Las Playitas Shoreline Trail

The Las Playitas Shoreline Trail follows the shore of Las Playitas, the largest turquoise lagoon in the Cuatro Cienegas Natural Protected Area in Coahuila, located about 5 kilometers from Cuatro Cienegas town toward Torreon along Federal Highway 30. The trailhead is reached by private vehicle or taxi, a roughly 5-minute drive from town, with parking available at the site. The route covers about 2.5 kilometers round trip along the shore and is entirely flat, with under 10 meters of elevation change, following a packed sand and dirt path bordering the lagoon's white gypsum shoreline. The terrain is easy, though soft sand in places can slow walking pace, and shade is minimal along the open shoreline. The main landmark is Las Playitas itself, whose turquoise water contrasts sharply against the surrounding white gypsum sand and desert scrub, a distinctive combination within the broader Cuatro Cienegas basin. Because swimming inside the reserve is restricted to designated pools such as Poza La Becerra, Las Playitas functions primarily as a shoreline viewpoint and photography stop rather than a place to enter the water; most visitors walk a portion of the shore and turn back rather than completing a fixed loop. There are no refuge huts, shelters, or potable water sources along the shoreline, so the recommended 1.5 litres should be carried from town. Early mornings offer calmer water, cooler temperatures, and often the best light for photographing the color contrast between the lagoon and the gypsum sand, making them the most comfortable and scenic time to walk the shore, particularly outside the hottest months from May to September.