Thirty minutes west of Santa Fe’s glass office towers, the air drops ten degrees, fog threads through pine forests, and you’re standing in a national park that feels like it belongs in the Pacific Northwest rather than the edge of a 22-million-person megalopolis. Desierto de los Leones is Mexico City’s most accessible mountain escape, and it’s been serving that function since the Carmelite monks chose this spot for a monastery in the early 1600s.
The name is misleading on both counts. It’s not a desert — “desierto” here refers to a deserted or remote place, the term Carmelite monks used for their wilderness retreats. And there are no lions — “leones” probably derives from a colonial-era family named Leon who owned land in the area, though the exact origin is debated. What there is: 1,529 hectares of pine, oak, and fir forest at elevations between 2,600 and 3,700 meters above sea level, crisscrossed with hiking trails and anchored by the ruins of a 17th century monastery.
The Former Monastery
The Ex-Convento del Desierto de los Leones was built between 1604 and 1611 by the Order of Discalced Carmelites, the same order that built the Ex-Convento del Carmen in San Angel. The Carmelites chose this remote mountainside for the same reason they chose all their locations: isolation from worldly distractions. In the early 17th century, this area was a full day’s journey from Mexico City — practically wilderness.
The monastery functioned as a Carmelite retreat for about two centuries, housing a small community of monks who lived in individual cells (hermitages) scattered through the surrounding forest. The main complex included a church, cloister, kitchen, refectory, library, and underground passages. The monks maintained orchards and gardens despite the cold, damp climate.
In 1801, the Carmelites abandoned the monastery, reportedly because the persistent dampness and cold at this altitude were making the monks sick. They relocated to a lower-elevation site (the Desierto del Carmen in Tenancingo). After the Reform Laws of the 1850s-60s, the property was nationalized. The forest was declared Mexico’s first national park in 1917 by President Venustiano Carranza.
Today the monastery is a photogenic ruin. The church walls still stand, as do portions of the cloister, the underground passages, and several of the outlying hermitages. The stonework is weathered and mossy, which combined with the frequent fog and the surrounding forest creates an atmosphere that’s genuinely atmospheric. On a misty weekday morning, it’s one of the most evocative historic sites in the greater Mexico City area.
The monastery charges a small admission fee (around 27 MXN) and is open Tuesday through Sunday. You can walk through the ruins, explore the underground tunnels (bring a phone flashlight), and visit the surrounding grounds in about 45 minutes to an hour.
The Forest and Hiking
The real reason to come here is the forest. Desierto de los Leones sits in the Sierra de las Cruces mountain range, which forms the western boundary of the Valley of Mexico. The dominant tree species are oyamel fir (Abies religiosa), Montezuma pine (Pinus montezumae), and several species of oak. The understory includes ferns, moss, and wildflowers that thrive in the cool, humid conditions.
The park has a network of marked trails ranging from easy flat paths near the monastery to steeper routes that climb into the upper elevations. Here are the main options:
Easy: Monastery Circuit
A flat to gently rolling loop around the monastery ruins and through the immediately surrounding forest. About 2-3 km, suitable for families and casual walkers. Takes about an hour at a relaxed pace. Well-maintained paths with signage.
Moderate: Cruz Blanca Trail
A longer trail that climbs from the monastery area up through denser forest to the Cruz Blanca viewpoint. About 5-6 km round trip with moderate elevation gain. The upper sections offer views across the forested mountains on clear days. Allow 2-3 hours.
Challenging: Cerro San Miguel
The park’s highest point at approximately 3,700 meters. The trail from the monastery area to the summit is about 8-10 km round trip with significant elevation gain. The altitude is no joke — if you’ve just arrived in Mexico City (2,240 meters) and haven’t acclimatized, this hike will feel much harder than the distance suggests. Allow 4-5 hours.
Trail Conditions
Trails are maintained but not to the standard of a US or European national park. Expect uneven terrain, mud after rain (which is frequent in summer), and occasional fallen trees. Trail markers exist but aren’t always reliable — carry a GPS-capable phone with an offline map downloaded in advance. The AllTrails app has routes for the park.
Wildlife
The park supports a reasonable variety of wildlife for an area so close to a major city. White-tailed deer are present but shy. Coyotes, gray foxes, and rabbits inhabit the forest. Birdwatching is good, with species including Steller’s jay, Mexican chickadee, brown creeper, and various woodpeckers and raptors. In the wet season (June-October), the forest floor produces mushrooms, some of which are collected by local foragers.
Weekend Culture
On weekends, Desierto de los Leones transforms from a quiet forest into a popular family destination. Mexico City families come here for weekend picnics, and the park accommodates them with designated picnic areas, grills, and food vendors near the main parking areas. Vendors sell quesadillas, elotes, blue corn tlacoyos, and other antojitos from small stands near the monastery.
The weekend crowd is almost entirely local. This isn’t a tourist destination in any meaningful sense — it’s where Mexico City residents go when they need trees and cool air. The atmosphere on a Sunday is festive and communal, with extended families, kids running around, and the smell of grilling meat mixing with pine resin.
If you want the peaceful, slightly spooky forest-and-ruins experience, come on a weekday morning. If you want to see how middle-class Mexico City spends its Sundays, the weekend is perfect.
Practical Information
Getting There
The park is in the Cuajimalpa borough, on the western edge of Mexico City. The main entrance is off the Carretera Mexico-Toluca (Highway 15D) at km 23.
- By car: The most practical option. Take the Periferico west to the Mexico-Toluca highway, then follow signs to Desierto de los Leones. Total drive time from central CDMX is 40-60 minutes depending on traffic. There’s parking at the monastery area (small fee).
- By public transport: Take the Metro to Tacubaya (Lines 1, 7, 9), then a combi or pesero heading toward La Venta or the Desierto. This route is inexpensive but slow and requires asking locals or the driver for the right stop. The last stretch to the monastery from the main road involves either a long walk or catching a ride.
- By Uber: Workable for getting there, potentially problematic for the return — cell coverage in the park is spotty, and finding a return Uber from the forest can be difficult. If using ride-share, arrange a pickup time with your driver or plan to walk out to the main road.
Park Hours and Fees
The park is open daily from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Vehicle entry fee is approximately 44 MXN. Pedestrian entry is around 22 MXN. The monastery charges an additional small fee.
What to Bring
- Layers: Temperatures at 2,800+ meters are significantly cooler than in central CDMX. Morning temperatures can be in the single digits (Celsius) in winter. Even in summer, it’s noticeably cooler than the city below. A jacket is essential.
- Rain gear: During the rainy season (June-October), afternoon showers are almost daily. Bring a rain jacket or poncho.
- Sturdy shoes: Anything beyond the monastery circuit requires proper footwear. The trails get muddy.
- Water and snacks: Vendors are available near the monastery on weekends, but trail areas have nothing. Bring your own supplies.
- Cash: For entry fees and food vendors. No ATMs in the park.
Safety
The park is generally safe during normal visiting hours, especially on weekends when it’s full of families. Weekday mornings see fewer visitors and you may encounter stretches of trail where you’re alone. Stick to marked trails, let someone know your hiking plans, and don’t leave valuables visible in parked cars. As with any forested area near a large city, the park’s periphery can see occasional security issues, but the core visitor areas around the monastery are well-patrolled.
Combining with Other Visits
Desierto de los Leones pairs well with a day in the western part of the city. If you have a car, you could combine it with a morning at Chapultepec Park and an afternoon in the forest, or vice versa. Tlalpan, another area with access to forested parkland, is in the south and offers a different but complementary mountain escape.
For anyone spending more than a few days in Mexico City and starting to feel the weight of concrete and traffic, Desierto de los Leones is the antidote. Cool air, tall trees, a ruined monastery in the fog — it’s everything the city center isn’t, and it’s barely 30 minutes away.