A well-known site until not long ago, whose reddish-colored sands were a secret shared by a few hiking and mountain biking enthusiasts.
The Basaltic Prisms, the Hacienda de San Miguel Regla, the Tolantongo Caves, Peña del Aire, the Atlantes de Tula, and El Chico National Park and El Chico National Park. These are just some of the places to visit in the state of Hidalgo, rich in natural, historical and gastronomic attractions. Recently, an additional attraction has been added to all of them: the Red Dunes of Pacula.
The ideal season to visit this place is between December and May, as there is no rain to prevent you from admiring the splendor of the dunes. To get to Pacula, you must go to Los Mármoles National Park. Because it is a recent tourist attraction, you will not find many signs, so we recommend using your GPS or a guide. Once in Los Mármoles, you must hike through its limestone formations and pine and juniper forests, which have fauna such as deer, hares and opossums, in a short time the green will give way to a bright red landscape under the blue sky.
A landscape taken from another world
The reddish sand formations will give you the feeling that you are on another planet, Mars, to be more specific. What you have in front of your eyes is the result of time: the Dunes were formed over decades when the wind deposited the red sand that accumulated in the limestone and volcanic deposits of the site. Hidalgo is a zone with a lot of obsidian.
The landscape stands out for its intense red, giving a lot of personality to the place. If you go into the trails that are formed between the Dunes, we assure you that you will get spectacular photos and you may even spot some eagles and vultures.
The sand of this site owes its color to the laterite and iron oxide that was extracted from the nearby mines that exploited in the region during the Colony, when Hidalgo became one of the mining sites par excellence, to which many companies from England arrived. Fortunately, the concentration of these minerals in the sand of the Dunes does not reach toxic levels, so you can visit them without any problem.
What we do recommend is that the clothes and shoes you wear, besides being very comfortable, should not be your favorite, as the color of the sand can stain momentarily. Of course, nothing that a little soap and water can’t remove, but it’s better to be cautious. It is essential that you bring water, a hat or cap and sunscreen, lots of sunscreen, especially if you go between 11 and 5 pm, because in the Dunes there are few trees to protect you from the sun.
Enjoy the surroundings
In this place you can also do mountain bike tours or even motorcycle tours. Take advantage of your visit to Los Mármoles National Park and take a tour of its hot springs or the Xhajhá caves. At the end of your tour and to return slowly to planet Earth, we suggest you visit the magical town of Zimapán, in the Sierra Gorda.
There you can take a break at the 1810 Restaurant, located next to the municipal palace and whose exquisite menu of Mexican specialties is not to be missed. At the end of the day, stroll through its cobblestone streets and take a tour of the San Juan Bautista Parish, built in 1722 in the purest colonial style.