10 Best National Parks In Mexico To Visit

Are you looking for the best national parks in Mexico to visit?

With the country’s 67 national parks in 23 different states, choosing the most amazing of all these parks is going to be a hard feat.

That’s why we have chosen the best from the rest of these national parks spread throughout Mexico, situated among Mayan ruins, cliffs and canyons, cave systems, lagoons, and others.

Here’s your chance to discover and explore each of these amazing national parks in Mexico.

10 Best National Parks In Mexico To Visit

Let’s jump into our list of the best national parks in Mexico, each worthy of a visit when you’re in the same area.

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1. Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park, Guerrero

One of the world’s largest cave systems, Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park in Guerrero has the most impressive caverns you will ever visit. The park also offers tours of its botanical gardens, rappelling, and rock climbing in Limontitla Canyon.

The Grutas de Cacahuamilpa Caverns are the large cave system found in the park. The smaller one is the Grutas of Carlos Pacheco. Also housed in the Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park are a couple of subterranean rivers you can explore. The park also features a pool and camping areas.

Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park is located in Municipio de Pilcaya, just a short drive or bus trip from the city of Taxco.

2. Cascada de Basaseachi National Park, Chihuahua

Located in the heart of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range, Cascada de Basaseachi or Basaseachic Falls National Park is named after the 853-foot Basaseachic Falls, which is the second tallest waterfall in Mexico.

Modest wooden cabins are available in the area if you want to go camping. There are restaurants as well, which offer regional cuisine at reasonable prices. If you’re into rappelling and rock climbing, the park is going to be your paradise.

If you’re in this area in the state of Chihuahua, Cascada de Basaseachi National Park should be a part of your visit. Although a little hard to get to, the national park is worth all the trouble.

3. Cañón del Sumidero, Chiapas

Southern Mexico’s Cañón del Sumidero, or the Sumidero Canyon in Chiapas, is a deep natural canyon with vertical walls reaching as high as 3,300 feet and a river that turns up to 90° during the 18-mile length of the narrow passage.

A spectacular place with lots of flora and fauna, the Sumidero Canyon offers incredible views. Visitors will love the tour with the boat, where you’ll be able to see crocodiles and spider monkeys.

With its unparalleled beauty, Cañón del Sumidero is without a doubt one of the best places to visit not only in Mexico but the whole continent.

To book this tour, click here.

4. Palenque National Park, Chiapas

Palenque, a flourishing Mayan city during the 7th century, is home to a well-known Mayan archaeological site that’s made up of pyramids and temples, as well as exquisite sculptures – all with mythological themes.

Palenque National Park is in southern Mexico’s state of Chiapas, near the Usumacinta River some 81 miles south of Ciudad del Carmen.

While smaller than Copán, Chichen Itza, and Tikal, Palenque contains some of the finest Mayan architecture and sculpture, as well as roof comb and bas-relief carvings. This is one of the best Maya sights, which you can explore in about 1.5 to 2 hours.

Designated in 1981, Palenque National Park encompasses the ancient Mayan city and the hills to the south. The park includes a family camp site as well, which makes it fun if you’re traveling with your kids.

To book this tour, click here.

5. Sierra de Órganos, Zacatecas

Sierra de Órganos National Park, located in the town of Sombrerete in the state of Zacatecas, boasts a diverse arid land ecosystem and rock formations of the Sierra Madre Occidental. These famous rock formations resemble musical pipes (from which the park is named), or the organ pipe cacti. This well-known rugged reserve also houses cougars and coyotes.

Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010, Sierra de Órganos National Park’s scenic landscapes have been used in filming locations of many western movies in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, including Geronimo (1962), The Train Robbers (1973), and Wagons East (1994).

To book this tour, click here.

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6. Lagunas de Chacahua National Park, Oaxaca

Called by some as Mexico’s last true hidden gems, this national park in Oaxaca is flocked by visitors for its rustic charm, great surf, and pristine beaches.

Located between the towns of Santiago Jamiltepec and Puerto Escondido, Lagunas de Chacahua National Park is known for being home to fireflies and bioluminescent underwater organisms, and many varieties of birds. It also houses swamplands, mangroves, and coastal dunes.

Lagunas de Chacahua National Park is comprised of spectacular lagoons such as the Laguna de Chacahua, Laguna de La Pastoria, and Laguna Las Salinas. It is popular for swimming or just relaxing at the beach and enjoying the sunset. When in the area, this is one of the best places to visit in Oaxaca.

To book this tour, click here.

7. San Lorenzo Marine Archipelago National Park, Quintana Roo

Situated off the eastern coast of Baja California, on San Lorenzo Island part of an archipelago in the Gulf of California, San Lorenzo Marine Archipelago National Park is protected due to several endangered species that strive here, including totoaba, green turtle, hawksbill turtle, olive ridley turtle, blue whale, humpback whale, killer whale, and sperm whale.

The park is made up of five rugged islands: San Lorenzo, Las Animas, Salsipuedes, Rasa, and Partida. These islands have irregular coastline eroded with many sea cliffs.

San Lorenzo Marine Archipelago National Park is one of the most important ecological areas of the Gulf of California as it houses a great variety of flora and marine fauna.

The seas and the rocky shores are teeming with marine life such as squid, octopus, and jellyfish, as well as isopods, clams, mollusks, lobsters, and sea cucumbers. Plenty of fish and marine mammals also live in these waters.

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8. Tulum National Park, Quintana Roo

In addition to Mayan ruins, Tulum National Park is popular for its lush views and stunning coastal landscape.

This famous ecological site in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula offers visitors a chance to see the most impressive Mayan relics. The beautifully preserved archaeological complex is set in a beautiful landscape, featuring stunning rocky edifices and some truly delightful coastlines.

The national park is home to exotic animals such as anteaters and white turtles. It is also rich in various types of flora, including tropical shrubs, shea trees, and coconut palms, among many others.

To book this tour, click here.

9. Pico de Orizaba National Park, Veracruz

This national park in eastern Mexico’s state of Veracruz highlights the country’s highest peak – the Pico de Orizaba, also known as Citlaltépetl, a name that means “star mountain.”

Pico de Orizaba is an inactive stratovolcano, the highest volcanic summit in the continent at 5,636 meters or 18,491 feet above sea level. It is also regarded as the world’s second most prominent volcanic peak, after Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Pico de Orizaba National Park is located in Puebla, near Albergue Alpino and Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. Here visitors will enjoy the landscapes and panoramic view from El Pico de Orizaba, as well as the roads and rural paths through the forest and canyon and Río Jamapa.

To book this tour, click here.

10. Islas Marietas National Park, Nayarit

When we talk about scenic seaside views and pristine natural beauty, few places in the whole wide world can surpass what the Islas Marietas National Park has to offer.

The archipelago – which is made up of two islands and two islets, all uninhabited – is home to a good number of native wildlife species, as well as some of the most breathtaking landscapes not only in Mexico but the whole world.

Las Islas Marietas are popular among tourists, thanks to its abundance of marine life populations. Here you can snorkel and explore the serene seawater as you enjoy the protected national park’s natural majesty.

To book this tour, click here.