Hiking in Mexico City: the Xitle volcano.

Escape the hubbub of the city for a breath of fresh air and incredible views.

The first image that comes to mind when one thinks of Mexico City is rarely a mountain hike in the middle of a dense forest. The average traveler usually sees Mexico City as a fascinating, chaotic urban jungle but rarely as a destination akin to Denver or Salt Lake City, where nearby hikes abound.

It is true that most travelers coming to Mexico’s capital visit for the culture, the food or the history. If you’re an avid hiker, however, the city and its immediate surroundings can be a fantastic area to explore. From most points in the city, it’s easy to notice how the city is surrounded by high mountains – the highest being the Popocatépetl volcano, topping at almost 18,000 ft, 43 miles to the southeast, which you can see most days, especially at sunrise.

You could make a day or weekend trip to Tepoztlán and hike the Tepozteco, but you may not need to go as far to get your hiking fix. In fact, great hiking can be had within the confines of Mexico City itself.

I recently decided to find hikes near the city I now call home, and I started with what was described as a fairly easy one, the Xitle volcano trail. Mexico City sits at about 7,500 feet where oxygen is less concentrated in the air, and most hikes start even higher, so breathing can be harder, especially if you just arrived in the city and are not used to the elevation difference.

On the way up, through clearings, you can admire the Ajusco, Mexico City’s highest peak, in the distance.

Because it was my first local hike, I played it safe and joined a group of international hikers. It cost me 35 US dollars, including travel from the outskirts of the city. Their full write up about the hike I did is here. It was great to do this with a guide and a group of English speakers, but you can absolutely do the hike on your own. It’s perfectly safe, and I will explain at the end of the article how to get to the trailhead and back from the city.

Not only was it my first hike within Mexico City, but it happened on the day of the solar eclipse, on April 8, 2024. While some parts of Mexico did get to see a full solar eclipse, we would only see a partial one here, but it was still an experience I wanted to enjoy in nature.

Getting to the Xitle volcano trail isn’t especially hard, although it can be a little disconcerting if you’re used to a city with perfect infrastructure, which Mexico City isn’t by any means.

The easiest way is to get an Uber. From downtown Mexico City, it should take about an hour and cost around 400 Pesos (or around 22 USD at time of writing). All the details, from the exact location to enter in your Uber app to the bus to take on the way back are at the end of the article in a specific section that is super detailed to make the trip foolproof.

Our companion on the climb, and on the descent.

You could also get there by public transport. It’s definitely cheaper (around 15 Pesos) but will take longer, close to two hours, and it’s not easy to get on the right bus. Coming back on the bus is a lot easier, because you can take whatever bus coming by on the main road. I would suggest Ubering out and bussing back in.

No matter how you should to get to the drop off point, the hike starts on the unpaved road on the other side of the main drag, called Calle Tonatzin.

At this point, I will recommend you download and use the AllTrails app, which is my go-to for hikes. All the main hikes are listed in the app (the Xitle volcano hike being one of them), and you can download the hike track to check it while offline, which is very helpful when cell coverage ends. As a side note, while there is spotty coverage on this hike, I was able to get a few bars of Telcel 4G at the top of the volcano. It’s also important because travelers notice fairly quickly the lack of hike signage, so a detailed offline maps is a sure way to stay on the right path.

The start of the hike is actually located further up, and you have to cross a suburban area, but the Super Los Arcos is the furthest your Uber or the bus will go. If you’re using Google Maps, the trail head is here. It lines up with the start of the hike on AllTrails. Just make sure you download the map for offline use before you get started (I know, I am repeating myself, but I swear this is for your own good).

The partial solar eclipse in its full glory, as seen from the top of the Xitle volcano on April 8, 2024.

It's fairly easy to get from the Uber / bus drop off point to the trailhead, where you start going up the volcano. There are several ways through the suburban colonia that is technically part of the village of Ajusco. You will see a few cars as you walk towards the volcano, a handful of small stores, and many off-leash dogs, all of them fairly chill (some of them may follow you for fun, one almost went to the top of the volcano with us).

I know some people have heard horror stories of dog encounters in Latin America, and while it can sometimes get tricky if you stumble upon a guard dog in the middle of nowhere, this isn’t the type of dog you’ll meet on this walk. These will be looking for a friendly boop or food, nothing more.

The walk from the drop off point to the trailhead should be around 20-30 minutes depending on your pace, and is fairly easy to handle. The unpaved street gives way to a bumpy dirt road, but the elevation gain on this portion is relatively minor. There is absolutely no shade, however, so make sure you are wearing sunscreen or have a hat – given the elevation, sunburns are a lot more likely to happen.

You’ll notice the trailhead because that’s where you start walking into the pine forest. It provides some welcome shade, but the path is quite steep (bear in mind the walk starts at 2,900m or 9,500 ft, so if you haven’t been in Mexico City long enough to be accustomed to the elevation, you may want to take it slow).

The view from the top of the Xitle volcano, with Mexico City seemingly at your feet.

You’ll walk in the forest for about 30mn before you get to the edge of the extinct volcano’s crater, at around 3,100m high (about 10,200 ft). You can technically go down the crater, but the walk is perilous with many unstable rocks – our guide strongly recommended against it. Instead, we took in the view of Mexico City in the distance, and instead of waiting with the dozen or so people who had settled to watch the solar eclipse, we walked along the volcano ridge, doing a 360° in a narrow but safe path among abundant vegetation.

Back on the other side of the volcano (where we initially arrived), we sat down and waited for the eclipse to happen. Because it was a partial one, the sky never really went dark, and you could have lived your day in the city without realizing it was going on – save for all the people around the city wearing weird looking black glasses, of course.

It was a fun to watch nonetheless, sitting relatively comfortably on one of the many rocks at the top of the mountain, but soon enough we got ready to hike back down – the descent was much easier than the way up for sure, and we soon found our favorite off-leash dog willing to be our shepherd until he got back to his place of abode, closer to the village.

Once back at the drop off point, a few of us in the group left us as they had come up in their own car, and the rest of us hopped back on the minivan driving us back to the Perisúr Metrobus station, where we would alternatively take a Uber back to Roma/Condesa (about $10), or take the Metrobus (about 30 cents, which is what I did).

The path can be a little uneven at times - but nothing that would stop a four-legged hiker.

If you are doing this without a tour, it is possible (but a little hard, see below in the Details section) to get a Uber back to the city. It depends on whether you get good signal and you find an Uber driver willing to go out of his way to pick you up). My recommendation would be to hail any bus going down and get off either by the Six Flags Mexico entrance, which is on the way back to town, where numerous buses to the city will be willing to take your business – or alternatively, you can try and get an Uber from there, you will have service and there will be many more. Most buses continue all the way down to the Periférico, and some even to the Perisúr Metrobus station, where you can take a rapid bus towards downtown.

I ultimately enjoyed this first CDMX hike. I am glad I picked a relatively easy one, and did it with a group, but I would soon aim higher and climb to the highest point in Mexico City. More to come!

The Xitle volcano hike is a great hike to introduce yourself to the natural beauty around Mexico City. It is easy enough (AllTrails ranks it as moderate) and can be done with children or people not used to hiking, and you get rewarded by a beautiful view over CDMX. I fully recommend you give it a try!

I really liked the guide on our group hike, and I recommend Aztec Explorers if you would rather not do this on your own. However, this is a safe area of town during the day and something you can absolutely do alone if you choose to – especially with all the Practical Details below.

If you do this hike, feel free to reach out and let me know how it went!

All the Practical Details for the best Experience

Getting There

Getting there by Uber:

To get to the trail head via Uber, enter the following address as your destination: Mini Super los Arcos (its actual address, to make sure you have the right one, is: Carr. Picacho Ajusco, 14735 Tlalpan, Ciudad de Mexico).

The Uber will drop you there:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/uFDhE7LJbiuxmzue6

Getting there by bus:

Wherever you are in Mexico City, you’ll need to first get to the Metrobus Perisúr station, at the edge of the city’s most heavily urbanized area. As you get off the bus, make a right to use the southern exit, which ends up dropping you at the top of a bridge, on the correct side of the road for the buses towards Ajusco. The actual bus stop is on the bridge, but you may not see it through the many stalls of vendors that line up the sidewalk. Don’t worry, it’s there and the buses will come. The Ajusco bus (look for one with the destination, Ajusco, written on the front) comes every 5 to 10 minutes. The issue you may have is that not all the buses will display the destination and you may have to hail all of them and ask if they’re going to Ajusco. Some may say yes and go to another part of Ajusco altogether, so unless you speak decent Spanish, I truly recommend you take an Uber up.

Note that you have to use a special card to get into the Metrobus, that you can load with money at all Metrobus stations (and most of them accept credit or debit cards to do so, unlike the subway stations). However, the small buses from Perisúr to Ajusco do not accept this card and you have to pay the fare in cash. Make sure you have change as the bus driver may not accept a big Peso note.

If you do manage to get on a bus towards Ajusco, the drop off point is the same as for Uber (here). Ask the bus driver to stop, most suburban buses in Mexico won’t stop unless you ask them to (or they see a passenger to pick up).

Once at destination

Once you’re dropped off: on the opposite side of the road, you’ll see an unpaved street, called Calle Tonatzin, which is where your walk starts. If you are using AllTrails, which I recommend, you’ll know the actual hike starts further up, but the small plaza where Super Los Arcos is located is the furthest the Uber or the bus will go.

The actual trailhead (a fairly big word, I should say the beginning of the actual climb to be more accurate) is here:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/MxCPt52n4WPbATB68

The AllTrails website lists this hike here (note the hike is called Xitle Hike, Alternative Route):

https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/mexico/state-of-mexico-4/volcan-xitle-ruta-alternativa?u=i

Alternatively, you can use the Maps.Me app, download the regional map on your phone for free so you can access the map offline, and use it to climb up the volcano. I prefer using AllTrails because it actually shows the correct path up and down, versus showing you all the trails that crisscross the volcano, Maps.Me is free, so it’s a win for some hikers. I’ll let you choose, but again, pick one of them so you don’t get lost with no cell service.

Getting Back

Getting back by Uber:

Once you’re back at the drop off point on the main road, it can be tempting to Uber back after a few hours of hiking, but be aware depending on your provider, you may not have service (Telcel was fine for me, but the coverage map for Movistar makes me think it may not be the case for them). If you’re roaming or using an e-sim and you’re not clear which network you’re using, just be prepared the Uber option may not work). If you do have service, then call an Uber as you would anywhere else and you should be back downtown within one hour or so, at a cost of about 400 Pesos.Bear in mind that because you’re a little out of the way, there may not be any Uber within close proximity, and you may have to wait a while. That’s why I recommended an Uber to come up to the hike, and a bus back (see below).

Getting back by bus:

This is how I recommend you get back down, at least to the Six Flags Mexico or the Perisúr Metrobus station. From the latter, you’ll have the choice to take the Metrobus back into town, or you’ll for sure have cell service and can order an Uber.

The good thing about getting back by bus is that all buses go down towards Mexico City’s urban core. Wait for the bus on the side of the road you came from (on the opposite side of where the Uber or outgoing bus left you). Most buses will go by the Perisúr metrobus stations, where you can alight. Others will stop before, but you can then get off with everyone else and pick up another bus going down towards town, asking “Perisúr?” to make sure you’re on the right track. The ride will take around 45mn and cost 8 Pesos (cash only).

Once you get off the bus at the Perisúr station, you’ll realize you can’t cross the road, given the traffic. Instead, go to either end of the bridge, there will be stairs to go down a level, cross under the bridge, find the stairs to get back up on the westbound-traffic side of the bridge, walk towards the middle of the bridge where you will find the entrance to the Metrobus Perisúr station (from where you exited on your way to the hike). Explaining it makes it feel like a whole thing but it’s fairly obvious once you’re on the ground, so don’t sweat it too much. Pay the 6 Pesos fare with your CDMX Mobility card, and you’re on your way. Because the Perisúr station is relatively close to the beginning of the line, there should be seats available on the bus, which will make the trip even nicer (especially after hiking for a few hours).

Stuff to bring with you:

Beyond your phone and camera, as well as sunscreen (even when the sky is overcast, UV rays are strong in CDMX because of the high altitude) and sunglasses, it’s always a good idea to have a cat or a hat. Always bring food and water with you, but know there are a couple of small convenience stores at the drop-off points where you can buy water and energy bars if you didn’t bring any.

Don’t forget to download maps (I recommend AllTrails but Maps.Me is also good, and is free) to use while offline, in the very likely case cell coverage fails you at some point. And you’re all set!