Pozas Azules de Atzala

Useful Information

Location:	Atzala de la Asunción, 40315 Taxco de Alarcón, Guerrero. (18.5141378, -99.6634137)
Open:	All year daily 9-17:45. [2024]
Fee:	Adults MXP 100, Children MXP 50, Parking MXP 50. [2024]
Classification:	Rimstone Pool tufa caves.
Light:	n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Pozas Azules de Atzala, Atzala de la Asunción, 40315 Taxco de Alarcón, Guerrero, Tel: +52-.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

The name Pozas Azules (Blue Ponds) is unfortunately a little dull, although sounding quite nice and telling the main feature, it is unfortunately used quite often. These blue ponds here are located near the picturesque town of Atzala, hence the full name Pozas Azules de Atzala. A small river springs from a karst spring in a valley west of the town Atzala. It flows down the valley, heated by the sun rays, loosing carbon dioxide due to the temperature raise, the movement and the plants growing in the water. The water is saturated with limestone at the spring, after loosing all the carbon dioxide it is oversaturated and the limestone precipitates, covering the rocks and plants, and growing continually. It forms waterfalls, bulbus walls of porous tufa, small caves and rimstone pools. And those pools, characterized by the typical blue colour of the limestone rich water, are the famous part for the locals. While we see the geotope and karst feature worth protecting, they see a possibility to refresh by bathing in the blue water. So unlike other similar places all over the world, like the Plitvitze lakes, this is not a nature protection area or park, it is a popular bathing spot. With restrictions. The water originates from a cave and has the temperature of the cave. During Summer, it is quickly heated to bathing temperatures. During Winter, it stays rather cold and people come here for picknicks. The use of sunscreen, suntan lotions, soaps and other toxic substances is prohibited. As it is a site popular with locals, we suggest avoiding Sunday afternoons during summer.

There are a total of nine blue pools, the lower pools were artificially enhanced with dams and platforms for jumping into the water. But the pools further up the valley are entirely natural. A trail with stone and concrete steps and iron railing leads along the valley. There are numerous bridges and even a sort of zipline. There is also a small cave above the end of the trail, locals guide visitors there for a small tip. The limestone deposits sometimes form conical forms with the water flowing down one side, which are popular as natural water slides. Especially the moss makes them quite slippery, and so they are fantastic slides. While there are numerous spots where tufa was deposited, large sections of the valley are just normal erosional forms, in other words, a normal gorge, not a karst feature.

The site is located in the northern part of Guerrero near Taxco, a 3.5 h bus ride from Mexico City. There is a normal bus from the capital to Taxco, from here minibuses leave at the Coppel Plateros department store to Atzala.