Los Dínamos
Cam. a Los Dinamos, Reserva de los dinamos, La Carbonera, La Magdalena Contreras, 10930 Ciudad de México, CDMX
800 008 9090
http://cdmxtravel.com/es/lugares/parque-nacional-los-dinamos.html
Not far from the city limits is a protected natural reserve that’s ideal for people who love to enjoy the great outdoors without traveling a long distance. The Parque Nacional Los Dínamos is less than 5 km away from Periférico, the main traffic artery in the city. The park has a size of 6,101 acres and is oblong in shape; inside there are 26 kilometers of eco-tourist trails perfect for mountain biking, climbing, abseiling, camping, fishing, and horseback riding. It’s one of the prime locations in the city to take the children on an adventure where they can interact with nature and really appreciate its beauty. Los Dínamos is a forest that includes waterfalls and the only river that’s left in the city, the Río Magdalena. The name “Los Dínamos” comes from old textile factories in this area that generated electricity from the running water that passes through.
Once you get there you can enjoy some of the food sold by the locals in the parking area, such as quesadillas and mushroom soup, but if you’re planning on camping a night or two you should also bring your own provisions of course. If you don’t have a car you shouldn’t worry because, like it has been already mentioned, the parking area is less than 5 kilometers (17 minutes) away from the southern portion of Periférico (where TV Azteca or Pedregal is), so a taxi or Uber from any central part of the city should be in the neighborhood of $250 pesos.
Access to the forest costs only $10 pesos, even though food and the activities (equipment rental, like mountain bikes) provided there might have an extra cost, if you happen to take a car with you daily parking is $25 pesos.
One of the most enjoyable and exhilarating activities at Los Dínamos is mountain biking, it’s sure to get your adrenaline pumping, and even if you’re not experienced don’t worry, there are different courses with different levels of difficulty, and with different lengths too (from 15 to 70 km), it’s obligatory to use protective gear though: helmet, as well as knee and elbow pads. If you’re more of the laid-back kind of person, fishing is allowed, and the fish available on the river is trout, so it’s completely legal; the cost is less than $50 pesos per hour for fishing (plus rental equipment if needed). There are also horses for rental and the cost depends on who you ask for the service, as it varies between very cheap to $150 pesos per hour.
If you truly want to experience the full set of activities then another day might be needed, in that case, you could spend another day (and night) with nature, and breathe that wonderful fresh air some more! Camping is an option and it doesn’t have a cost unless you want to rent equipment like a camping tent and sleeping bags.
