park (as far as the trailhead). There are also colectivos from Apizaco to the park. To use the colectivo, go the corner of Av. Hidalgo and Av. Serdan (in front of Elektra store) and look for the colectivo marked "La Malintzi". The first colectivos start about 7am, the last back to Apizaco leaves at 5pm. The colectivo fare is also about M$20.
The park road goes up as high as 3100 meters where there's a trailhead to hike the rest of the way.
Get around
You'll be hiking. Hope you brought comfortable boots!
Do
- Hike
- Camp
- Climb
- Mountain bike
- Observe nature
Buy
There are no stores in the park. Apizaco is the best place to buy food, water or other supplies. You may also be able to buy some things at the Centro Vacacional IMSS La Malintzi.
Eat
What you bring. You may also be able to buy food at Centro Vacacional IMSS La Malintzi.
Drink
What you bring. Do not count on potable water being available in the park.
Sleep
The "Centro Vacacional IMSS La Malintzi" is located on the volcano and is a popular weekend destination. It has 40 cabins, a camping area, a shop, restaurant, and soccer fields. The nearest rooms for rent will be in Apizaco.