Hiking at Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park in Mexico

My hike to Nevado de Toluca, Mexico’s fourth-highest mountain, made me want to continue exploring the country’s mountainous landscapes. I decided to head to two of Mexico’s other highest mountains: the famous Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatépetl volcanoes.

Nicknamed Izta and Popo, these two mountains overlooking the Valley of Mexico have inspired legends and myths for centuries. On clear days, their distinctive silhouettes can be seen from the Mexican capital.

Because Popo is an active volcano, it is forbidden to hike to its summit, and the hike to the top of Izta usually takes two days. But to see them up close, I decided to head for a hike in Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park, a large park that protects the ecosystem of the two volcanoes as well as the surrounding region.

***As I was traveling alone in Mexico, I booked a guided hiking trip with the company Mexico Travesías to be able to do this hike. This company offers mountain hiking excursions with experienced guides. I really enjoyed my experience and highly recommend them. ***

I was delighted to meet up with my guide, Allan, the same one who had accompanied me on the Nevado de Toluca hike. With a small group of hikers, we set off towards Paso de Cortes, a mountain pass that serves as an entrance to Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park.

Paso de Cortes is named after the conquistador Hernán Cortés, who passed through the area on his way to Tenochtitlán (present-day Mexico City) to conquer the Aztec empire. Paso de Cortes is the highest point on the road that crosses the national park, between the two mountains.

Paso de Cortes also serves as the starting point for several hiking trails within the park. Our plan was to hike about 13 kilometres towards Iztaccíhuatl. But first, upon arriving at the national park, we were greeted by a magnificent view of Popo.

At an elevation of 5,426 metres, Popocatépetl is the second-highest peak in Mexico. Its name in Nahuatl means “smoking mountain,” a fitting name, as it is an active volcano and you can regularly sees plumes of smoke around its summit.

But Popo wasn’t our goal on that day. After another good look at it, we headed north into the forest towards Izta.

The trail we were following was mostly flat, with some slight climbs and descents. However, since we were at a fairly high altitude (at an elevation over 3,700 metres), some people in my group were having a little trouble catching their breath. For my part, after my hike at Nevado de Toluca a few days before, I found this trail relatively easy to follow.

I was surprised by the variety of landscapes. The national park protects a diverse ecosystem, in which the tropical climate at lower elevations transitions to an alpine climate at higher elevations. The park is home to an abundant variety of birds, reptiles, and mammals, including lynx, coyotes, and volcano rabbits, a rare species that leaves in the high-elevation grasslands of Mexico’s tallest volcanoes.

The trail we were following ran mostly through a coniferous forest, a landscape that contrasted with anything I had seen so far in Mexico. In fact, at times, the tall pine trees even reminded me of the more familiar landscapes of Canada. But the dusty trail, covered in gray ash, was a clear sign that I was hiking in a volcanic area.

At times, the trail also crossed alpine grasslands. It was while passing through one of these grasslands that we began to get a better view of Iztaccíhuatl, the third-highest peak in Mexico (at an elevation of 5,286 metres).

Like Popo, Izta is also a volcano, but a dormant one. Its name also comes from the Nahuatl word for “white woman,” as its snow-capped peaks resemble the silhouette of a sleeping woman. According to Aztec legend, Iztaccíhuatl was a princess who fell in love with the warrior Popocatépetl. After he left for war, she was falsely led to believe he had been killed. Iztaccíhuatl died of grief. Upon her return, Popocatépetl, enraged, knelt beside her. The gods supposedly covered them with snow and transformed them into a mountain.

Legends or not, there was definitely something magical about walking between these two giants. We continued to occasionally see Popo and Izta when the view through the trees cleared.

The trail led us to a small waterfall, near which we took a break. Beyond the waterfall, the trail climbed again, heading towards Izta. Unfortunately for us, we had reached our destination for the day. Now we had to turn back, to return to our starting point.

Under the radiant sun and a perfectly blue sky, the scenery continued to be spectacular. I forgot about my tired legs. I covered nearly 13 kilometres in total, with a vertical gain of 568 metres.

I didn’t reach any summit during this hike, but my visit to Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park made me once again fall in love with nature and the magnificent landscapes of Mexico. I can’t wait to come back!