La Huasteca Potosina, a picturesque sub-region in Mexico’s state of San Luis Potosi, is home to some of the most stunning waterfalls, turquoise blue rivers, and fascinating attractions in all of Mexico.
Although La Huasteca Potosina is located just a few hour drive away from major cities like San Luis Potosi and Ciudad Valles, it is so remote and off the grid that most visitors traveling through Mexico have never even heard of it!
We spent a total of 6 months traveling through Mexico searching for the most unique things to do on our trip.
After getting recommendations from locals to see this region, we ended up spending 3 weeks in La Huasteca Potosina exploring all the best places to visit in this area.
With cenote-like swimming holes, hot springs, blissful camping spots, and a lush green landscape, it quickly became one of our favorite areas in all of Mexico!
To our surprise, there wasn’t much information on La Huasteca Potosina for international travelers in guidebooks or online. We created this guide covering all the top things to do in Huasteca Potosina, Mexico along with some helpful tips to make the best of your trip here.
If you don't have the time to do research yourself, we recommend signing up for this guided 3-day Huasteca Potosina tour! This tour includes accomodations, transportation and experienced guides that will take you to all the must-see locations in Huasteca Potosina. Check prices and availability here!
If you plan to go on your own, keep reading our La Huasteca Potosina guide for all the best locations to add to your travel itinerary.
With vibrant waterfalls and marvelous landscapes, visiting La Huasteca Potosina will be such a treat!
Top things to do in La Huasteca Potosina:
- Media Luna Swimming Park (Laguna de la Media Luna)
- Tamasopo Waterpark and Waterfalls (Cascadas de Tamasopo)
- The Bridge of Gods (El Puente de Dios)
- El Trampolin Park
- Micos Waterfalls (Cascada de Micos)
- Minas Viejas Waterfalls (Cascadas de Minas Viejas)
- El Salto Waterfall (Cascada el Salto)
- El Meco Waterfal And Camping (Cascada El Meco Mirador)
- Tamul Waterfall (Cascada de Tamul)
- Cave of Swallows (Sotano de las Gondrinas)
- Edward James Surrealist Garden in Xilitla (Las Pozas)
- Sotano de Barro
Map of top places to visit in La Huasteca Potosina:
1. Media Luna Swimming Park (Laguna de la Media Luna)
Media Luna is a tropical swimming park located in the Rio Verde jungle that offers camping, diving, and hot springs. This water park is made of warm lazy rivers running through the park along with a few smaller pools hidden in between a forest.
The park also has a bigger lake area overgrown with colorful vegetation that is used for scuba diving. A two-hour diving tour at Media Luna costs around $800 pesos ($40 USD) and that includes equipment and a diving instructor.
The park entrance fee to Media Luna is only $40 pesos ($2 USD) and allows you to exit and re-enter for as many days as you’d like. You can park overnight for free in their massive parking lot, while tent camping inside the park costs only $70 pesos per tent.
The park is also full of food vendors, snorkeling rentals, and souvenir shops so it’s easy to stay here for days while enjoying nature and a variety of water activities.
Location: Manantial Media Luna
2. Tamasopo Waterpark and Waterfalls (Cascadas de Tamasopo)
The waterparks in La Huasteca Potosina are like no other! Located in the city of Tamasopo, the Tamasopo waterpark is a popular attraction featuring marvelous waterfalls, rope swings, zip lining, and swimming.
Like most attractions in San Luis Potosi, Cascadas de Tamasopo park is well-developed with many comforts such as paved walkways, restaurants, and even lifeguards on duty.
At the center of it all is the Tamasopo waterfall which is wide and lush, along with a few smaller waterfalls with diving boards and rope swings that can be found every few feet.
The entrance fee to Tamasopo waterpark costs $55 pesos ($3 USD) and includes a one-day admission to the park. This attraction does not offer any overnight camping options on-site.
Location: Cascadas de Tamasopo
3. The Bridge of God (El Puente de Dios)
Puente de Dios is located in the city of Tamasopo. This attraction features a cenote-type swimming hole, a waterfall, and a cave hidden in the midst of the dense Mexico jungle.
In order to reach this swimming area, visitors need to hike down steep stairs, cross a river, then swim through a cave to emerge through a small opening into a gorgeous, blue natural pool. Ropes are added in certain sections to assist the swimmers and the whole experience is quite fun and adventurous!
An entrance fee to Puente De Dios is $35 pesos ($2 USD) plus $20 pesos for parking ($1 USD) at any of the nearby parking lots.
Prior to arrival, make sure to get the exact location of the entrance gate on the other side of the railroad tracks. Here locals are known to lure visitors into random parking lots that are far away from the entrance to make an extra buck from parking fees.
Several camping options are available in the surrounding establishments but none inside the park.
Location: Puente de Dios
4. El Trampolin Park
El Trampolin Tomasopo is an outdoor park next to a river that feels like a fairytale forest come alive!
While most attractions in the San Luis Potosi region require a fee to enter, El Trampolin was created as a free option for locals and visitors to enjoy.
The park is located next to a beautiful turquoise-blue river and offers camping areas, swing ropes, and waterfalls, all surrounded by lush, dense trees.
While camping at El Trampolin Park is free, one of our favorite paid camping spots in the San Luis Potosi area was located just on the other side of the river from El Trampolin. We found this paid camping area by taking the wrong turn and stumbling upon it.
For $80 pesos ($4 USD) the owner let us stay in his large grass field right next to a river with private waterfalls and diving boards. Since this camping spot was not listed anywhere publicly, see this Google map pin to find the exact location. You can also get there by following directions for La Hacienda Gomez y sus 7 Cascadas.
5. Micos Waterfalls (Cascadas de Micos)
If you’re looking for fun and adventurous activities to do in La Huasteca Potosina, head over to Cascada de Micos!
At Micos attraction visitors can participate in activities like waterfall jumping, canoeing, swimming, and even zip lining right above the turquoise blue river.
Life jackets and tour guides are recommended for first-time waterfall jumpers but those who feel more adventurous can skip the tours and head up the river themselves for a fun time diving off waterfalls (including a 20-foot plunge!).
The entrance fee to Micos waterfall costs only $30 pesos ($1.50) plus another $30 pesos for lifejacket rentals. Camping is available inside the park for $30 pesos per tent or you can park and camp in their parking lot for free.
Visitor Tip: If you’re up for a unique and thrilling experience, check out the nearby Adventureland adventure park! At this location, you can ride a sky bike along a narrow zip line high above the waterfalls.
Location: Cascadas de Micos
6. Minas Viejas Waterfalls (Cascadas de Minas Viejas)
A trip to La Huasteca Potosina would not be complete without visiting the Cascada Minas Viejas. With turquoise blue water and coral pink sand, Minas Viejas is a waterfall that will take your breath away and is one of the top things to see in the San Luis Potosi region!
Minas Viejas waterfall looks similar to the highly popular US version in Havasupai, but with no people, no reservations, and an entrance fee of only $30 pesos ($1.50 USD).
The waterfall is located a quick walk down a row of stairs and has beautiful bridges leading to different areas where visitors can jump in for a quick, refreshing swim. Camping is free within the park so it’s one of the best deals in the area.
For the adventurous type, Minas Viejas rappelling tours are also available next to the waterfall!
Our pick for the best rappelling tour: Rappelling beside Minas Viejas and Micos Waterfall (Rated 5/5 stars)
Location: Cascadas de Minas Viejas
7. El Salto Waterfall (Cascada el Salto)
At a height of 229 feet, El Salto is one of the most impressive waterfalls in San Luis Potosi but is only visible during the rainy season. The rest of the year, water is diverted to an electric plant and El Salto is left out dry.
El Salto waterfall is popular for its swimming pools that are located right in front of the falls along with a cliff where visitors can cool down by jumping into the river.
Location: Cascada Salto del Agua
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8. El Meco Waterfall (Cascada El Meco)
El Meco is a wide cascading waterfall with a free viewing platform where visitors can enjoy views of the turquoise natural pools.
The Mirador Cascada El Meco (viewing platform) is located off the ‘El Meco-El Salto’ road, but for closer look canoe tours are also available in the area.
Close to the base of the waterfall, you can find a great camping area on the grounds of El Sundial Bar and Restaurant. Located right on the river, this charming and secluded camping spot includes wifi, showers, and multiple rope swings for $50 pesos per tent.
They also offer canoe rentals and tours to the bottom of El Meco waterfall, as well as tasty and inexpensive food at their restaurant.
9. Tamul Waterfall (Cascada de Tamul)
Tamul waterfall is one of the most popular and top-visited waterfalls in the San Luis Potosi region. A wide river runs up a towering canyon leading to Tamul waterfall as the main attraction.
The most common way to access this waterfall is by jumping on a canoe from one of the local tour groups and spending a few hours paddling up the Tampaon River with other lively local tourists.
Don't want to rent a car in Mexico and drive there yourself? Then check out this guided Tamul waterfall and water cave tour that comes with round-trip transportation from Ciudad Valles!
The local tours last around 2-3 hours and cost around $120 pesos ($6 USD). The excursion includes stops at the famous Cascada de Tamul viewpoint and a Cueva del agua cave where you can go swimming. During the adventure, you’ll also have plenty of opportunities to jump overboard and float in the river on the way back.
A tour out to Tamul is a great way to spend an afternoon full of swimming and water activities while also enjoying a view of one of the most impressive waterfalls in Mexico. Camping is also allowed in their large grassy area right by the docks for free.
Location: Embarcadero a Cascada Tamúl La Morena
If you're looking for something a bit more thrilling, check out this guided rafting tour from from Ciudad Valles! This tour will take you on an exciting rafting trip down the Tampaon River through class III rapids. Check tour pricing and availabilty here!
10. Cave of Swallows (Sotano de las Golondrinas)
Cave of Swallows, also known as Sótano De Las Golondrinas, is a huge sinkhole in Huasteca Potosina’s jungle where every morning thousands of parrots fly out of at sunrise. This pit cave is over 1200 feet deep and is a popular location for rappelling after the birds have exited the cave for the day.
Entrance to Sotano de las Golondrinas costs $30 pesos ($1.50 USD) and visitors should be ready for a 15-20 minute hike in the dark down hundreds of stairs to see the parrots exit the cave at sunrise.
A local will usually set up at the main viewpoint and for a small fee tie tourists by the waist to a rope. This way you can (somewhat more safely) crawl up to the edge and see the giant flock of birds flying out – an experience you shouldn’t miss!
Location: Cave of Swallows (Sótano de las Golondrinas)
11. Edward James Surrealist Garden in Xilitla (Las Pozas)
Las Pozas, also known as Edward James Surrealistic Garden, is one of the best things to see in the state of San Luis Potosi! This surrealistic garden is situated in the city of Xilitla and is a must-see place that feels like a fantasy and makes you question reality.
Built by the British poet and surrealist art aficionado Edward James, Las Pozas is a fascinating jungle garden filled with surrealistic structures that have stairs that lead to nothing, doors that open into nowhere, and bridges that end abruptly, all built with elaborate architectural elements.
The entrance fee to Las Pozas – Edward James Surrealist Garden costs $70 pesos for a ticket ($3.50 USD). This gives you access to endless gardens and all the buildings that you can explore within this outdoor museum.
Visitors should give themselves at least a few hours to roam around these gardens and take in all the unique art it has to offer.
Location: Las Pozas
As one of the most remote destinations within the Huasteca Potosina region, getting to Xilitla Surrealistic Garden can be a bit tricky. Unless you plan to rent a car during your Mexico trip, we recommend signing up for this Xilitla Surrealistic Garden and Huahuas Abyss Tour from Ciudad Valles!
12. Sotano de Barro
Sontano de Barro cave is another popular sinkhole attraction in the Huasteca Potosina jungle. At 1500 feet this sinkhole is even deeper than Sotano de las Golondrinas and can be spotted from the distance in between the trees. This cave is much less visited because a 2-hour guided hike is required to reach it.
Sotano de Barro is a great location to watch the green Military macaw birds fly out at sunrise into the jungle. Be aware that visitors need to show up at least 2 hours ahead of the sunrise to make it in time. That usually means getting there around 4 am so plan accordingly!
A guide leading visitors to the Sotano de Barro sinkhole costs around 250 pesos for a group ($12 USD) plus 25 pesos for admission ($1 USD).
Location: Sótano del Barro
Helpful Tips To Know Prior To Arrival in La Huasteca Potosina:
- Before traveling through Mexico we recommend for any visitor to download the iOverlander app where previous travelers have made notes of campsites, hotels/hostels, fees, and any other useful information you might need.
- Most of the above-listed attractions are government operated so entrance fees are set, but be aware that many locals will try to charge international tourists more for everything. If the prices aren’t written on official signs, then chances are you can negotiate a better price that is given to you. Beforehand we always like to reference the iOverlander app for pricing.
- Most places in this region only accept cash so bring enough pesos to cover entrance fees, guides, rentals, food, camping, etc. Ciudad Valles is at the center of it all and is the best place to stock up on everything.
- Most of the attractions above will try to sell visitors on tour guides but only Tamul waterfall requires a guided boat tour. All other attractions can be accessible on their own.
- The best time to visit La Huasteca Potosina is during the winter season when the weather is warm yet not too hot. Try to avoid the hot summer months when temperatures rise into the 100s F which includes the rainy season (June-August) when roads become too muddy and harder to navigate through.
- Avoid this region during Semana Santa in the Spring that’s equivalent to Spring Break in the US, usually the weeks immediately before and after Easter Sunday.
Where To Stay In La Huasteca Potosina
The closest major airport to La Huasteca Potosina is the San Luis Potosi International Airport, around 3-4 hours away. Due to the far distance from all the attractions, we don’t recommend staying in San Luis Potosi City itself.
When traveling around La Huasteca Potosina, most people camp or stay in hotels in Ciudad Valles, Xilitla, or Tamasopo.
Here are some of the top hotel picks for each of these areas:
Biza Express – Best Hotel In Ciudad Valles
Biza Express is a highly-rated hotel at the center of Ciudad Valles. The property features a lush outdoor area with a swimming pool, tables, and hammocks for relaxing.
In the mornings you can enjoy a complimentary breakfast with coffee to fuel up before heading out to explore for the day. The hotel also has free private parking and a shared kitchen if you like to make your own meals while traveling.
Hotel Paraíso Encantado – Best Hotel In Xilitla
Hotel Paraíso Encantado is surrounded by a dense jungle and has views of the surrounding mountains and Xilitla city. After a full day of exploring nearby attractions, you can relax in the garden or go for a refreshing swim in the outdoor swimming pool.
Hotel Paraíso Encantado is situated less than a 10-minute walk from the famous Las Pozas art museum. From this location, you can also head out on day trips to other popular La Huasteca Potosina attractions.
Refugio Huasteco Boutique – Best Hotel In Tamasopo
Refugio Huasteco Hotel is a wonderful hotel tucked away in the small town of Tamasopo. This is one of the highest-rated La Huasteca hotels that boasts a modern, beautiful property.
Cascadas de Tamasopo waterfall is only a 5-minute drive from the hotel, and Puente de Dios swimming hole is about a 10-minute drive away. You can also grab free renal bikes from the hotel if you don’t want to worry about driving and finding parking yourself.
Read Next: 12 Best La Huasteca Potosina Hotels For Travelers
La Huasteca Potosina is one of the most beautiful yet most underrated and least visited areas in Mexico. It’s a must-see region for those who enjoy crowd-less places, lush green landscapes, and refreshing jungle waterfalls!
Our best tip for you is to visit this region while it’s still much under the radar. With its vibrant and exquisite landscape, our guess is that it won’t stay that way for long.
If you enjoyed reading about these hidden gems in Huasteca Potosina, you’ll love our post on 10 Unique Places In Mexico You Didn’t Know Existed! With so many incredible places to visit in Mexico, there’s always something interesting to explore around the corner.
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Thank you so much for all the great location guide you gave and advice advice! We’ll be visiting early next year and this information will really help us. I’ll make sure to bring lots of handy pesos 🙂
Hi Sandra!
You are very welcome. I am glad you found it helpful : ) It’s a wonderful area filled with so many amazing places to visit! I hope you have a blast!
Cheers,
Laura
Great info….thank you so much for keeping notes and sharing….we are thinking of visiting the area in November…..we are a pair of senior citizens in fair shape….we want to swim and frolic in the water…..and go canoeing….is the water still warm in November? Also, when you mention camping prices… does this mean there are tents available and set up….OR. must we take our own tent to set up??
Pet friendly yay or nay?
Thank you again for sharing your discoveries…..we retired and moved to Aguascalientes…right in the center of Mexico…..easy to explore in every direction…
We went to La Huasteca in February and the weather was perfect so I suspect the weather in November would be very similar. I know that this area gets really hot in the summer so fall through spring is be the ideal time to visit. As for the tents, nothing is really set up anywhere, they more or less just let you do whatever you want. You definitely need to bring your own gear and set it up yourselves. While we didn’t have a dog along on our trip, the rules are very relaxed at most places and don’t think bringing along your fur-friends would be a problem.
I am actually very familiar with Aguascalientes – both my parents are from there and have visited many times since I was a child. In fact, Aguascalientes was our last stop before heading into La Huasteca during our trip. Hope you guys make the trip, it’s definitely worth the relatively short drive
Amazing thank you so much for the information and great tips!
I’m looking to visit during the end of July with a rented car, you talked about the roads being muddy at that time –
Is it still possible to travel this area?
Will the water color still be blue\turquoise?
Thanks, Idan
Hey Idan, we kept hearing about this rainy season but in our experience, it was pretty exaggerated. Everything will still be easily accessible since most things are right off the paved highway, and during rainy season it tends to just rain in the evening and dry out by morning time. All the pictures I’ve seen of the water during rainy season show that the water is still blue and not muddy. Actually, we’ll probably be visiting that whole area again around the same time as you!
Hi there,
Thanks so much for sharing this article!
We are going to be on our honeymoon and along with Mexico City, Oaxaca, Guanajuato & Tulum, we are super keen to check out the below but don’t have 3 weeks to play with. In your opinion, what could we see in the below timeframe and would renting a car be our best bet?
San Luis Potosí (5 nights)
Xilitla (2 nights)
Thanks!
Mel
Hi Melanie,
What an exciting honeymoon plan! I would definitely recommend renting a car (vs taking public transportation) on a trip like this so it’s more comfortable and gives you more flexibility in your travel schedule. You really don’t need 3 weeks to see the La Huasteca Potosina region – while we personally travel suuuuper slow, my friend just recently visited La Huasteca Potosina area and was able to see most of these locations in less than a week.
In the La Huasteca Potosina region, I highly recommend visiting and staying at the Grutas Tolantongo hot springs – everyone I recommend to this place just loves it! The Las Pozas garden is also a must along with the Micos waterfall jumping tour, Minas Viejas waterfall, Tamul boat tour and Cave of Swallows sunrise bird viewing. If you have time, you can also try to squeeze in Tamasopo waterpark and El Puente De Dios sites.
Hope this helps!
Laura
Hey Laura, thanks for the great advise. You have made me opened my eyes and wanted to go travel and try new things. Part of my feels like I already been to these places with you in your articles.
Other part I love about you is that you made recommendation for people who does not have that much time to travel but still get to see places. Thanks again.
hola me gustaría saber de algún guía para visitar estos lugares en tres días quiero conocer lo mas posible así q necesito saber ubicación y de donde comenzaría mi tour para disfrutar al máximo
If you need a tour guide, head to Ciudad Valles which is in the center of it all. There are plenty of tour guides there that can take you to these places
thank you for all the info about the huasteca , it help me a lot , I was kinda lost
I am looking to tour the area by bicycle. How are the roads from SLP to Xilita/ Ciudad Valles and surrounding areas? Are they highways suitable for biking? Thanks for posting this info. I have been interested in seeing the area for a while now.
The roads are paved but it’s mostly hills through a hot jungle and it’s all single lane road. That being said, we did see a few people touring this area by bike so it is doable.
I did not know that there is a such wonderful place in Mexico. it is like heaven on earth. I’m really amazed
hello, I’m planning a trip down there. Where did you stay? any hotel recommendations?
Hi Debora! During our time at La Huasteca Potosina we stayed in our campervan and at random campgrounds that we found on the iOverlander app.
Hey Laura! I love that you shared all these beautiful locations to visit. My fiance and I are thinking of possibly taking a mini honeymoon here after our wedding in mid August. Do you think that the weather will be unbearably hot? Also do you have any recommendations on places to stay that would be ideal for traveling to most of these locations?
Hi Elizabeth,
Typically the summer months are the hottest months in that region and October through February are the cooler months.
We personally camped at most of these locations in our campervan but if you’re looking for a hotel, I’d say Ciudad Valles is a great base location. It’s a big city where you can arrange tour guides if needed and most of these attractions can be reached within a 1-2 hour drive from there.
Best,
Laura
Hi, Great information.
What area do you recommend we stay for a Home Base or most central to all attractions? Is there a anyway to stay that will have restaurants and small stores available but not far from all water attractions?
Thanks.
Ciudad Valles is close to many of these attractions and offers plenty of choices for accommodations, restaurants, and tour companies that can arrange day trips to these attractions.
Hi thank you for all the information.
We are going on a family trip in August but will be taking little ones with us. Ages 3,5 and 7. What are some kind friendly places to visit in La Huasteca?
-Daisy
They’re all pretty kid friendly. Most make you wear a life jacket when entering the water, and for the most part they’re all just lazy rivers with slow moving water. If I had to pick a couple of the most kid friendly I would say Tamasopo Waterpark and Media Luna, both are large places with many shallow pools, food vendors, tables, stores to buy water toys, etc.