Hidalgo · Mexico

Real del Monte and Huasca de Ocampo

The mining towns of the Pachuca mountain range: the Monumental Clock, the Acosta Mine and the English Cemetery of Real del Monte, and the Basaltic Prisms of Huasca de Ocampo.

Central Mexico (around the capital)

In the photo: Main square of Real del Monte, in Hidalgo.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

North of Mexico City, the Pachuca mountain range in the state of Hidalgo was for four centuries one of the world's great silver-mining regions. Pachuca, the state capital, grew around the mines and has in its center the Monumental Clock, the 1910 clock tower that is the city's symbol.

About 12 km away, the town of Real del Monte, officially Mineral del Monte, sits at over 2,600 meters altitude, with red-sloped roofs, steep streets and frequent fog. In the 19th century miners from Cornwall, England, arrived there and left the English cemetery, football and the paste, the filled empanada that became the region’s typical food. The Acosta and La Dificultad mines are now museums.

A little farther on, Huasca de Ocampo, the first Pueblo Mágico of Mexico, has a center of adobe houses, silver-processing haciendas and, a few kilometers away, the Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla, columns of cooled lava in a canyon with waterfalls.

The region is part of the Comarca Minera geopark, recognized by UNESCO, and combines pine and oyamel forests, like those of El Chico National Park, with mining history. Pachuca and Huasca follow the UTC−6 time zone, Mexico City Central Time, with no daylight saving time.

This destination brings together 3 cities: Pachuca, Real del Monte, Huasca de Ocampo.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

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Where Real del Monte and Huasca de Ocampo is

Boundaries: INEGI / geoBoundaries (CC BY 3.0 IGO). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Real del Monte and Huasca de Ocampo

✈ Aeropuerto Internacional Felipe Ángeles (NLU) · 45 km to Pachuca

Pachuca is about 95 km from Mexico City via Federal Highway 85, between 1.5 and 2 hours by car or bus from Terminal del Norte. Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU) is about 45 km from Pachuca, and Mexico City airport (MEX) about 95 km. From Pachuca, Real del Monte is 12 km and Huasca about 34 km.

Suggested arrival point: Pachuca

Hidalgo · Real del Monte and Huasca de Ocampo Capital Suggested arrival point

Pachuca

Pachuca is the capital of Hidalgo, a silver mining city about 95 km from Mexico City, known as La Bella Airosa for the wind that comes down from the mountains. The downtown has the Monumental Clock, dating from 1910, and the former convent of San Francisco, which houses the National Museum of Photography. It is the gateway to Real del Monte, Huasca and El Chico National Park.

Hidalgo · Real del Monte and Huasca de Ocampo

Real del Monte

Real del Monte is the highest mining town in the Pachuca range, 12 km from the state capital, with steep streets, red-roofed houses and misty afternoons. The municipality’s official name is Mineral del Monte. From the Cornish miners remain the English Cemetery and the paste, and two old mines have become museums. It is a Pueblo Mágico.

Hidalgo · Real del Monte and Huasca de Ocampo

Huasca de Ocampo

Huasca de Ocampo was the first Pueblo Mágico of Mexico, in 2001. It is about 34 km from Pachuca, in an area of forests, reservoirs and old silver-processing haciendas. The center has adobe houses and the parish of San Juan Bautista, and nearby are the Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla and the Peña del Aire rock formation.

The local experience

Things to do in Real del Monte and Huasca de Ocampo

Real del Monte · Hidalgo · Mining museum

Mina de Acosta Site Museum

Silver mine active from 1727 to 1985, now a museum, with a visit to a tunnel using a helmet and flashlight.

Huasca de Ocampo · Hidalgo · Geological formation

Prismas Basálticos de Santa María Regla

Basalt columns up to about 40 meters tall in a canyon with waterfalls, viewed from a suspension bridge and walkways.

Pachuca · Hidalgo · Monument

Monumental Clock of Pachuca

A clock tower from 1910, about 40 meters tall, in downtown Pachuca, symbol of the city.

Pachuca · Hidalgo · Museum

National Museum of Photography

Photography museum in the former convent of San Francisco in Pachuca, affiliated with the National Photographic Archive of the INAH.

See 5 more places in Real del Monte and Huasca de Ocampo

Real del Monte · Hidalgo · Historic cemetery

English Cemetery (Real del Monte)

19th-century cemetery of English miners, among pine trees, on the heights of Real del Monte, with graves facing England.

Huasca de Ocampo · Hidalgo · Viewpoint

Peña del Aire

An isolated rock on the edge of a deep canyon, near Huasca de Ocampo, with viewpoints overlooking the valley.

Huasca de Ocampo · Hidalgo · Historic center

Huasca de Ocampo Town Center (Parish of San Juan Bautista)

Square, adobe houses with tile roofs and the parish of San Juan Bautista, from the 16th century, in Mexico’s first Pueblo Mágico.

Real del Monte · Hidalgo · Mining museum

Mina La Dificultad Site Museum and Interpretation Center

19th-century mining complex with the tall chimney, the steam engine house and the mining history museum.

Pachuca · Hidalgo · National park

El Chico National Park

One of Mexico’s oldest national parks, with oyamel forests, rock formations, viewpoints and the village of Mineral del Chico.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

The dry season, from October to May, brings clear skies and cold nights in the mountains, which can fall below 5 °C in December and January. From June to September it rains more in the afternoons, and the Prisms usually have more water. Fog is common in Real del Monte year-round.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Two days allow one day in Pachuca and Real del Monte and another in Huasca and the Prisms. With three days you can add El Chico National Park. As a day trip from Mexico City, you can do Real del Monte and the Prisms in a long day.

Which city to stay in

Real del Monte and Huasca have guesthouses, cabins and old haciendas, close to attractions and the mountain atmosphere. Pachuca has hotels downtown and next to highways, with more transport options. Mineral del Chico, inside El Chico National Park, has cabins in the forest.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Real del Monte and Huasca de Ocampo

How many days should I allocate for Real del Monte and Huasca de Ocampo?

Two days: one for Pachuca and Real del Monte, another for Huasca and the Basaltic Prisms. A third day allows for El Chico National Park.

Can you do a day trip from Mexico City to Real del Monte?

Yes, on a long day: Pachuca is about 95 km from the capital and Real del Monte another 12 km. To include Huasca and the Prisms at a relaxed pace, it’s worth staying overnight in the area.

Is it cold in Real del Monte?

Yes. The town is over 2,600 meters above sea level, and nights are usually cold year-round, with frequent fog. Bring warm clothing even in summer.

Is a car needed to explore the region?

It helps: there are buses and vans from Pachuca to Real del Monte and Huasca, but for the Prisms, Peña del Aire and El Chico National Park, a car or an organized tour saves time. In Mexico you drive on the right.

Do you need a visa to travel to Mexico?

Mexico’s entry requirements depend on nationality and travel document: travelers from several countries enter visa-free for tourism, while others need a visa, which in some cases can be applied for online. Requirements can change: confirm before you travel.

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Real del Monte and Huasca de Ocampo

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

The cities on this trip