Nature

El Arcotete

Natural stone arch and ecotourism park on the road toward Tenejapa, with caves, forest and outdoor activities.

Opening hours

Monday
08:00–17:00
Tuesday
08:00–17:00
Wednesday
08:00–17:00
Thursday
08:00–17:00
Friday
08:00–17:00
Saturday
08:00–17:00
Sunday
08:00–17:00

Location

Carretera rumbo a Tenejapa km 8, Ejido Río Arcotete, San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico

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About this place

El Arcotete is a natural rock arch shaped by the Fogótico River near San Cristóbal de las Casas. The park is known for its caves, forest setting and activities such as climbing, cycling and boat rides.

Plan with context

Related guides

  • Things to Do

    Best Hikes & Nature Walks near San Cristóbal de las Casas

    For accessible nature near San Cristóbal, start with Huitepec for cloud forest, El Arcotete for an easy park-and-river outing, and Rancho Nuevo for pine forest and caves. These options are close enough to work as half-day plans rather than major road trips.

  • Trip Planning

    San Cristóbal de las Casas with Kids: Family Travel Guide

    San Cristóbal can work well for a family trip because much of Centro is explored on foot and several nearby attractions offer short nature outings rather than only long road tours. Good family-friendly planning options include walking the historic center, choosing one or two museums, visiting El Arcotete or Huitepec, and treating Sumidero Canyon as a full-day outing.

  • Day Trips

    How to Visit El Arcotete from San Cristóbal de las Casas

    El Arcotete is one of the easiest nature outings from San Cristóbal. The park is roughly 8 km from the city toward Tenejapa and can be reached by colectivo, taxi or car. SanCrisGo locally checked the colectivo fare at MXN 15 in August 2026. Current tourism information lists the park as open daily, while prices for park activities can change.

  • Day Trips

    Best Day Trips from San Cristóbal de las Casas

    San Cristóbal works well as a base for several very different excursions. The strongest first choices are San Juan Chamula and Zinacantán for culture, Sumidero Canyon for scenery and a boat trip, and El Chiflón plus Lagunas de Montebello for a long nature day. Palenque is better treated as an onward or overnight trip rather than an easy day trip because of the distance and current road-advisory context.