La Huasteca Potosina is home to spectacular waterfalls surrounded by lush nature. Thanks to its remote location in central Mexico, the region still flies under the radar of international tourism. This post will help you plan a trip to Mexico’s waterfall wonderland, sharing when to travel, how to get there and a two-day itinerary.

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When to travel

The waterfalls of La Huasteca Potosina are characterized by their striking turquoise color. This feature is coupled to the dry winter season, from October to April. In summer, the frequent rain turns the falls into a muddier brown. However, if you travel too far into the dry season, the falls can get very low on water. We planned our trip in early February, which turned out perfectly.

How to get there

La Huasteca Potosina can be reached by two main routes from Mexico City. The first one follows the highway to access from the north, passing the city of San Luis Potosí. The second one is the scenic road, winding through the mountainous Sierra Gorda in Queretaro before arriving in the southern part of San Luis Potosí. We took the scenic road on the way to La Huasteca Potosina and returned home via the highway.

As we left Mexico City around noon, we were driving through the Sierra Gorda at sunset. We had the road practically to ourselves and stopped at several improvised viewpoints along the way. If you can leave the capital earlier, the Sierra Gorda has several natural attractions of its own. The Puente de Dios Trail takes you through an impressive canyon, while a short detour to Mirador de Cuatro Palos leads to a beautiful viewpoint. We continued without stops in order to reach our stay for the night before dark.

When approaching La Huasteca Potosina from the south like we did, the town of Jalpan de Serra in Queretaro is a good stopover point. Even though we arrived without a reservation on a holiday weekend, we found accommodation easily. We stayed in Hotel Misión Jalpan, located in a historic building on the main square.

Itinerary

We spent two full days exploring La Huasteca Potosina. If time permits, I recommend adding one more day. Below is our tried-and-tested two-day itinerary, including the top sights and tips to make your trip smooth sailing.

Day 1: Jardín Las Pozas & Cascada de Tamul

Jardín Las Pozas

We left early from Jalpan de Serra to arrive in time for our 10 AM reservation at Jardín Las Pozas. Even though tickets don’t sell out very often, having a reserved spot makes you immune to hustling on arrival. All visits are done with a guide, either in Spanish or English.

Jardín Las Pozas is a surrealist sculpture garden created by Edward James, a British poet and artist. In his search for a Garden of Eden, a guide brought him to the town of Xilita in the Sierra Gorda. Together with a skilled Mexican carpenter, James created the sculpture garden for the sole purpose of aesthetics.

After the guided tour, we had lunch in Cervecería James right outside the sculpture garden. From Xilita, it takes a two-hour drive through the countryside to reach the first waterfall, Cascada de Tamul.

Cascada de Tamul

Cascada Tamul can be accessed in two different ways, as each entry is located in a different town or municipio. The first route is by land, through a trail that starts at the top of the waterfall. The second way is from the water, in large rowing boats.

Like any natural attraction in Mexico, the local town decides on the appropriate entry fee. We were planning to access by land through the town of El Naranjito, but left perplexed by the entry fee of 1000 pesos (50 USD). A much better option is to access by water, from the Embarcadero in the town of La Morena. Entry is 200 pesos (10 USD) per person and includes a scenic ride on a rowboat, rowers included. The boat stops at an outcrop that serves as a viewpoint of Cascada de Tamul.

Stay: Tanchachín

Because of the natural setting, La Huasteca Potosina houses a lot of camping, glamping and cabin-style accommodations. We planned to camp at Campamento Tamul, but that plan fell through when we refused to pay the excessive entry fee to access by land. We found a basic cabin in the nearby town of Tanchachín, but there are plenty of options around that can be booked in advance.

Day 2: Puente De Dios, Cascadas de Tamasopo, Micos & Minas Viejas

Puente de Dios

The second day is entirely dedicated to waterfalls, visiting four different sites. We started with Puente de Dios, not to be confused with the trail in Queretaro. This swimming hole is located along a railroad, with many improvised shops leading up to the entrance. We had delicious tamales huastecos for breakfast, before making our way down the stairs to Puente de Dios. If you are willing to brave the cold, you can plunge into the scenic hole from eight meters high.

Cascadas de Tamasopo

Just 15 minutes from Puente de Dios you’ll find Cascadas de Tamasopo. This garden of eden was one of our favorite stops on the trip. There are several small restaurants scattered along the turquoise river in a very well-maintained park.

Cascadas de Micos

We found Cascadas de Micos somewhat underwhelming, likely because access was restricted. The entry fee only allows access to a small part of the river. In order to go beyond and reach a worthwhile view, you have to pay for a separate tour. You can pick from a guided jump tour, several zip lines or the adventurous SkyBike, a bike route high in the sky. We sticked to elotes on the sidelines.

Cascadas de Minas Viejas

We kept the best for last, as Cascadas de Minas Viejas is nothing short of spectacular. Reaching the waterfalls requires a steep walk downhill. There are a couple of food stalls on the route down, but more options are available around the entrance at street level.

Stay: Cascadas de Minas Viejas

Cascadas de Minas Viejas offers a primitive campground, making it possible to enjoy the falls from dusk till dawn. We were a little hesitant at first, given the remoteness of the site and the lack of supervision. But persuaded by the stunning backdrop and the fact that we had company from another group, we decided to go for it. This unique camp spot definitely tops our list of memorable camping backdrops, but requires a sense of adventure.

Optional Day 3: Cascada Salto del Agua y El Meco

With an extra day, you can visit the nearby Cascada Salto del Agua and Cascada El Meco. The falls were practically dry at the time of our visit, so we started the eight-hour journey back to the capital after packing up at Minas Viejas.

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