Mineral del Chico, as Mineral del Monte, has a strong mining history, as their names suggest. But, thanks to its protected pine, oyamel and oak woodlands, this small town has found its place in adventure and ecological tourism.
Come along as we uncover another ‘Magic Town’ in Hidalgo…
Freshly baked Cocol
Around town you’ll see many signs that read ‘Cocol’ or ‘Cocol con nata’; it’s the traditional bread of Hidalgo, Tlaxcala and Estado de México. The Spanish introduced the recipe during their conquest, but Mexicans transformed it with local ingredients, such as wheat flour, piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar) and anise.
Armando, the owner of ‘Fonda Fresno’ (a little restaurant on the left side of the main street), says they were the first bakery in Mineral del Chico to sell ‘cocoles’, and that their recipe doesn’t need extras to enhance the flavor –referring to those who sell it with nata (sweet milk skin). They open at 9:00am with a freshly baked batch.
The veredict: it’s only $3.50 mxn a piece, so try it! Though we would recommend ordering it with a coffee or a hot chocolate, because it’s definitely on the dry side.
Vía Ferrata
We have never rock-climbed or rappel before, so doing it for the first time on a 200 meters mountain felt counterintuitive. Nevertheless, we decided to head up. And it was amazing! We had so much fun, and it turns out, we are quite good at it –giving the fact that we only had a five-minute crash course on how to use the equipment, and we never ever exercise (well, at list I (Maggie) don’t).
The route has many tests to measure your bravery, like walking on a tight rope and throwing yourself 25 meters from one mountain to another at a height of 160 meters. Both, thrilling experiences! And at the end, a 180 meters rappel…
It’s perfectly safe –the whole time you’re completely secured with a harness and two carabiners– and you don’t need to have any kind of experience.
Presa El Cedral
A nice place to eat and enjoy more of Mineral del Chico’s landscapes. Now, next to a dam filled from the water collected by the oyamel forest around it.
Find a table in front of the food stall ‘Palapa Abril’ and order quesadillas ($15mxn), sopes ($15mxn) or trout ($120mxn). A very cheap and delicious meal.
Bottoms up!
At night, walk to ‘El Socavón’, a bar on the town’s center, and order a Tachuela. Some say this local drink is made with wine and cognac; others, that it has a combination of hard and herbal liqueurs. The truth is, nobody knows for sure… Every family has their own recipe.
It’s served with a ‘María’ cookie on top, to relieve some of the bitterness. So, drink it as a shot and eat the cookie! Just be careful, because few can get you really drunk.
Useful information
Mineral del Chico
- Mineral del Monte is 35 minutes away, so you can visit both Minerales in one day.
- There are few hotel options and rooms tend to be very rustic/basic, so keep that in mind.
- Mornings and nights are cold-ish, around 10-15°C.
- You can find souvenirs in ‘Casa del Artesano del Pueblo’ (right next to the Palacio Municipal), such as pottery, wood crafts, fabrics with openwork and wool clothing.
Vía Ferrata
- $800mxn per person.
- 3-hours approximately to complete the route, but depends on the group.
- Open every day from 9:00 to 18:00.
- You can make your reservation here, though it’s not required.
- They have a free transport service from town’s center.
- The fee includes safety equipment, guide, medical insurance, bottle of water and granola bar. You’ll be asked to fill some paperwork and present an ID.
- Wear sneakers or boots, a lightweight hoodie and a hair band (updo needed). Lockers are available for storage.
- The guide takes pictures along the way and you can buy them at the end. We couldn’t see the quality and we thought they were quite expensive, so we suggest taking a go-pro on a selfie stick or your cell phone –if you’re a little bit reckless, like us.
