Cascada de Minas Viejas is another beautiful waterfall in the San Luis Potosi region is a must-see if you’re in the area. This single waterfall stands at 55 meters high and flows into what is normally an incredibly blue pool. This runs into a series of smaller also beautiful falls and pools.
At the right time of years its comparable to Havasupai except there are almost no people, it’s not a full day walk through the desert and it only costs $1.50 to get into.
Cascada de Minas Viejas with its stunning turquoise blue waters is a popular spot for local tourism and tour groups alike. However, when we were there, there were only two small families enjoying the place at the same time and I’m sure if we had not have gotten bogged in some mud trying to get to another spot first and arrived early there would have almost been no one.
Located only 78kms from Ciudad Valles it is a must-see for anyone that might be heading to Las Pozas or Puente de Dios as well as a few other highlights like Salto del Agua.
Getting to Cascada de Minas Viejas
From Ciudad Valles to Cascada de Minas Viejas.
Getting to Cascada de Minas Viejas is fairly simple but there are not that many options really from Ciudad Valles.
Having your own transport is going to be one of the fastest ways to get there. All you need to do is head west out of Ciudad Valles on the 70. After about 8kms depending on where you are in town you will need to turn right off the 70 at the highway sign to Naranjo. If you get to the Pemex you missed the turn and need to turn around.
From here you head north for 65kms until you get to a left turn that will be well signposted saying Minas Viejas.
The other two options you have are a private taxi or if there are enough of you a minibus, I’m not sure how much this would cost but I’m sure you would be better off negotiating a half day or day rate. Check for rough prices with your hotel first.
The other option is as part of a tour group. One of the bonuses of going with a tour group is you will probably end up at a few other amazing spots that day and they will take you to areas where, if you’re feeling super adventurous you can jump off the waterfalls, other tours to Minas Viejas offer rappelling tours off the side of the waterfall so that’s an option also.
Where to stay in Ciudad Valles
So we are always going to recommend eco-hostels or lodges first and this one is another beautiful one located in central Ciudad Valles.
Eco Hotel Casa Kima is a beautiful little tropical styled hotel with bamboo buildings complete with grass thatched roofs that are reasonably priced.
Hotel Casa Ortiz is a very well priced 5-star hotel in the middle of Ciudad Valles. It comes complete with a pool and breakfast. We didn’t actually stay here but it is very highly rated and probably a great option if you’re looking for something a little more conventional.
If you are looking for a more budget option the Hotel Casa Clavel is probably perfect. It is what you would expect from a budget hotel, basic and clean. Rooms at Hostel Casa Clavel start from around $25 USD per night
Other things to know about Cascada de Minas Viejas
The park entrance fee is 30 pesos or $1.50 USD. Camping inside the park is free so that’s pretty cool.
Wearing a life jacket is meant to be compulsory but we did not wear them and saw a few other people not wearing them. However, if you’re not that confident with you’re swimming you will have a far better time with one as the water can move pretty fast in certain parts of the river. But you will mostly stick to the side pools anyway.
Also, don’t forget to check out the mirador halfway back up the 200 odd stairs not only will it be a nice little break but it’s an amazing view over the falls!!
So it can be a little intimidating traveling to a country with a different language. Spanish does not have to be hard. Here is a Mexican Spanish basic phrase guide that might help you a little along the way.
At no extra cost to you, some of the links in this article are affiliate links and by using them Sara and I receive a small commission. This goes towards helping us continue to explore and write articles like this. 😁
Other waterfalls to visit in San Luis Potosi.
So there are probably dozens and dozens of other amazing spots in San Lusi Potosi but here are a few worth checking out.
Visiting Las Pozas is probably the reason you’re in the area. If you’re not here for that then you should be as it is absolutely incredible!
Puente De Dios an incredibly beautiful spot tucked into the mountains.
Salto del Agua another amazing spot that seems to remain extremely uncrowded most of the year.
Being sustainable while traveling.
There are a million different aspects to this but I will just cover one here that is relevant to swimming holes and the ocean.
Mexico is an extremely beautiful place and between the beaches, the coral reefs, and all of the waterfalls there are a few small things we can do to help keep them pristine.
My first tip for this especially for the cenotes, and coral reefs or any delicate ecosystem really is to use a sunscreen specifically designed not to damage the reefs or impact marine life in any way.
Not only that most of them are better for your skin as well as the environment.
There are more and more options becoming available when it comes to this but here are a few of our favorites.
Kiss My Face is one brand that is making a really nice mineral face and body cream. They are also cruelty-free so you can feel good about that, and it contains beeswax, green tea, sunflower oil, and sage.
Sun Bum is a super fun company that has a large range of reef friendly mineral products. Ingredients include mineral zinc oxide, coconut oil, and cocoa seed butter.
All Good Sunscreen Butter is one we have not actually tried but have been hearing a lot of good things about online. All good use zinc oxide mineral ingredient to protect your skin, as well as coconut oil, beeswax, and vitamin E oil.
Insect Repellent
Bug spray is something else you should be conscious of using before going in the water. If you’re just on your way to the beach or a waterfall you don’t need to drown yourself in bug spray before jumping in. A lot of the chemicals can be toxic and help do damage to the ecosystems.
I personally try and avoid any kind of repellent unless I am getting absolutely destroyed. I just have a thin pair of cotton pants and a long sleeve button up that is made of thin material to try and stay cool at the same time. However, we do carry bug spray and there are some pretty clever options out there so you might want to check these out. Not only will the first two option be better for you all round they will also reduce your single-use plastics ever so slightly.
Exofficio Bugs Away Leggings these are for you if you’re like us and don’t like bug spray, they also have pants for men. We just put long pants on in the morning and evening when it starts to cool down and the bugs really start to come out.
Royal Robbins Mens Bug Barrier shirt I love long sleeve button ups for travel, its too hot, no worries, undo the buttons, roll up the sleeves and you’re good. Cools down, roll the sleeves back down and do the buttons up. This shirt also comes with treated fabric to help repel bugs. I went for the plain light blue option but that’s all up to you.
Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent If you are really hell-bent on some kind of spray because, well lets face it sometimes it is just too hot to wear long sleeved anything then this is probably your best option. DEET free and non-aerosol it has a couple of thousand 5 star reviews on Amazon which is pretty incredible really.
