Photo by Tomas Martinez on Unsplash
Three days in the cool mountains of Hidalgo, based in Mineral del Monte, a silver town where Cornish miners left their pasties and a cemetery. One day goes into the pines and cliffs of El Chico, and one down to the basalt gorge near Huasca.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
How much walking? On foot, about 0.5 to 2.4 kilometers a day, and 36.5 kilometers by car or transit in all across 3 days. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
Mineral del Monte on foot, in the cool mist of the mountains. An old silver mine you can walk into, a hillside square with the parish church, and a cemetery where Cornish miners lie. Wear layers and shoes with grip.
Eggs cooked the way you like with refried beans, warm tortillas and a strong coffee, a plain start before the cold air of the hill.
Local tip Ask for the red and green sauces on the side and add them a little at a time.
An old silver mine turned site museum on the northern edge of town, where visitors walk a short way into the tunnels the miners dug. It tells the story of the silver that made the town, and of the Cornish and Mexican miners who worked it.
Go when Morning, so the afternoon stays free.
Local tip The tunnels are cold, damp and low in places, so wear a warm layer and shoes with grip. Not for anyone uneasy in closed spaces. Check ahead on the tours, since access can change.
The small hillside square of the town, with the parish church of the Rosary beside it, a garden of trees and benches, and steep lanes of shops running off in every direction. It is where the town meets, and where the pasty sellers are.
Go when Midday, with a pasty and a hot drink.
Local tip Buy a pasty from a stall and eat it on a bench. The lanes slope steeply, so go slowly. If it rains, shelter in the church porch or a cafe.
The pasty here is a baked pastry parcel brought by the Cornish, now filled in the Mexican way with potato and ground meat, green mole, beans or sweet fruit.
Local tip Eat it hot and fresh, and try one savoury and one sweet.
A hillside cemetery just outside the centre where Cornish miners and their families were buried after they came to work the silver in the 1800s. The graves have English names and stand among the pines, a quiet and misty place.
Go when Afternoon, while the light is clear.
Local tip Read the names and dates on the stones, many of them Cornish. It is a place of rest, so stay quiet. The ground is uneven and wet in mist, and the gate hours can change, so check ahead.
The miners enchiladas of this part of Hidalgo, corn tortillas dipped in a red chili sauce and fried, served with potato, carrot, cheese and a little lettuce.
Local tip Ask whether the sauce is mild, and eat them while they are hot.
A day by road in El Chico, a mountain park of pine forest and rock cliffs. A small mining village below the peaks, a forest walk, and two lookouts. It is cold and often foggy, so wear layers and check the weather first.
A sweet roll and a clay mug of coffee spiced with cinnamon and brown sugar, a warm start before the drive to the pines.
Local tip Fill a bottle of water and take a snack, since there is little to buy in the forest.
A small mining village in a fold of the mountains, with stone lanes, old houses and a parish church, under cliffs and pines. Silver was worked here long before the Cornish arrived at Mineral del Monte. It lies a drive down the road from the town.
Go when Morning, before the mist closes in.
Local tip Walk the stone lanes slowly, since the village sits at altitude and the steps are steep. Hold a hot drink in the square and look up at the cliffs.
A mountain park of pine and fir forest above the village, with trails, picnic spots and rocky peaks. The air is cold and often misty, and the forest can be wet underfoot, so take a layer and keep to marked paths.
Go when Late morning, when the mist often lifts.
Local tip Keep to marked paths and tell your driver or host where you are going. Fog can come down fast and the ground is slick after rain. Check ahead on access and on the weather.
Trout grilled, fried or cooked in garlic and served with rice and tortillas, a dish of the cold streams and trout farms of the El Chico hills.
Local tip Ask for it cooked whole and pick out the bones with care.
A rocky cliff in the park with a lookout over the village and the valley below. The edge is steep, so stay behind the rails and keep away in fog, high wind or wet weather. Check ahead on the road and on access.
Go when Afternoon, if the sky is clear.
Local tip Stay behind the rails and well back from the edge. Skip it in fog, wind or rain. The view is not guaranteed, since cloud often fills the valley.
A rock formation of the park with openings like windows, among the pines, with a view across the forest. It is reached from the road with some walking on uneven ground, so take shoes with grip and check ahead on access and conditions.
Go when Early afternoon, while the path is dry.
Local tip Bring shoes with grip and keep to the path, since the rock is uneven and slick when wet. Check ahead on access, and do not go in fog.
A warm bowl of chicken broth with rice, avocado and tortillas, a plain supper after a cold day in the pines.
Local tip Squeeze lime over it and add chili slowly.
A day by road in Huasca de Ocampo, lower and a little warmer than the mountain. A small plaza town, then a gorge of dark basalt columns with a waterfall, and an old hacienda. Check ahead on access and water.
Soft corn tamales in their wrappers with a cup of atole, a thick, warm corn drink, eaten standing at a stall.
Local tip Unwrap the leaf and eat only the dough inside.
A gorge of tall, many sided columns of dark basalt, cooled from lava long ago, with a waterfall dropping beside them. Alexander von Humboldt wrote about them in the early 1800s. Paths and steps lead to the viewing places, and the rock is wet and slippery.
Go when Morning, before the crowds and the afternoon showers.
Local tip The steps and the rock are wet and slippery, so wear shoes with grip and keep behind the rails. Check ahead on access and on how much water is falling, since both change with the season.
An old estate near the gorge, built in the 1700s by the Count of Regla to refine the silver ore brought from Mineral del Monte. Parts of it are now a hotel, so look at the old walls from the road or the gate, and check ahead on access.
Go when Midday, on the way between the gorge and the town.
Local tip Parts of the estate are a hotel, so do not expect to walk in. Look at the old stone walls from the road, and check ahead on whether any part is open to visitors.
Lamb slow cooked until tender and served in tortillas with onion, coriander and a bowl of the rich broth, a speciality of the Hidalgo hills.
Local tip Take the broth with a squeeze of lime, and ask for it mild.
The small garden square of Huasca, a mountain town of tiled roofs and painted walls, with benches, trees and a parish church close by. A pleasant place to sit with a hot drink after the gorge.
Go when Late afternoon, when the lanes are quiet.
Local tip A small town square, good for a hot drink and a bench. Walk a block or two off it to see the painted walls and tiled roofs.
Folded corn tortillas filled with cheese or mushrooms, with a mug of hot chocolate, a warm supper in a cool mountain town.
Local tip Ask what fillings are fresh that day, and eat them hot.
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, January to May and October to December are the most comfortable months for walking around Mineral del Monte. This plan is built for october, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
It covers 3 days in Mineral del Monte, planned for october. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
On foot, about 0.5 to 2.4 kilometers a day, and 36.5 kilometers by car or transit in all across 3 days. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
4 days of getting happily lost in Mexico CityAbout 100 km awayAn easy add-on
3 days of mole, tiles and a pyramid in Puebla and CholulaAbout 140 km away
5 days of Franciscan missions and mountain riversAbout 140 km awayMake it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated November 2026
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