Cañada de la Virgen

Creek near Cañada de la Virgen, the northernmost pyramid attributed to the Toltec pyramid builders. You can't drive to the ruins. You park at a visitor's center, catch a shuttle to the head of the trail and then there is a rushed 2-hour march, mandatorily led by a guide. Part of this tour is a 1+ mile hike over well-paved trails but in hilly terrain.

Though it is a fast tour, the guides are thorough, giving great information about the site, the artifacts they've found and what they believe they mean, local flora and fauna, weather patterns, astronomical information, and more.

Here you can catch a view of the big pyramid through the trees.

This is a small part of the site just down the hill from the main pyramid. This site is in the mountains, but the location has open views of the skies for astronomical observation and also great strategic siting for defensive purposes. There is even a large low spot on the hill that catches water in the wet seasons and makes a seasonal wetland that attracts wildlife and serves as a water supply for growing food and sustaining the small population that used the site.

The main pyramid and enclosed courtyard after a heavy rain. Visitors are able to climb the steps leading to the ritual and sacrificial site at the top.

Cañada de la Virgen

San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato México

Summer 2018