Amatlán de Quetzalcóatl to Poza de Quetzalcóatl Loop

The loop begins in the village of Amatlán de Quetzalcóatl, reached by private vehicle or taxi from Tepoztlán along a partly unpaved road, a drive of about 20-25 minutes. Parking is informal, typically along the village's main access road near the trailhead signage; no permit is required to enter the trail itself, though the pool area sometimes has a small local access charge. The loop covers approximately 5.3km and gains under 200m cumulatively, following a forest path of packed dirt and occasional exposed roots and rock through pine-oak woodland within the Corredor Biológico Chichinautzin. The terrain is rolling rather than steep, with partial shade for most of the route and a few open, sun-exposed clearings near the village. Landmarks along the way include shrines and markers referencing the village's association in local legend with the birthplace of Quetzalcóatl, as well as a lookout point before the descent to the pool. The turnaround and main destination is the Poza de Quetzalcóatl, a natural rock pool fed by a mountain stream, where swimming is possible; hikers who prefer a shorter outing can treat the pool as the endpoint and retrace their steps rather than completing the full loop. There are no refuge huts along the trail, but the pool area has informal shade and a small number of vendors selling drinks and snacks on weekends. Stream water feeds the pool but should not be treated as a reliable potable source. The return leg climbs back gradually through the forest to the village.