Where is Cortes Pass in Mexico?
Mexico, north-america
43.7 km
3,692 m
moderate
Year-round
Okay, adventure seekers, listen up! You HAVE to check out Paso de Cortés, nestled high in the Izta-Popo Zoquiapan National Park between the Popocatépetl and Ixtaccíhuatl volcanoes, just southeast of Mexico City. This place is epic!
The road, also called Tlamacaxco, winds its way up, up, up to a whopping 3,692m (12,112ft). Think seriously steep, seriously twisty, and surrounded by lush trees – the kind of climb that gets your heart pumping. It's all paved, so no worries there, but prepare for a bit of a trek.
The whole pass stretches about 43.7 km (27.15 miles) from Amecameca de Juárez (Mexico State) to San Nicolás de Los Ranchos (Puebla). Budget around 1.5 to 2 hours to soak it all in (without stopping).
When you finally hit the summit, you'll find a big parking lot, a much-needed bar (cheers to that!), and an info center. It's also the jumping-off point for the climb to Estación de Altura Altzomoni, a weather station way up at 3,985m (13,074ft). Basically, unreal views for days. Just remember to pack your camera and maybe some altitude sickness meds!
Road Details
- Country
- Mexico
- Continent
- north-america
- Length
- 43.7 km
- Max Elevation
- 3,692 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
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